DIY

I am normally of the mind that if I can do it myself, why should I pay somebody to do it for me? Maybe this is the Girl Scout in me, or maybe it is having grown up with a mother who sewed, an aunt who knit and crocheted, and a father who fixed and built things. Every Christmas my mum gave me and my favourite doll matching dresses. And on my last trip back my dad and I used left over bits of cedar to make two flower planters that, while not perfectly symmetrical, were pretty good for a few hours of work!

But today I gave in and paid double to have somebody else do what I could have done myself. It was my annual employee health check at the big health centre. I got the general check and opted to add a couple of extras to check various female parts.

The menu was pulled out. Did I want a mammogram or sonogram? Did I want the doctor to conduct my pap smear or would I do it myself?

Wait, wait, wha!?!? My brain caught up to the barrage of questions being thrown at me.

That's right. I could pay ¥3200 for a mechanical ride and a doctor to poke around inside me (curtain hanging down to protect my privacy, of course, wouldn't want the doctor to see my face, now would we!!!) or I could pay ¥1500 and do it myself (minus mechanical chair and curtain, apparently).

Hmmmm...

It didn't take me long to make my decision. Despite assuring the nurses and desk staff that I could understand their rapid fire instructions and reams of paperwork, and despite the cutesy illustrations (this is Japan after all!) that would undoubtedly have covered the instructions, I decided this was one thing I would pay the expert to do. I don't feel so bad, I don't remember there being a "pap smear" badge in Brownies!