“Mrs. Eleanor, I want to hear your wishes before we discuss any options. Do you want another child?”
I felt Samuel’s hand tighten around mine.
I looked at him.
He gave me an encouraging smile.
And I did what I had done too many times during our marriage.
I tried to avoid disappointing him.
“I am not sure,” I said.
The doctor looked at me carefully.
“That is a perfectly valid answer. But I want you to understand that pregnancy at your age would not be a realistic or medically safe plan. Any fertility treatment would require extensive assessment, and we would not recommend proceeding simply because it is technically possible to discuss certain procedures.”
Samuel’s smile faded.
The doctor then recommended an examination because I had mentioned occasional abdominal discomfort and a feeling of pressure.
I had not considered those symptoms important. I thought they were ordinary signs of aging.
