Oh dear Frank of all things... this IS a difficult one esp for guys~!! My DH Frank could put up with tape torn off his hairy chest or arm.. 2 brain operations where he could hear the drill into his skull..BUT.. the worse was when in front of EVERYone in the operating room .. they had to .. aahh.. TEST his private part to see if it worked as a nurse showed him sexual stimuli... DURING his brain operation. Remember its DANG COLD in an operating room. AND only other time he'd complain was when he had to be catherized.. he hated that!!

After all.. many of us are taughts its "private parts" and now someone is messing with us!!

Just glad you are able to share this embarassing stuff with us..but as you see.. women have had to put up with this since we were young...

Not to diminish anything YOU are going through tho.

Maybe you can just "go away" in your mind...when they are poking around..its something taught in childbirth...focus...on something..let your mind drift away.. while you do centered breathing...

I do that centered focused breathing whenever I have to go through a procedure where it could hurt.

BEST to you... hugs

Jan

Frank,

A few years ago the urodynamics test was about to be started for me, and the urologist walked me into a small room and she said don't be shy becuase from my perspective all parts look the same. She then said that there are two ways to experience the entire process: (1) feel degraded (which is useless), or: (2) be fascinated by the technology.

I chose the later.

The process was amazing as we spent time discussing that she was doing and what the computer program was evaluating. It was a brilliant way for her to focus the evaluation on the technology. You need to focus on that aspect of the process throughout your MS journey, regardless of the type of test. It works wonders.

-Vic

amen, everybody !!

some righteous words spoken here, gosh I love you guys !

Frank, your health is paramount, Deb needs you, dude !!

and you'll be happier and feel better afterwards, that the issue is dealt with.

I was raised Catholic, and shame surrounded certain areas of the body, never to be touched, spoken of, or celebrated.

Vic's right, focus on the technology, or the miracle of your complex and interesting body parts and their design, or even on medical facts, *anything* you need to get you through...

it works, that's how I got through birthing three babies...



the discomfort will be over before you know it.

and yes, I STILL have to fight my upbringing, when things come up like, say, giving a stool sample for enteritis infection, or having a mammogram.

I dislike disrobing in front of strangers, and especially ob/gyn exams.

but I manage, with slow steady breathing (focusing on something else)

others (elsewhere) have offered other tips, like, imagining the DOCTOR nekkid, or splayed for exam.

I don't know nuttin about no private parts..

((((((((Frank))))))))

P.S. LDN is good for helping with bladder problems.....I hope it works some magic for you..

Frank, call Jim. If anyone knows about this thing they call urology, it's him. *wink*

I was hoping you would see this sandy I wanted to talk to you and Jim about it but he has been under the weather and so have you, thanks

Kay I agree I do need to tend to it but, Victor, Kay my idea of cool techno things is landing on a planet umpteen million miles away from earth, not the inner sanctum. I do agree I have to address this, its just a difficult and it sucks lol

thank you everyone, I mean this is dinner conversation and felt odd about even posting it, heck I almost deleted it an hour after I posted, Thank you

Just chiming in w/a hope you get things taken care of Frank. We need you around here, so feel better, OK??? Didn't you know that nothing is sacred around here??

Take care friend.

Frank, my best friend when I was a teenager (male) delivered my first baby. I think he was more embarrassed then I was when he saw me sitting in his office with the drape on the first time.

Cherie