Travis and I have been together for about nine months now. It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long though. Right after our six month anniversary we decided for me to move into his house. I was over there almost every night anyway, so it just made sense to us. I also decided to quit my job. I’m happier just staying at the house and taking care of it, plus Travis makes enough money for both of us, and we’re both really happy with our arrangement. The only downside of living with him 24/7 is that it’s impossible to hide anything from him. I swear I think he knows my cycle better than I do. He even knows when I’m constipated or having any other medical problem. I can’t get away with anything anymore. Like now, I’m pretty sure that I’m getting a UTI. It’s been a long time since my last one, but I remember how it started out. I noticed a few days ago my back being a little achy, but I did spend the day rearranging furniture. However, as the days went by I noticed I had to pee more frequently, and then this morning when I went to go pee it burned a little, not much just enough for me to notice. It’s slowly becoming worse as the day goes on. I’ve been drinking cranberry juice hoping that it’ll go away on its own. I’m just not ready for Travis to go into doctor mode like he usually does. He’s due home any minute now. In fact I just heard his truck pull up. He gets out and walks into the house. “Hey there, babe. How was your day?” “Not too bad. What about yours? Have any interesting patients?” “Not really. Just the usual physicals, and sinus infections.” “That doesn’t sound too bad,” I say as he walks over to get him something to drink out of the refrigerator. I knew he was going to see my cranberry juice, and sure enough… “Cranberry juice?” He holds the container up and looks at me. “Yeah, I, um, I think I might be starting to get a urinary tract infection. But, really Travis, I don’t need you to go all doctor mode on me. It’s not that bad right now, and I’m hoping this will do the trick. I don’t need an exam or any of your shots, alright?” He puts the juice back in the fridge, “I never said you did, babe. You said it wasn’t that bad, so maybe cranberry juice will do the trick. Just promise me one thing, that if it gets worse you’ll let me know.” It had already got worse than when it first started, but I was still hopeful that the juice would work. “I promise.” The rest of the evening went the same as it did every day, just this time I had to go pee at least once every hour. After every time I went though, the burning kept getting a little worse and worse, until finally it got to where it hurt so bad I couldn’t make myself finish. Finally the last time, when I came out of the bathroom Travis looked at me and said, “Alright that’s it. It’s time for you to go down stairs.” “Travis, no please. I’ll be alright.” “Nicole, when you come out of the bathroom crying, that tells me that you’re not alright. You promised me that you would tell me if it got worse. You told me that it wasn’t that bad.” “I was going to tell you if it wasn’t better tomorrow, I promise. I just wasn’t ready for a doctor yet.” “Well, now you are. So come on, let’s go to the exam room.” I know it won’t do any good to argue, so I start going down the stairs with Travis following me. When we get down there he unlocks the door and I follow him in. He walks over to the cabinet and hands me a wipe and cup. “Go ahead and give me a urine sample, while I get things set up here.” I take the cup and go into the joint bathroom. Great, how is this going to work? I can’t even make myself pee because it hurts so bad. I walk over to the toilet and pull down my pants and underwear. I clean myself with the wipe, and try to pee. I get a little going, but as soon as I do, it feels like I’m peeing fire, and my body just quits. Even though it hurts, I know I have to do this. I take a couple of deep breaths, and start again. I have tears in my eyes from where it hurts so much, but I’m able to get a little in the cup, before I can’t take anymore. I hope that it’s enough. I walk back out, and Travis has laid a paper sheet on the table. I hand him the cup, and he looks at it. “That’s it?” “I tried, but it just hurt too much, my body made me stop.” “Alright, well luckily it’s enough to test, but barely. Go ahead and take your pants and underwear off, there’s a drape on the table.” While he was testing my urine, I started to do as he said. I sat on the table with just the drape over me. I was really nervous, because I really wasn’t sure what he was going to do to me. Every other time I went to the doctor they just took a urine sample and then gave me a prescription for antibiotics, they never examined me. I should’ve known better with Travis though, he’s always very thorough. “Nicole, how long have you had this infection?” “Well I noticed my back was achy a few days ago, but that was when I moved all that furniture around. Since then, I noticed I was going to the bathroom more frequently, but it wasn’t until this morning that it got really worse and started hurting.” “Well you have a bad UTI. We will definitely get antibiotics into you soon. I do want to do a quick examination.” “Ok.” “First I need to take your temperature, just to make sure you’re not running a fever.” “Let me guess, it’s going in my butt right?” He chuckles, “Besides one time have I ever took your temperature any other way?” “No,” I laugh. While he’s getting the thermometer I go ahead and roll over. He walks over to me and spreads my cheeks. “Alright babe, a little lube.” I feel the coldness on me back there. “Alright, now the thermometer.” I feel the coldness and the pressure of the rod going into me. A few minutes later he takes it out. “Good, you’re not running a fever yet. Go ahead and turn back around, and lay on your back.” While I’m turning around I ask, “So what are you doing now?” “First, I’m just going to feel your bladder. Then I’m going to put you in the stirrups and just take a quick look. I should probably also do a quick swab test.” I learned after all this time that it’s best I don’t argue, it’s going to happen either way, and at least this way I won’t get a spanking. “Ugh, well you’re the doctor, and you know what’s best.” He walks over and pulls the drape down some. As soon as he starts to put a little pressure on my bladder though, I can’t take it. It hurts