The doctor handed Briony a gown and asked her to sit down on the examination table. "Just put this on, and we'll go over a quick questionnaire," he said with a friendly tone.

As she changed into the gown, he pulled out a form and began asking standard questions. “Have you had your period recently?” he asked, glancing up from his clipboard. Briony felt a slight flush rise to her cheeks as she nodded. The questions continued: “Are you sexually active? Ever had an STD? How often do you use the bathroom?”

She shifted uncomfortably, feeling a bit embarrassed, but answered each one as best as she could. The doctor remained professional, making notes as he went along, ensuring the process stayed quick and routine.

The doctor snapped on a pair of pale blue latex gloves and picked up a wooden tongue depressor. “Now, I’m going to do a quick ENT exam,” he said, giving her a reassuring smile. “Open wide and say ‘ah’ for me.”

Briony did as instructed, feeling the cool wooden stick press against her tongue. The doctor carefully inspected her throat, checking for any signs of redness or inflammation. He then shone a small flashlight into her mouth, examining her teeth and gums.

“Do you see a dentist regularly?” he asked as he moved on to the next part of the exam.

Briony nodded, feeling a little more relaxed. “Yes, every six months.”

“Good,” he said, giving her a brief smile before moving to the next tool. He picked up an otoscope and gently tilted her head to the side. “Now I’m just going to check your ears,” he explained, examining each ear carefully with the light.

“All clear here,” he said, putting the otoscope down and writing a note in her chart. “Your throat and ears look healthy.”

Next, the doctor gestured for her to sit on the edge of the table. “Alright, Briony, let’s move on to the reflex test.”

He tapped his reflex hammer gently against her knee, and her leg kicked out automatically. He repeated the test on her elbows and ankles, checking her responses.

“Your reflexes are normal,” he said, making a quick note. “Now, we’ll test your strength.”

The doctor then gestured for Briony to extend her arms. “Now, I’m going to test your limb strength. Push against my hands as hard as you can.”

Briony placed her hands against his and pushed with as much force as she could muster. The doctor applied gentle resistance, nodding in approval. “Good, now your legs—press against my hands here.”

Briony extended her legs and pushed against his hands with all her strength. The doctor held firm but didn’t resist too much. “Great strength, no issues there,” he said, making more notes on his clipboard.

“Everything looks good,” he added, offering a smile. “Your reflexes are normal, and your limb strength is right where it should be. We’re almost done—just a couple more things to check. I just need you to lower the gown a bit so I can listen to your heart and lungs,” he said, keeping his tone calm.

Briony adjusted the gown as instructed, feeling a bit self-conscious but doing her best to relax. The doctor then placed the stethoscope against her chest, the cold metal sending a small shiver through her.

“Sorry, it’s a bit cold,” he said, noticing her reaction. “Take a deep breath for me.”

Briony inhaled deeply as he moved the stethoscope over her chest, around the edges of her bra listening carefully. He then asked her to breathe in again. “Good girl,” he said with a soft smile, noting her steady breaths. He moved the stethoscope down to her back, gently asking her to lean forward a bit. “Deep breath in,” he instructed, listening intently as she exhaled.

He paused for a moment, then smiled. “Your heart and lungs sound perfect. No concerns there.”

The doctor glanced at her chart once more before looking up. "Alright, Briony, I'm going to have you remove the gown and lay back on the table. This part of the exam will help me check your abdomen and other areas."

Briony nodded and adjusted the gown, then lay back on the exam table as the doctor positioned himself at her side. He placed the stethoscope gently on her abdomen and listened closely, moving it around in small circles.

"Your bowels aren’t very active right now, which is fine," he noted, making a quick note on the chart. "I just need to check a few other things. Can you spread your legs a little."

“Now, I’m going to listen to your femoral pulse,” he said, gently pressing the stethoscope to the area near her groin. He paused, listening intently, then removed the stethoscope and nodded. “Femoral pulse is strong, no issues there.”

"OK I'm just going to have a quick peek inside your underwear, no need to worry." Briony tensed up immediately as she felt his thumb slide into the side elastic. "I'll just slide these to the side to take a little look." A breeze drifted across her vulva as it was exposed. "OK all done. Everything looking nice and normal so I'll be able to do the exam myself rather than calling in colleague for a consult." The doctor pulled the cotton back over her. "We'll just get your temperature." Briony breathed a sigh of relief and made to sit up.

"Nono Briony, not done yet - can you turn over onto your tummy for me please." Briony was about to argue but the doctor caught her eye and made a face. "Not everyone's favourite part I know sweetie but rules are rules." Briony flipped over trying not to kick her legs with anxiety.

"OK I'm going to pull your underwear down to just below your butt cheeks." The doctor said before doing just that. "Now you'll feel me dab just a little bit of vaseline on your butthole." Briony cringed as she felt his finger softly smear some jelly on her anus. "And cold pressure coming now." The thermometer was surprisingly hard and sore after his gentle finger. It went in further than she expected, plunging past her sphincter and she let out a little yelp. "That's a brave girl, you won't have to hold it for long."

It felt like an age but eventually he withdrew it and said, "Good news, no fever so no infections."

"Alright, Briony, next we’ll move on to the breast exam. I’ll need you to remove your bra for this part. I’ve got a gown here for you to wear to cover your lower body."

He handed her a fresh gown and explained, “The exam itself is quick, but it’s important for checking for any lumps or changes that might need attention.”

Briony nodded and carefully removed her bra, then put on the gown as the doctor stepped back to give her privacy.

Once she was ready, he asked, “Please place your hands behind your head and rest your elbows out to the sides.” Briony followed his instructions, positioning her hands behind her head as he took a moment to observe her posture and check for any visible signs of asymmetry.

The doctor then began the exam, gently feeling each breast with careful, systematic movements, checking for any abnormalities or lumps. “Good job Briony, I’m just feeling for any irregularities here,” he explained softly as he worked, ensuring that she felt comfortable at every step. He then rolled each nipple between his finger and thumb and observed them as they hardened.

“Now, I’d like you to stand up for a moment, please.” Briony stood, following his instructions as he adjusted the position of the exam table. “Please bend forward at the waist, letting your breasts hang naturally,” the doctor explained.

As she bent forward, he shone a small flashlight over her chest, inspecting closely for any signs of dimpling or abnormal skin changes. “Great job, just let them hang down like that. I’m just checking for any dimpling or changes in the skin of the breast tissue that could indicate something we need to investigate further,” he explained, observing her chest as she held the position for a few moments.

Once he had completed the visual inspection, he gave her a reassuring smile. “Awesome. Everything looks normal here,” he said, making a note on his chart. “We’re almost finished with the exam.”