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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If you had to undress in front of someone in an emergency would you be ready?

342 replies

Roggers · 01/03/2023 10:01

Another one inspired by the emergency thread as this still mortifies me nowGrin last year I was taken to hospital unexpectedly after a car crash. I had to be topless for the ecg, and then someone helped me into a gown after. When I fake tan I usually only do my arms, legs up to the bottom of my bum cheeks, chest to nipple line and neck as that's the only bits that ever show so why would I waste time faffing doing the rest. Her face when she saw my weird tan lines was a real treat. I hadn't shaved my armpits or legs for about 4 weeks (it was winter alright) and I was also wearing the biggest, most unflattering pants you've ever seen as I'd been at the gym

Now I wonder if I should be more prepared for if something like that were to ever happen again. Although I'm sure they've seen it all and much worse before anywayGrin so if something similar happened to you would you be embarrassed or are you always perfectly presented?

OP posts:
Sirikit · 01/03/2023 10:03

She wouldn't have noticed any of those things,believe me! No one cares.

ilovesooty · 01/03/2023 10:07

I can't believe this is serious.

GretaGip · 01/03/2023 10:08

Think I'd be thanking my lucky stars I was alive rather than dwelling on the shallow and narcissistic.

Nurses are on their knees they don't give a fuck about your glamour.

Original poster
Roggers · 01/03/2023 10:09

@ilovesooty sorry should I have said this is light heartedConfused

OP posts:
rubyslippers · 01/03/2023 10:09

ilovesooty · 01/03/2023 10:07

I can't believe this is serious.

Ditto
so women have to be polished at all times even in an unforeseeable emergency

Original poster
Roggers · 01/03/2023 10:10

Jesus Christ people I'm not 'dwelling on the shallow and narcissistic'. And of course I'm fucking lucky to be alive, the crippling anxiety and months of counselling I've had are helping with that. It was clearly a light hearted thread

OP posts:
Original poster
Roggers · 01/03/2023 10:10

@rubyslippers at what point did I say that?

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 01/03/2023 10:10

I think that if I’d been in a car crash and they were checking my heart it would be the last thing to worry about.
And I agree with the PP who said that HCPs do not care about any of it and are concentrating on doing their jobs. They certainly aren’t studying tan lines, body hair or pant size.

WandaWonder · 01/03/2023 10:11

Many times, I have unintentionally flashed at neighbours or passerby's so sure why break the habit of a life time?

soleilblue · 01/03/2023 10:11

I wouldn't give a shit. It's an emergancy. I'm really surprised a health care professional looked at your tan lines funny. I doubt they gave a toss.

uncertainalice · 01/03/2023 10:12

ha ha this is why my nan always told me to wear my best knickers!

soleilblue · 01/03/2023 10:13

Unless your pants have an offensive racist nazi slogan on or something then I can't see why you'd ever not be ready.

Onefellfromtheappletree · 01/03/2023 10:13

Whilst I know they wouldn't be bothered, I definitely would be slightly embarassed of my extremely hairy legs and armpit hair my toddler called grass this morning!!

Even in transition during labour when I was screaming about wanting to be cut open I remember apologising profusely for my unkept bits 😂

Arthurflecksfacepaint · 01/03/2023 10:13

I went for a mole check the other week.

They mapped all my moles which meant stripping down to underwear.

I knew they would be doing this as I was told when I booked the appointment.

It did occur to me to me that I might shave legs and pits and put on underwear that wasn’t a decade old, but I didn’t. I’d had a shower a couple of hours before so I was clean. Meh to anything else.

The world was still turning when I got dressed again and the nurse didn’t seem scarred
by the experience, that’s all she does, day in day out, she’s looking at moles not if someone had shaved or if their pants are old.

ChannelyourinnerElsa · 01/03/2023 10:13

Well I’ll take it in the spirit in which it was intended.

I have always shaved my legs and everything else before a horse competition, or before riding new and/or baby horses. Basically anytime there’s a fair to middling chance of a A&E trip! I also always wear nice and pants and bra, but that’s because it’s one of the few things I’m good at- ditching ropey underwear as soon as it’s past it’s best.

GooglyEyeballs · 01/03/2023 10:13

Her face when she saw my weird tan lines was a real treat. Yeah right! 😂Like a HCP gave two tosses about your precious tan line. It is a bit narcissistic to think that they would care about your tan line.

ThreeFeetTall · 01/03/2023 10:14

@uncertainalice Same!
I had to go to the GP for an emergency appointment as a 3 year old and my granny made me put on new underwear before we went. The issue was with my ear! Grin

soleilblue · 01/03/2023 10:14

ChannelyourinnerElsa · 01/03/2023 10:13

Well I’ll take it in the spirit in which it was intended.

I have always shaved my legs and everything else before a horse competition, or before riding new and/or baby horses. Basically anytime there’s a fair to middling chance of a A&E trip! I also always wear nice and pants and bra, but that’s because it’s one of the few things I’m good at- ditching ropey underwear as soon as it’s past it’s best.

They won't care if your legs are hairy in a&e..

Sparklingbrook · 01/03/2023 10:15

I think it’s more important to be clean than anything else.
I have a shower morning and evening so if the worst was to happen at least I would be hygienic. 😄

Emptycrackedcup · 01/03/2023 10:15

No one cares. Have you given birth? All dignity out the window then

Original poster
Roggers · 01/03/2023 10:16

Precious tan line? This place is absolutely fucking bonkers sometimes. It was clearly a light hearted jokey thread. Obviously at the time I didn't care what I looked like as I'd been through the most traumatic experience of my life and was glad to be alive and breathing. But looking back it makes me laugh at what I looked like. And I clearly said they have seen it all and much worse before

OP posts:
SpinningFloppa · 01/03/2023 10:17

Wow this is ridiculous, I don’t actually shave anyway can’t remember the last time I did! So no I wouldn’t care if they saw I was hairy 🙄

OutOfThisState · 01/03/2023 10:17

I really don’t think anyone would think much of fake tan lines, no different to actual tan lines that people have depending on what clothes they were wearing when they caught the sun. And some body hair and underwear. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Its quite sad that if in a real emergency, people are thinking about what they look like or how tidy their house is, rather than solely focusing on the issue at the time. I can’t imagine that to be honest.

cauliflournonsense · 01/03/2023 10:18

It's ok OP, I saw that it was meant to be lighthearted! I was in A&E one time with a very fast heart rate and when the doctor checked my legs for swelling I heard myself saying 'I haven't shaved my legs in AGES'.

She laughed and told me that's one of the top things women say to her...even women who are very ill can sometimes apologise for their underwear or hairiness. 😂

Chickenly · 01/03/2023 10:20

Not sure why you’re getting a hard time OP. Your thread was clearly light-hearted. Some people just find Wednesdays hard and lash out.

I had an ECG when breastfeeding and ending up leaking onto the nurse when she had to lift up my ginormous breast😂Mortifying - and no, it’s not shallow or narcissistic to feel that way.

We all like to the think we’re perfectly pruned at all times but, frankly, no one is. The people in A&E with everything shaved/waxed/plucked/tanned/straightened/whitened/exfoliated/whatever are a fluke, not the norm.