The family way -- Part 4 -- a seeming digression

Scroll down or click for Parts 1, 2 & 3.

In theory, you've been on the edge of your seat since you finished reading Part 3, wondering whether Older Daughter would "catch" or "take" or whether the implanted eggs would "stick."

These are rather homely words to describe the miracle of life, don't you think? Yet, the sentiment behind the gooey pastries and card inscribed 'thinking sticky thoughts' that was delivered to Older Daughter by her concerned fellow nurses was not homely at all. But, despite your curiosity, we have to move the spotlight away from Older Daughter for a moment.

You'll recall that, because I couldn't go, Long Suffering Spouse took Younger Daughter on the pilgrimage to Indianapolis.

Younger Daughter is a senior in college. Regular visitors may recall that Younger Daughter has a long-standing boyfriend (and chauffeur), Olaf. Younger Daughter has also had more than her share of health problems. There was the time Olaf summoned us to the ER in the middle of the night because she was so violently ill. And, a quick browse of the archives today reminds me of a time when I was forced to take Younger Daughter to the doctor -- on the linked occasion for a recurrence of shin splints.

Because I am self-employed, I have been the designated driver for many of Younger Daughter's medical misadventures. I don't seem to have blogged about it previously, but I have even had occasion to accompany my daughter to the, um, female doctor.

Men, if you think it's awkward to go with your wife to the OB/GYN, it is 10 times more awkward, maybe even 100 times more awkward, to take your daughter.

But over the years, Younger Daughter has had a number of occasions to go see the, um, female doctor. I may not be able to summarize her history here with complete accuracy, mainly because I tend to put my fingers in my ears and yell na-na-na-na-na-na whenever the topic is broached, but, as I understand it, there's something she's supposed to have, er, periodically, that she doesn't always have.

This is apparently a bad thing, according to the medical people. Indeed, from what I understand, the doctors considered Younger Daughter a fertility problem waiting to happen. Older Daughter's plumbing is up to code, according to these same experts; it's Hank's wiring that's slightly out of order. But Younger Daughter's machinery was totally messed up. Indeed, she's been on the Pill since high school -- yes, that Pill -- because apparently something in that is supposed to prevent whatever bad situation she has from getting worse.

Men, if you think it's awkward to pick up your wife's prescription for the Pill, it is 20 times more awkward, maybe even 200 times more awkward, to take pick up your daughter's prescription. (The pharmacist gives me the stink eye every single time.)

Younger Daughter is not a sickly child, but you have probably noticed that some people catch every bug and some people seem to miss every passing epidemic. Younger Daughter tends to the former category. She comes home regularly (her college is nearby) to eat, if nothing else, because the dorm food also makes her sick. When she's healthy, Younger Daughter is an active, energetic person; she just gets sick too darned often.

She was acting kind of sickly on the weekend jaunt to Indy. She was also not attacking her breakfast with her accustomed vigor, to the point where Long Suffering Spouse called her on it. "If I didn't know better," she said, "I'd think you were pregnant."

To be continued....