Say What?

The optimal time to get tongue-tied (my newest affliction) is when asking a standardized patient, during the Clinical Skills Exam, whether or not she had vaginal discharge. An re-enactment... slightly dramatized.

Patient: Doctor, do you think this is serious? Can you give me something to restart my period?
Me: Well, we would have to get to the bottom of the problem first. Let me ask you if you notice anything coming out of your vagina that's abnormal, like gray or sticky, or smells funny or unusual.
Patient: Looks confused. What do you mean. Like a small animal?
Me: I mean, what...anything out of the norm ... on your underwear...that you noticed, since the problem...I mean...
Patient: Um, no I don't have any vaginal discharge.
Me: OK then. Thanks for clearing that up. Let me just climb into this hole in the floor.

Thank goodness I'm avoiding the whole urology scene...