Dr. Mom

One child calls from the Pacific to tell me about a Dr. Sade who tried to pry hardened ear wax from her ear without first administering an anesthetic. I was imagining him, in his turn-of-the-century (20th) office holding her down on a bench with his right knee. Fortunately, she had the wherewithal to brush his hand away before he either punctured her ear drum or caused her excruciating pain. Needless to say, the ear incident isn’t quite over yet. And now she's gone off to Vietnam where we'll have no contact with her for two weeks. Two whole weeks! The other late night phone call came from the Atlantic side. Child claims she is dying from the flu, in a hotel room with ne'er a Nurse Nightingale in sight. It's past midnight there and she has to bribe the doorman to go to the nearest Walgreens in search of various cold remedies. her voice is weak and sickly enough to make my stomach turn. I know she will survive if she keeps the fever down and if she takes fluids. She doesn't always take my advice nor does she bother to call me back when she is feeling better. Ah, the price one pays for this not so medical degree!