A month ago, I saw a new dermatologist for treatment of a shoulder scar that didn't heal well after a surgery I had a couple years ago. She was in the room for about three minutes, looked at it, told me they could inject a steroid monthly to treat it, and left everything to her PA. She stood with her back against the door, almost like she was afraid to actually enter the room. I was not impressed. But she also recommended a full body skin check at my next appointment, which was today.
My last skin check was 10 years ago, so I was definitely due. I checked in and had a seat in the waiting room. I was nervous. I don't know why. I used to get nervous at the doctor's office, but that hasn't happened in a long time. Maybe it's because I wasn't sure what was going to happen. Maybe it was because I knew that I would be undressing. I listed to some quiet music while I waited. It was a short wait. A male nurse called my name. I was a little disappointed that the female PA I saw last time wasn't there. But as soon as I joined him in the hallway, I saw that she was with him. I'd have two chaperones today. While they didn't say it, she seemed to be training him.
We got to the room. It's a standard exam room. The exam chair was in the center, facing the door. Off to the right was a counter, a computer, and a regular chair. I was directed to that chair, and they logged into the computer. How's the scar? You're here for a full body skin exam. We went through medications and pharmacy. "Okay," he said. Everything comes off except your underwear. She pulled a cloth gown out of the cupboard. "The gown ties in the back."
"Fashionable," I commented. They left the room. I took off my clothes. Black briefs today, chosen specifically for this occasion. I tied the gown in both places in the back. It came down to my knees. I sat on the exam chair and waited. Then I stood up and untied the ties in the middle of the back. They were just going to get in the way, anyway.
The wait was only a few minutes. I expected it to be a lot longer. Last month, I waited almost half an hour in the room. This time, the nurse, PA, and doctor all came in. The room was pretty crowded. The nurse and PA walked over to the computer, presumably to take notes. The doctor was a lot more personable this time. She looked at the scar first. Then, she started the head-to-toe exam. She spent a lot of time on my scalp, behind my ears, and my neck. She was being pretty thorough, which kind of got my hopes up.
She was chatty. Talking about summer plans and vacations. She was asking a lot of questions. She took my hands and looked at my fingers and arms. Then, she had me turn my hands over and looked at the other side.
I was still sitting. She reached down and took a foot in her hand, lifting it up to look between the toes and at my legs. Then, she did the same thing on the other side.
She asked me to lower the gown to my waist, and she looked at my chest and back. She worked her way down my right side, which was the side away from the chaperones.
"I need to check your hips," she said, pulling the elastic of my underwear out on my side. Then she slid her hands around, looking in the front. I looked down and got the same view she did. There's a lot of hair, and a flacid penis behaving himself, but very visible. She continued to the left side, and then told me to put my arms back in the gown.
She told me to stand and face the sink, which is where the chaperones were. I was completely covered in the front at this point, and she opened the gown in the back. After checking my back, she pulled my underwear away in the back and looked at my butt for several seconds. She was very careful to close the gown when she was done, and tole me everything looked great.
She told me to wear sunscreen, and that the PA would be back to do the steriod injections on my shoulder I stayed in the gown until she was done, and then got dressed after she left the room.
As I was about to leave, the doctor knocked and came in again. I said, "do you want to do it again?" and she laughed. She apologized for entering the wrong room, and walked into the room next door.
I booked my next appointment, but it's going to be a lot less exciting.