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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:
youshouldnthaveasked · 01/03/2023 10:36

As someone who has seen plenty of naked bodies as part of my job, I’d say we really don’t notice. All we want is to get to the important parts for our procedures

JustFrustrated · 01/03/2023 10:36

GenuinelyDone · 01/03/2023 10:31

When I broke my leg I stank of pond water and was covered in mud and whatever else was in the field we'd quad biked through. It was an adventure weekend and the break happened on the last activity.

Because the first aider didn't believe I'd broken my leg there was a 2 hour delay getting me to A&E. By the time I'd been x-rayed the doctors confirmed that I needed surgery but the swelling had advanced too far for them to do it for a few days and I was on 100% bed rest until they could operate to stop further damage. No amount of flannel and bowl of water was making that much better and aside from iodine, my poor broken leg went unwashed for 3 months!

I absolutely reeked. I was so self conscious of it. In the grand scheme of things it really didn't matter, but I was utterly mortified. Even more so when my period started on day 2 in hospital.

No one at the hospital batted an eyelid at the state of me. But it's etched in my memory over 25 years later. Some things just stick with you - especially if they're ludicrous to worry about in the face of what was actually happening.

This, would be my worst nightmare in terms of hygiene. I can't stand feeling dirty/smelly etc and it plays havoc with my mental health. So I'd be seriously struggling to cope with that.

pontipinemum · 01/03/2023 10:36

I know you mean this as a bit of fun.

Not me, but one of my best friends in school broke her leg when we were approx 14. Her mum took her to a&e I think they had to cut her trousers off, she was wearing a thong and wanted the world to swallow her whole.

But no, on a regular day I would not be in any fit state to be stripped down 😂Which as rightly pointed out on here is acceptable but going to antenatal clinic I was always 'ready for anything'

waterlego · 01/03/2023 10:37

So no, if being ‘ready’ to be seen naked by a stranger means being shaved and moisturised and wearing nice underwear, I would absolutely not be ‘ready’. I might experience a fleeting moment of self-consciousness, thanks to social conditioning, but I wouldn’t dwell on it for more than a couple of seconds.

Arthurflecksfacepaint · 01/03/2023 10:38

I badly sprain my ankle once when I was 18 at work. My boss took me to A&E and the young Doctor I was seen by the most beautiful man I had ever laid eyes on.

I hadn’t shaved my legs as it was winter. I was mortified. Still tried to chat the poor chap up though 🤣

tobi21 · 01/03/2023 10:38

can't believe this ppl are failing to see the light hearted humour in this OP

at work years ago I had a bad fall down the stairs, the manager wanted me to take my pants off to check the state of them, and I reluctantly agreed, wearing the tiniest thong ever, it was sooo embarrassing. luckily my manager was a woman but I was still mortified

Original poster
Roggers · 01/03/2023 10:38

Sometimes it's easier to focus on the inconsequential stuff rather than taking in the really awful bigger picture!

See this is what I meant. I didn't actually care how I looked, I knew I was lucky to be alive. But I was also injured and in shock and pointed it out to the lady who was treating me to find something to laugh about

OP posts:
JustAWeirdoWithNoName · 01/03/2023 10:39

When I was a teenager, my friends and I always made sure we shaved our legs before ballet class. We wore tights so you couldn't see if they were hairy, but we were scared we'd injure ourselves and the A&E doctors would see our leg forests if we weren't ready 🤣

MotherOfPuffling · 01/03/2023 10:39

uncertainalice · 01/03/2023 10:12

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

Same 😂

IHeartGeneHunt · 01/03/2023 10:39

Slightly off topic, but when I went into hospital to have my daughter I spent ages shaving my bikini line. I hadn't seen anything below the waist in months. I put a lot of effort in.
Ended up having a c section and was very annoyed that nobody was going to see it!

soleilblue · 01/03/2023 10:40

ChannelyourinnerElsa · 01/03/2023 10:33

I didn’t say they would, did I! It’s not about them, I’m sure they don’t care (though I’m sure they appreciate clean at least!). I care!

Show quote history

Why do you care? Genuinely interested. Why are you afraid to show leg hair to a HCP in an emergency?

