Some days, work frustrates me. Yes, we all have our frustrations. Maybe the traffic is slow, and you get to work late. Maybe you spill your coffee on your work clothes as you walk into your office. Maybe someone calls in sick, and you are short of help at work. But my frustration has to do with not being able to properly care for my patients. This frustration lies in the misconception that women should only go see their gynecologist if they need a Pap smear.
Why is there the belief that gynecologists only perform Pap smears? What about the plethora of other women’s health issues that gynecologists manage at every age of a woman’s life? And so I just want to shout: “It’s not just about the Pap smear!”
On a cold November day, I walked into my office and greeted my new patient sitting with her back to me. As she turned, I realized she was my patient from years ago.
“Where have you been?” I asked her with a smile. “You disappeared on me,” I teased. Although she had put on some weight, she looked well at 60. As I sat down, I noticed her face was tense, and she was fidgeting in the chair.
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