I went to the gynecologist that morning feeling nothing more than the mild, familiar nerves that come with seeing someone new for such an intimate kind of appointment. I reminded myself that this was routine, a simple wellness check I’d done dozens of times before, the sort of visit that usually left me relieved and reassured, not anxious. Still, there was something about walking into a new office, with its unfamiliar décor and unfamiliar faces, that made me feel slightly off balance. The nurse who checked me in was polite but rushed, barely glancing up from her tablet as she ran through the standard questions. When she left me alone in the exam room, the paper gown crackling around me, I took a slow breath and told myself everything was fine. But the moment the doctor walked in, I felt a subtle but undeniable shift in the room….
