That Girl

I've been known as That Girl a lot in my 27 years of life.

I have been:

That Girl who reads the books (when it was not cool to read).

That Girl with the orange hair and braces (sometimes it's best not to ask).

Just "That Girl" at a friend's wedding in response to me saying I knew the bride from school. I'm still wondering if that's a good or bad thing.

That Girl who instigated chippy Thursdays in my last job.

That Girl who was pregnant in my most recent job.

Most of these, I've managed to shake off. I no longer have bright orange hair or braces. I never have to see the people from the wedding again (aside from my friend who has the bizarre habit of referring to me by my actual name). I left my Chippy Thursdays job, and I am (thankfully) no longer pregnant. I still read, but it is not quite the oddity it was when I was at school. It is now just accepted that people do read.

In the last year, however, I have taken on a 'That Girl' title that I fear I will never shift: That Girl who had the failed section. I am an official freak show. I'm pretty sure you could stick me in a cage at a circus and charge people to stare at me. In fact, this might be my next business venture.

I know you think I am exaggerating and causing a drama where there is no drama to be had. I'm not. At a recent health check for my son, I was told that the Health Visitor recognised my name. I had no idea who she was. She then asked about my birth and I said "I had a failed section etc" to which she replied (you guessed it) "Oh, you're That Girl". People I don't even go to see have also heard of me. My neighbour had a planned section some months ago, and in the build up to this event, had a mild panic and consulted her obstetrician friend about the likelihood of a section failing. I had never met this person and he didn't even work at the hospital I delivered my son at. He had, however, heard of me and delighted in telling my neighbour: "I've heard of That Girl".

If people aren't advising me "you're That Girl who had the failed section" (as though I didn't know), they are busy thinking I am stupid and that I don't actually know what happened to me. A recent exchange with a consultant gynaecologist went as follows:

Consultant: What kind of delivery did you have?
Me: Well, I had a failed section, followed by forceps (in short)
Consultant: You mean they didn't do a section?
Me: No, they did one. It failed.
Consultant: Are you sure?
Me: Fairly confident.

I'm getting rather annoyed at healthcare professionals failing to read their own notes, or at least find out the basics of my situation before seeing me. I'm debating getting a tattoo on my head, or possibly on my nether regions - I think that could be more appropriate since it seems to be the place everyone wants to stare at. It will say "I'm That Girl who had the failed section" on one part and "Yes, I'm sure" on another. This would avoid any confusion about the situation. 

Or, you know, people could just read my notes.