Original poster
Roggers · 01/03/2023 10:40

@tobi21 I think I would have to leave my job if that happened to meGrin

OP posts:
SpinningFloppa · 01/03/2023 10:40

IHeartGeneHunt · 01/03/2023 10:39

Slightly off topic, but when I went into hospital to have my daughter I spent ages shaving my bikini line. I hadn't seen anything below the waist in months. I put a lot of effort in.
Ended up having a c section and was very annoyed that nobody was going to see it!

This is so odd.

percypercypercy · 01/03/2023 10:41

Her face when she saw my weird tan lines was a real treat.

Really? Come on now...

Catspyjamas17 · 01/03/2023 10:41

I would doubt they would judge people, and if they did I wouldn't care what a health professional thought of my bikini line/tan or lack of anyway.

waterlego · 01/03/2023 10:41

MotherOfPuffling · 01/03/2023 10:39

Same 😂

Show quote history

This doesn’t seem to make logical sense! If you always wear your best pants, then you never wear pants which are bad or just average. So then there’s no such thing as ‘best’ pants.

Fizbosshoes · 01/03/2023 10:42

When DS was less than 2 weeks old he was unexpectedly admitted to hospital and I stayed with him. DH came home from work and I had to ask him to bring some clothes for me and DS, nappies etc. Of course I was v concerned that DS was OK and poor DH, in a panic had just picked up the first things available ....but I still remember being a bit disappointed at the awful unflattering/mismatched outfit he brought for me! Blush

threeboysonemadwoman · 01/03/2023 10:42

IHeartGeneHunt · 01/03/2023 10:39

Slightly off topic, but when I went into hospital to have my daughter I spent ages shaving my bikini line. I hadn't seen anything below the waist in months. I put a lot of effort in.
Ended up having a c section and was very annoyed that nobody was going to see it!

I did the exact same, veeted and everything for my labour. I don't even know shy

Mayonaiseislife · 01/03/2023 10:42

Op i understood this as a totally lighthearted post....some posters are just weird.

Anyways i made sure i was as smooth as a dolphin for all my labours, but i was caught out once early on in my pregnancy and needed to have an internal scan, i was unwel, unwashed and totally unshaven and i wanted to die of embarrassment. I made such a big deal of it that the consultant was mortified and the nurse quickly but firmly interjected and told me noone cares about that and firmly put me in my place.

Also with DC 3s labour i also kept shouting to DP to check i had not pood, dont know why i cared so much but i did.

So yeah, i get it OP whilst in an emergency i would do whatever was required id still be internally embarrassed if i was "unkempt"

Can2022getanyworse · 01/03/2023 10:43

Wow. I don't even worry about matching pants for a 'special night in' with my dp. Maybe if its his birthday or something...

I've not shaved in months and I never fake tan anyway. I'm not some sort of neanderthal though - I do wear clean undies and I do tend to chuck the grotty pairs reasonably frequently.

But no, if I was in A&E with my clothes cut off me I wouldn't care AT ALL if I was wearing week-old grundies with skids in. The HCP are there to save my life not judge me on my underwear.

tobi21 · 01/03/2023 10:43

@Roggers I considered it BlushGrin

Vegansausagevole · 01/03/2023 10:43

Personally I don’t give a thought to this, I know it must be a thing for other folk though as our GP surgery has a wee video on their website with the practice nurse saying she doesn’t care what women wear or look like when they come for a smear test she is just happy that they come.

drumandthebass · 01/03/2023 10:44

@Roggers

You probably should ask MNHQ to add "lighthearted" to the title, as this needs to be explained on here sometimes. Some people are just so humourless on here

I get what you mean and I sometimes think this when I get dressed. My mum always used to joke about putting clean underwear on in case you get knocked over by a bus!

vitahelp · 01/03/2023 10:44

This is kind of in reverse, but I remember seeing a female footballer badly hurt her ankle and obviously had to take her boots/socks off in front of her team mates and she had a bright purple nail polish on her toes. She was so embarrassed by it and kept repeating that she only had nail colour on because she had been a bridesmaid at a wedding recently and had been forced to!
I remember thinking I would have been more bothered if I didn't have nail varnish on!

RonObvious · 01/03/2023 10:44

waterlego · 01/03/2023 10:41

This doesn’t seem to make logical sense! If you always wear your best pants, then you never wear pants which are bad or just average. So then there’s no such thing as ‘best’ pants.

Show quote history

I love your logic.