This guest writer has requested to remain anonymous. 

Today, I became a statistic.  What sort of statistic? I’m not entirely sure because I’m older than the typical age range according to the CDC.  What I am sure of: I tested positive for chlamydia.

The diagnosis didn’t come as a total surprise, which I’m sure my doctor could hear in my voice when she called before 8:30 in the morning.  That’s not to say it wasn’t a crushing blow to hear the news, because it was.  When you get that inkling that something might be wrong, you hope you’re just overthinking, so confirmation of the suspicion sucks.  The good news is that I decided to get tested.  The good news is that it’s something treatable.  The good news is that everything else came back negative.  The bad news is that it IS something, and there’s no denying it.

At work I felt like a zombie walking, preoccupied with the thought of this sexually transmitted infection lurking inside of me.  I checked my phone non-stop for the text from the pharmacy saying my prescription was ready for pickup.  Saying I raced to the store would be an understatement.  I have never been so excited to pay for antibiotics and take the first dose in my life.  A week-long pill regimen for a lifetime of, “yes, I have been infected before.”  My brain has been racing with questions – did he give it to me?  Have I had it for years unknowingly and then gave it to him?  How did I let this happen?  How did he let this happen?  I don’t want to be accusatory; how will this conversation go? Continue reading →