too bad from where it’s full. “Ow! Oh my gosh that hurts!” I move his hand away. And he looks down at me with this sympathetic look in his eyes, and brushes the hair off my forehead. “I know it hurts babe. I just need to feel a little bit longer. I need to see how distended your bladder is. How long ago was it since you were able to completely empty your bladder?” “Um, probably around eleven or noon.” “Alright, I’ll try to be gentle.” I felt his hands back on my bladder. I try to breathe through the pain. I couldn’t help but whimper a little. Luckily he was finished pretty quickly. When he was finished he walks back toward my head, and takes my hand. “Babe, I know you’re not going to be happy with me, but you’re going to need a catheter.” “I figured you were going to say that.” “I’m sorry darling. It’ll make you feel better though.” Even though I really didn’t want it, I knew that he was right. I was miserable and my bladder hurt any way from where it was full. He walked to the end of the table, and took out the stirrups. “Alright, babe, you know what to do.” I put my feet in the stirrups while he was getting the things for the swab and catheter. He comes back over and sits down. I scoot down to where it felt like my butt was hanging off the table. He puts on some gloves, and I spread my legs for him. “I’m just going to take a quick look first, alright Nicole?” I feel him spread my inner lips apart, and then he really opens me up right at my urethra to get a good look. It was pretty uncomfortable. I just took a couple of deep breathes, hoping he would be finished soon. A few seconds later I hear him open something and he takes out a swab. I feel him spread me open again. I remember how bad it hurt the last time he did it, and I’m really dreading it. “Alright, darling, I’m going to take a swab from inside your urethra, like I did before. I’m going to insert it a little farther than last time though. Just try to bear with me and take some deep breaths. I’m sorry, babe, I really wish I didn’t have to do any of this.” “I know, it’s ok. I’m just ready to get it over with.” “Alright, here we go. Deep breath.” I feel him start to insert the swab. As soon as he did I felt this horrible burning stinging pain down there. It was ten times worse than I remembered it. Maybe it was from where I had an infection, or maybe it was from where he put it in farther. It took all I had not to close my legs. Even though it only took a few seconds, by the time he was done I had tears in my eyes. “I’m so proud of you, Nicole, you did so well. I know that hurt.” “I think it hurt worse than last time.” “I know it did babe, and I’m sorry. Unfortunately we’re not quite done. I need to put the catheter in now.” “Ugh, I don’t know if I can handle it. I barely handled the swab.” “I know babe. I’m not going to lie. It’s going to hurt going in, but once it’s in you’ll feel so much better I promise. Are you ready?” “I guess.” I hear him open the packet that has the catheter in it, and gets everything ready. It wasn’t long before I hear him change out his gloves, and I feel him spread me open, yet again. I feel the cold swipe of the antiseptic, it makes me jump. I feel him do it a couple more times. “Alright, Nicole, another deep breath.” I take a deep breath in, and as soon as I do I feel him start to push it in me. I couldn’t help it, I screamed from where it hurt so bad. It was way worse than the swab, I was screaming and crying and begging for him to stop. “Ooh, please quit! I can’t take it anymore! OWWW! PLEASE!!!” “Shhhh, I know babe. I’m sorry. Just a little bit longer, I promise. I know. God I feel horrible having to do this to you. Just try to breathe babe, I’m almost done. I’m at your bladder now, deep breathe while I push it through.” “Ow!” “There it’s in, it’s in.” Once my bladder started to empty it was instant relief. The catheter still sucked but my bladder felt so much better. “That feels so much better.” “Good, I’m glad. I’m just sorry I had to cause you pain so you could feel better.” “It’s alright Travis. I know you did what you had to do, Thank you. So how long does this have to stay in?” “I’m going to keep it in overnight and take it out in the morning before I go to work. I’m only going to work part of the day tomorrow, and I’m going to make you an appointment for a urologist I know.” “A urologist? Can’t you do whatever it is that they’ll do?” “Babe, you need to be seen by a specialist. I just want to make sure that with your history, everything is alright. He’s really good, and he’s actually an old friend from medical school.” “A male doctor? Don’t you know any female urologists? I really don’t want another guy looking down there.” “There is a female doctor in his practice, but I haven’t heard many good things about her. Derek Graham, or Dr. Graham, is better. I’m not just saying that because he’s a friend. I’ve talked to a lot of patients who has said the same thing. They say he’s gentler, friendlier, and actually listens to you problems and concerns. It’s your body babe, so if you’d rather me make the appointment with Dr. Carroll, I will. It’s up to you. Either way I’ll be right by your side.” “I trust you Travis, really I do. I just feel like I’d be more comfortable with a female doctor, even with you by my side.” “Alright, I’ll make the appointment with Dr. Carroll in the morning then. I’m going to give you a quick shot of antibiotics so they can start working.” “How am I supposed to roll over with this stupid thing in me?” “You’re not going to roll over all the way, and I’m going to help you.” He went and got the needle and put the antibiotic in it, then walked back over to me. He helped position me to where I was mostly more on my side than my stomach, and made sure my catheter didn’t get in the way. I felt the coldness of the antiseptic wipe on my cheek, than a quick sting and burning sensation as the medicine was pushed into my muscle. “Alright, I’m all done babe. I’m going to make the sofa out into a bed, and we can just sleep down here tonight. I think it’ll be more comfortable for you since you have the catheter in.” He goes and makes up the bed and we snuggle in together. Even though I was wrapped in his arms I still didn’t get much sleep. Part of it was because of the catheter, but most of it was because I was dreading my urologist appointment. I wonder what they’re going to do to me tomorrow?