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Original poster

OMG Just leaked period onto a white chair at work

193 replies

catgirl1976 · 28/10/2014 17:02

Just been in a meeting in the partners office. Me, Director of OPs and Sales Manager

I;ve got a really heavy period

Sat on a white leather chair

Stood up to leave and there was a bit of blood on the chair.

Walked out with the Sales Manager.

Ops Director and Partner still in there

I am dying of embarassement

What do I do? Do I pretend I haven't noticed or balls it out and go back in with a cloth, apologies and clean it up

Maybe they haven't noticed and will just think it's paint or something?

I want to die I am so fucking embarraseed

OP posts:
ChickenMe · 28/10/2014 18:41

Poor OP. I am a fellow sufferer!

I agree with ignoring it. Firstly - I work exclusively with men and can say they are clueless about periods (and scared of them) and even if an enlightened one thought it was a period they would never say anything to you. That would be beyond the pale. Secondly-least said, easiest mended. Act normal and deny all knowledge should it ever be mentioned (very unlikely). Thirdly-treat yourself to something really nice for dinner as its horrible to leak.

Honeezreturnofthelivingdead · 28/10/2014 18:42

daft that made me cry too
I'm sat here in the armchair eating apple crumble with tears rolling down my cheeks
DH is Confused and thinks I've finally lost the plot Grin

DoingTheBestICan · 28/10/2014 18:43

I work in education myself and have a bag of san pro in my office drawer just in case any of the learners get caught short. I have to say though all the young men that I teach are quite grown up about periods and such and I have never heard them being rude or disrespectful.

Honeezreturnofthelivingdead · 28/10/2014 18:44

Sorry, forgot to say Thanks for you OP and I would ignore it! I bet the men won't even notice

MiddleAgeMiddleEngland · 28/10/2014 18:44

Poor you, it's every woman's nightmare as lots of previous people have said.

I once leaked badly on a friend's mum's white toilet mat (those were the days!) when I was a teenager and was dreading telling her. She was lovely, told me that white was a daft colour anyway, rolled it up and threw it away and bought another within the hour.

How have you got on? Please go to your GP though, you shouldn't have to suffer all that stress again.

GreenPetal94 · 28/10/2014 18:49

I would totally ignore it, a bit like you would if you spilt tea a small amount of tea on a desk but it was middle of a meeting.

The only thing I might consider is reporting it to facilities a while later if chair had not been cleaned, but I would just say you noticed this.

Do not be embarrassed about having heavy periods. Every baby coming in to the world leave sa mum with heavy bleeding for days after. It is a part of normal life. Senior directors deal with these things just like anyone else.

It is a good reason not to have white chairs though.

Zamboni · 28/10/2014 19:02

Oh OP this happened to me at a wedding while sitting on a white chair cover. First period after DD was born and I was mortified. After shuffling off to the toilet and covering it with a napkin I wanted the ground to swallow me. My friend had a quiet word with a kind looking member of staff.

DaftStudentNurse · 28/10/2014 19:14

Oh I am so sorry, I didn't mean for anyone to get leaky eyes! I just wanted to share that op is not the only person to feel mortified when this happens. I kind of went off on a trail regarding how the teacher dealt with it as it came flooding (excuse the pun) back to me. Before when I have thought about it, it has mainly been a feeling of mortification. But tonight as I was typing I had more of a sense of how brilliantly she managed the situation.
Perhaps it is because dd1 has started secondary and liable to start her periods any day. I hope she has as nice a teacherIif she needs one.
That teacher was also a great maths teacher and I still love maths today due to her teaching methods.

I dont live anywhere near there anymore or have any contact with the bullies so have no idea what she is up to these days. May have to go and do a Facebook search...not that i would have the confidence to get in touch, mind.

heartisaspade · 28/10/2014 19:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fourarmsv2 · 28/10/2014 19:30

I'm a teacher and the cleaner has remarked before now about a dirty stool when cleaning after school. Apparently it's very common. She was matter of fact and sympathetic about it.

My flooding incident occurred the morning after DS2 was born. He was in NICU and I went to visit him for the first time (I'd seen him very briefly the night before). I just sat in an armchair for an hour and looked at him. It must have stimulated some hormones because I stood up and a flood of blood went everywhere - chair, floor, walls.... The nurses were lovely. Said it happened all the time and whisked me in a wheelchair with a towel on to the bathroom. I came back clean half an hour later and the place was immaculate and they were all smiles. :)

At an ice hockey or basketball match if any blood gets on the ice / court everything stops for a cleanup with no shame. Wish periods were the same. :(

Roussette · 28/10/2014 19:31

I want to be friends with Mrs McCloughlin, she sounds wonderful, we never forget kindnesses like this do we

If I hadn't been so late coming to this thread, I would have set 'set the fire alarm off, hide in the stationery cupboard, go and clean it off, go back in stationery cupboard until everyone is back in their offices, and then wander out of stationery cupboard' but I always make everything very complicated

Roussette · 28/10/2014 19:31

*I would have said not 'set'

WienerDiva · 28/10/2014 19:35

Wouldn't it be better if we could lay an egg like a chicken once a month?

