A New Favorite Story

Fun fact about Cat: She doesn't get embarrassed... pretty much ever.  Not when I dance crazy while her friends are in the car or yell out the door that I love her when she's walking into her MS/HS or do other traditionally cringe-worthy mom-things.  Sometimes this bothers me just a little.  Shouldn't a mom be able to embarrass her teenager on occasion?  But mostly, I think it's great.  It means that she can just have fun and roll with whatever's going on.

At the beginning of the month I took all the kids along to a dermatologist appointment for Cat.  The PA we were seeing asked if we would consider Acutane as a treatment for Cat's acne and we said we would.  So we started discussing that option.  Then the PA stood directly in front of Cat and said, "Now, I know your entire family is here.  But I need you to answer me honestly.  Are you sexually active?"  Cat didn't even flinch.  She answered that she wasn't, and then she answered that she wouldn't be, and then the PA continued to discuss the reason why a woman should not be sexually active while on this medication (if she were to get pregnant, the baby would have severe birth defects) and the precations that she is required to take to make sure that her patients would not get pregnant during the course of treatment.  Cat had to take the first of two pregnancy tests that day.  She also had to sign multiple forms saying that she understood the risks of taking this medication and knew that she needed to do everything she could to prevent pregnancy.  (Abstinence counts.)  She also had to watch a video about how to prevent pregnancy.  Whoa mama.

All the while, the other kids were in the room with us, kind of talking amonst themselves, joking around a little, reading books, etc.  I didn't like that they were present during the conversation, but since I needed to be there, I didn't see any other option.  But I didn't think they were paying attention, so perhaps it didn't matter.

But then Jack piped up with a question.  "What if Cat gets married?"  As in, what if my sister would like to start a family one day?  He was paying attention.  And he got exactly what we were talking about.  The PA explained that as soon as Cat stops taking the medication, the danger of having a baby with birth defects would disappear, and Cat would be able to have a family if she would like to.

Well, between the discussion, the pregnancy test, Jack's obvious understanding of the situation, and the very awkward and outdated film we all watched together, Cat continued to take it all in stride, laughing at the awkwardness of it, but never being shy or uncomfortable.

Since she obviously hadn't been embarrassed enough at that point, I requested that she don the special Fourth of July Headdress our nurse had been wearing when we arrived for our appointment.

She obliged.  Without getting embarrassed.