Jessie tells the doctor “everything”

“So, as you indicated, Lauren is adopted. Do you know the birth mother and the information about her family history?” Dr Manchester asked.

“Yes. Her birth mother is an old friend of mine. And so I know everything,” Jessie said. “What do you need to know?”

“Well first are there any pre-existing conditions that run in the family? Cancer? Diabetes?” Dr Manchester asked.

“No history of cancer. I believe her grandmother had diabetes, but it’s not a regular occurence. I do have a question, does bladder issues count as pre-existing?” Jessie asked.

“What do you mean?” Dr Machester asked.

“Well, it’s just that I’ve been trying to potty train Lauren here, but she still has problems making it to the bathroom and she regularly wets the bed which is why she is still wearing diapers,” Jessie said. “I was just wondering if something would cause that.”

“Well the weight certainly doesn’t help,” Dr Manchester said. “Her stomach is probably pressing onto her small bladder which makes it harder for her to hold it. And if she is eating a lot of sugar, that also won’t help. How frequently does she wet the bed?”

“Every night,” Jessie said. “And I’ve tried everything I can think of. I even make her go potty before bedtime in efforts to avoid it, but it doesn’t work.”

“I see,” Dr Manchester said. “Well, I know that potty training can be difficult for young children. They can wet themselves up to the age of 8 or even older. It doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong with them. Especially with Lauren’s height and weight, it could just be that making it harder for her, so if she loses weight and comes back to a more balanced BMI then she’ll probably see less frequent wettings. Do you know if bladder problems run in the family?”

“No,” Jessie said. “My friend never had problems wetting the bed or her pants. In fact, she was potty trained very early on. Which is why I’m a bit concerned. The poor thing might need to go to school in diapers at this rate. And I don’t want her first day of kindergarten to be embarrassing for her.”

“Well, I would recommend looking at a private school called St. Trinity’s. They specialize in helping unique students and isolate them so that they don’t feel out of place. They do use corporal punishment but you can opt out if you choose. It doesn’t cost any more than public school either and they’re very accepting of new students at any age. Plus, they can help Lauren with her dieting and exercise to make sure she is getting healthy. Also, if you ever need it, they do offer overnight care, but it’s not required,” Dr Manchester said.

Jessie smiled wide. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. Thank you. Now, I do want to discuss another thing. There is a small fraction of Lauren’s family that struggles with development. And I’m starting to wonder if maybe Lauren has that too. Especially with the wetting and everything.”

“Well, at age 5, there’s not really a way we can tell. Typically breasts start growing as early as 7 and as late as 13 sometimes even later. And pubic hairs can vary. Some girls may never grow hair in that region while others may start at 10 or older. Everyone is different of course. Now some women get unlucky and don’t grow at all, so by 20 they’re stuck with little to no breasts. It’s not uncommon, though it can cause insecurities and embarrassment. Though, some women are very proud of their small chests, which is great for mental health. Honestly women shouldn’t be ashamed of their appearances,” Dr Manchester said. “I’m sure Lauren will grow up to be a beautiful woman in time. The weight may be concerning, and we want her to be healthy. That is more important than appearances.”

Lauren went through waves emotions as the two women talked like she wasn’t even there. An at the doctor’s last comments. Lauren almost wanted to cry. She felt conflicted about the advice Dr Manchester was providing. Did women really feel proud about having small chests? Lauren subtly looked down at hers. There was no way in her mind that anyone would like having a chest as small as hers. But maybe she was wrong.

“Okay, that’s enough talk,” Dr Manchester said. “Let’s start the exam process. Now, normally we don’t examine children fully nude, but in Lauren’s case I think that it may be necessary, but we can keep the diaper on just in case. Let’s get her shirt off, though. I want to make sure everything is healthy.”

Lauren’s eyes widened not liking the idea of being topless with Jessie and this doctor.