Hang guys, laying imminent, I'll be back 10.

Jobs a goodun' all done. As you were.

But no, that would have been too darn easy wouldn't it?!

SevenZarkSeven · 28/10/2014 19:44

I agree with CelestialSquirrel's post way upthread.

londonrach · 28/10/2014 19:48

I was approached once by lady in toilet in a park saying she was with inlaws for day out and just started again after a break of no periods following a birth and did i have any towels and better still some clean pants. I had both, luckily some very clean new pants which i carry in a pocket in my handbag. Saw her about 30 minutes later pushing a pushchair, with old older people and a younger man next to her. She smiled at me and mouthed thank you. Gave me a happy feeling for days after. She was brave to ask a stranger but i like to think if it was me someone would help too. I do remember once age 15 flooding whilst out with my friends. Ran home. Hope you enjoying your wine and chocolate op. Xxxx

londonrach · 28/10/2014 19:49

Love daft story! You have a legend teacher.

PiperIsOrangePumpkins · 28/10/2014 19:51

I am a cleaner and trust me I have seen much worse.

Why people think it's funny to rub poo over the walls, leave bloody tampons on the floor and put nappies down the toilet I don't know.

I'm very professional and wouldn't dream of speaking about these things in real life, just get on with it.

MoHintawnFein · 28/10/2014 19:57

daft that made me cry too and I think the reason it is such an effect on everyone is because it is so many women's worst nightmare. I would like to think that no-one mentioned it at school cos they all knew it could've been them!!

OP I'd ignore and pretend it never happened - possibly not very mature or practical but at 42, confident and sensible in so many other aspects of life that is all I'd be capable of doing. Blush

MoHintawnFein · 28/10/2014 19:58

*Wouldn't it be better if we could lay an egg like a chicken once a month?

Hang guys, laying imminent, I'll be back 10.

Jobs a goodun' all done. As you were.*

So funny!

DaftStudentNurse · 28/10/2014 20:16

Well I can't find her on Facebook. Sad

MoHintawnFein:
There is no doubt in my mind that the other kids would have got great milage out if it for bullying if she hadn't warned them off. They thought it was hilarious to stick San pro on each others clothes and spray each other with deodorant for the opposite sex. Real childish nasty behaviour.

It was cos Mrs McLoughlin was my Dame in a white car! She was ages on the bus with them, far longer than it would have taken to do a roll call so I am pretty sure.

Op are you home with Wine yet?

BewitchedBotheredandBewildered · 28/10/2014 20:23

Piper that's awful Flowers for doing your job so discreetly.
People are choosing to do the things you describe, awful.

We really should be able to come up with a formula to deal with OP's situation. It crops up on MN often, and thousands of us have had similar experiences.

I remember a similar situation when it was suggested that a strong cup of black coffee was 'accidentally' spilt on the chair, facilitating clean-up Grin
That wouldn't work on white leather of course.

Jill2015 · 28/10/2014 20:39

I know it's no help, but it has happened to loads of us. Happened to me, at work, in a meeting room, years ago. Fortunately I was able to wipe up before I left. I happened to be the last person there, and only discovered it when I stood up.
Happened in a restaurant one night, about two years ago. Pale coloured chair, possibly white. I managed to do a kind of wipe of the chair, before I left, with tissues, but, I haven't been back since. I also had to get home that night in a taxi. I put my jacket under me, on the seat, and all was well.
OP, my sympathies. Just hold your head high, as normal, tomorrow, and blank that from your mind. It never happened. Flowers and Brew

Crumbelina · 28/10/2014 20:40

Oh OP, I really feel for you! It happened to me when I was 15 and was at a friend's house with a few friends and her Mum. I leaked all over their lovely cream fabric sofa. I still cringe now, 20 years on. They were a very affluent middle class family and I already felt out of place as a working class kid. Sad

Imsosorryalan · 28/10/2014 20:51

So glad to hear these stories! I invited round super posh school mum for a cuppa and her dd played with mine. We sat and chatted for ages, until I suddenly felt 'wet'. I had changed just before she came though so wasn't too worried.

I got up and went to the loo, only to come back and find my white chair cushion smeared with a long red streak! Blush

She was sat next to me but we were facing each other. She however had just nipped off to see the kids so I reckon she saw it and made herself scarce. I quickly shoved the cushion in the washing maching and we never spoke of it! Just carried on with the play date whilst secretly dying inside and wishing for her to go ASAP! I still think of it 2 years on when I see her. Soo embarrassing.

pharoahinthebath · 28/10/2014 20:53

Oh dear! I've been there at work recently too,(though not as badly) in that I leaked whilst wearing pale trousers and had the dilemma of:

do I try to rinse it out and look like I've pissed myself, or tie my cardi fetchingly round my waist to hide it (not long enough anyway) or just carry on and hope no one notices.
I opted for the latter (spent the rest of the day, having sorted sad leak, sat on my non-pale chair).

I remember years ago being on a school trip to Stratford to see a Shakespeare play. Lots of school trips there, the fashion at the time was for pastel-coloured pencil skirts. Afterwards I walked out following a group of 3 girls - all 3 looking tall, slim elegant - sophisticated bar identically placed red spots ..