A tall woman with broad shoulders enters the room. She’s wearing scrubs with her hair pulled back into a high pony tail, and has a slim folder tucked under her arm. She looked to be in her 40s, with a pleasant but stern looking face.

She introduced herself to me, “Hi, I’ll be your nurse for the time being.” I stared blankly at her. She began to wash her hands at the sink and added, “if you could just hop up on the table here we can get started.”

I was stunned. She must have thought I was a patient.

“Uh I’m just here waiting for my caseworker outside. I’m not a patient.”

“You’re Grace?” She raised an eyebrow at me.

“Yeah that’s my name, but I’m just here helping run some errands. I’m not a patient.”

“Is this you?” she asked, pointing to the name on the top of a manila file. The color drained from my face as I read my full name on the label.

I stuttered, “I mean yeah, but I’m..”

She cut me off. “A lot of girls are nervous when they come here. That’s okay. Now can you please just come over here and we’ll get started.

“There must be some mistake.” I’m frozen in the chair.

“Let’s at least take some vital signs and then we’ll talk.” She says, coaxing me up to the table. I climb it slowly, then settle into an awkward seat in front of her. She wraps a blood pressure cuff tightly around my arm and puts a white pulse oximeter probe on m y index finger.

“Just relax this arm for me,” she smiles as I feel the cuff tighten. I feel a few cold beads of sweat drip down my arm. “Open for me and put this under your tongue.” I accept the thermometer and tighten my lips around it, now breathing through my nose. After a few moments it beeps, and she pulls it back.

“All your signs look good,” she tells me as she undoes the velcro on the blood pressure cuff, “just change into the gown and the doctor will be right in.” She places a white gown on the table next to her then exits the room.

I shakily rise to my feet. I don’t feel like I’m in a position to tell her no, but at the same time I can’t imagine what kind of mix up has happened. If I had an appointment, it’s really strange that the caseworker wouldn’t have told me.

I tug my shirt off over my head and toss it onto the chair. Then I put the gown on, trying my best to stay covered although I’m alone in the room. Once I’ve got it tied, I slip off my jeans and fold them nicely. Then there is a second knock at the door. It cracks open before I have a chance to answer.