“So darling, what’s your name?” Nurse Chapel asked Leah.
Barely awake, Leah mumbled something incoherent, as a bit of drool trickled down the side of her mouth.
The nurse took a tissue and wiped Leah’s mouth, as she stood her on the scale and took her height and weight. “That’s pretty dress.” The nurse said as she wrote down her measurements. “My you’re becoming such a big girl.”
Leah felt like she was in a dream world, not really awake, but not really asleep. The nurse ushered her into a little office, where a guy in a white lab type coat was sitting on a little wheeled stool stood up and said good-bye to a little boy as she entered the room.
“Well, hello there, you must be Leah. I’m Dr. Keith.”
Leah shuffled her feet as he moved herself farther into the room.
“Let’s get you up here onto the table.” With that Dr. Keith swung Leah up onto the top of a large changing table covered with a paper that had been extended over it from a large roll which one might expect in a doctor’s office exam table.
Leah was caught off guard and peed a little from fear as she was swung onto what she thought was yet another changing table. She realized it was only suppose to be an exam table from the crunch of the table and for once was thankful she was in those training pants, figuring they would conceal her little wetness.
He sat Leah up listened to her heart, tapped on her back in places, shined a little light in her eyes and ears, then laid her back down on her back. Leah noticed Tina was in the room.
“Now tell me if this hurts,” Dr. Keith asked as he pressed down on various areas on Leah’s abdomen.
Lifting her to her feet “Now Leah, if you could just stand here for me. We need to lower your underwear.”
Leah knew he was a doctor, but was not so happy with where this was going.
She stood up and lowered her training pants keeping her hands over what she thought was the area of wetness, hoping no one would notice. She had grown use to her own scent so was not able to detect what was obvious to both Dr. Keith and Tina.
“We should wipe this off and finish the exam.” Dr. Keith commented directly to Tina.
“She’s been a bit stressed lately” Tina commented. “I can.”
“No problem, I deal with this all the time.”
Leah, I’m going to get you back up on the table. He had Leah step out of her underwear and in one easy movement had her on her back on the table with her legs suspended in the air held up by her ankles.
Leah was having her bottom wiped yet again. Figuring he was removing that diaper cream to have a better look at her bottom. This was so embarrassing. It was one thing for Tina to treat the diaper rash, but quite another to have a doctor take a look at it like it was a serious problem.
Tina was right by her side as she lay there being tended to by Dr. Keith. She could see the tear starting to form in Leah’s eyes and knew she felt like crying. Tina reached into her pocket and pulled out Leah’s princess pacifier and inserted it into her partially opened mouth.
Without even thinking, Leah began to suckle. She was both embarrassed but somehow comforted by having the soft nipple in her mouth. Rubbing it with her tongue took her mind away from her momentary breakdown. Her thoughts drifted away from the room she was in. She heard words being spoken, but they didn’t register in real time. What she did hear was
“………third time today…..” Tina said.
“…..urine and bowel ….. “ the doctor said
“…..night before last..” Tina replied.
‘……bouts of regression to manifest ……. not uncommon for…..” the doctor responded.
“……..deal with the symptoms……”
Suddenly Leah was listening to what was going on. She was being held upright, underwear now in place, still sucking on her pacifier hoping to block out that entire humiliating experience.
“She should be fine by the start of school or a week of two thereafter.” Dr. Keith said closing the door behind them.
It was a bit chaotic as they left that room, it was parent pickup and it looked like it had been going on for a little while.
“Mommy needs a moment baby.” Tina said to her, as she patted her on her well padded bottom.
Leah though those pats made a funny sound, but ignored it in all the noise and motion that surrounded them.
“Would you mind if I just put you down somewhere quiet? You can finish sleeping.” Tina offered in kind of a pleading tone. “It could be another hour before we can go.”
Leah bobbed her head kind of agreeing and laid her head down against her step mothers shoulder and started to doze.
Partially aware, Leah realized she was being lead into the infant room again, her mind a little muddled she figured she was going to be smeared with more diaper rash cream. Instead she was placed in a crib. She was both furious and just plan tired, rather than fight it she just lay there, a moment later, she was cozy under a soft blanket and a nice sweet nursey rhyme played above her. Soon she was off in dreamland.