No, Frank, you're not being a wuss. And yes, those feelings are normal. It's tough talking about sexual issues and bladder/bowel stuff. It's worse when you have to go to a doc and talk about them and let them do things to you for the problem.

I've not had the bladder issues other than some urgency, but boy I hate going to the gyn. The probing around.... the staring at parts..... handling parts..... it's just plain ole embarrassing. Doesn't get easier.

My grandmother at 93 would tell anyone anything they asked. She said at that age she had no dignity or secrets left. So maybe it does get easier. I sort of lost my dignity with childbirth with everyone coming in staring and not at your face. Then when I had my car accident in 1994 I lost it again--my husband had to shower me, my PT got to help wash my armpit and put powder there because I couldn't and smelled bad..... it sucked. But I'm still modest, still embarrass easily when it comes to going to the gyn or discussing sexual or bladder/bowel stuff with docs. I just do.

We're so ingrained to think that those subjects are taboo or that they're totally private. We hide things away. Sometimes I wish we wouldn't think or act like that so it would be easier.

You have to get things taken care of--for your health. I hate getting a speculum shoved into me and a swab with some guys face close to my crotch. Wow, that's touchy. And I feel slimy afterward. But I do it because it means that I'm staying as healthy as I can. I put up with it. Doesn't mean I like it. Doesn't mean I want to do it. But I do. And so should you because you're important to people and you need to stay healthy--not just for you but for those who love and care for you.

On the clinical side of it, I can say from working in a hospital for 10 years that you get to see everything. Not much surprises or shocks you. After a while, you just see body parts. It's not personal. YOU are a person, but your body parts aren't--it's just part of the job. You see what you see and you forget it. I saw so many men's and women's genitalia that it didn't even phase me after about a week. You've seen one, you've seen them all.

Hang in there (no pun intended) Frank.