over the angry woman. ‘Which we have,’ he said firmly. ‘The abdominal X-ray showed that Priscilla was chronically constipated, the ultrasound told me that there was nothing acutely wrong and her blood work confirmed my clinical diagnosis. Priscilla is anaemic, her cholesterol is high…’ He paused for a second, only this time Rose didn’t jump in to argue, this time Rose closed her eyes as Nick gently but firmly continued. ‘Now, I could put on her on some iron tablets. However, that would only cause further constipation. To counter that, I could prescribe a fibre supplement, but I don’t think Priscilla would drink it. I could, of course, give her laxatives, but the thing is I’m not prepared to do that when all she needs is a varied, healthy diet and an increase in her physical activity.’
‘That’s all she needs, is it?’ Rose’s tired, angry eyes were bulging as she spoke. ‘You’ve seen what she’s like when she doesn’t get her own way. I work ten-hour days and, yes, it’s easier to pick up a take-away than to start cooking, but what am I supposed to do when it’s the only thing she’ll eat. I can hardly let her go to bed without eating…’
‘You could,’ Nick replied, but Rose just scoffed.
‘You obviously don’t have children, Doctor. Don’t you think I already feel guilty enough about the hours I work, without spending every evening fighting with my daughter over what she wants for dinner and sending her to bed hungry? No doubt you’ll be telling me soon to cut down my hours and start spending more quality time…’ Tears came then, choking, angry tears, her tiny, exhausted frame heaving, her hand pressing on her mouth as she tried to hold it all in. Nick still calmly sat there, not remotely embarrassed, pulling a couple of tissues from the box on the desk and handing them to her before pressing on.
‘I wouldn’t dream of telling you to cut down your hours, Rose. I’m aware that you’re a single parent. You’re doing an amazing job—’
‘Don’t patronise me,’ Rose snarled as she blew her nose. ‘Don’t try and tell me I’m doing well when you clearly think I’m an unfit mother.’
‘No one thinks that.’ Eden said, her voice a gentle interlude from the painful conversation. ‘We’re not ganging up on you, Rose, we all just want to do the best we can for Priscilla. Nick isn’t suggesting that you’re an unfit parent. If that were the case, we’d be having this conversation in an office with a case worker present so, please, let’s try and not go there.’
Standing, Eden fetched a drink of water for Rose from the cooler, a tiny nod the only response from Rose as she handed it to her. Nick waited as Rose had a drink and then continued.
‘Eden’s right. I don’t think that for a moment.’ Nick shook his head. ‘And you’re right as well. I don’t have kids, but my sister is a busy GP with three little ones and is in the process of getting a divorce. I’ve heard from Lily all about the guilt, the endless juggling and the pressures of trying to do the right thing.’
‘It’s just so hard,’ Rose choked.
‘If it carries on like this, Rose, it’s going to get harder,’ Nick said as Rose frowned. ‘Priscilla is so constipated that if the situation continues, very soon she could end up with some overflow.’When Rose frowned, Nick clarified his words and Rose closed her eyes as he did so. ‘She could have episodes of faecal incontinence. Priscilla has already told some of the nursing staff that she gets teased at school about her weight. Can you imagine how much harder it will be for her if she starts to soil her pants as well?’
Eden half expected an argument, but all the fight seemed to go out of Rose. The hotshot lawyer was gone, leaving just a terrified mum sitting on the chair. ‘She already has,’ Rose whispered through pale, trembling lips. ‘Only once, but…it’s all my fault, isn’t it?’
‘We’re not going there, remember? We’re here to deal with the things we can change, and the past isn’t one of them.’ Nick gave a very nice smile, peeling another wad of tissues out of the box. ‘Come on, Rose, blow your nose and stop the tears and let’s work out what we’re going to do.’ He glanced over at Eden and she took her cue.
‘At the moment Priscilla’s used to getting food as a reward and she’s using it to her advantage,’ Eden explained. ‘For example, you said to her tonight that if she ate her dinner then you’d get her an ice cream.’
‘It’s all I could think of to get her to eat her dinner,’ Rose admitted.
‘How about, leaving out the “if”,’ Eden suggested. ‘Try “Eat your dinner, Priscilla, and then I’ll read to you” or “then we’ll watch a movie together” or “then I’ll help you with your homework”.’
‘Spend some quality time with her?’ Rose asked, only this time it was said without contempt.
‘For want of a word, only in this case it’s time you would usually spend arguing,’ Eden responded. ‘In the morning, you can do the same: “Eat your breakfast and then you can watch some television.”’
‘Make it non-negotiable,’ Nick said, ‘but at the same time make out it’s no big deal. Be matter-of-fact about it—she has to eat her meals, and by that I mean the meals you provide for her, not the ones she demands.
‘And I choose my words carefully, Rose,’ Nick winked, and to Eden’s amazement Rose actually managed a pale smile as he continued. ‘I’m not telling you to grow a vegetable patch and start steaming broccoli every night. Just a normal balanced diet is all Priscilla needs—you, too, no doubt. I’m assuming here that you’re not tucking into the fries and nuggets yourself?’
Rose shook her head.
‘Cheese on toast around midnight?’ Nick asked.
‘Something like that,’ Rose admitted.
‘Me, too,’ Nick sighed. ‘How about you, Eden?’
‘I’m more a bowl-of-cereal girl.’
‘Stop boasting.’ Nick grinned. ‘We’re all guilty of it, Rose. We’ve all got jobs that demand too much of us so we grab something to eat when we can or when we absolutely have to. But as you pointed out, Eden and I don’t have kids, so we can mess up our own health. Look, if you can afford it, why not get your meals delivered for a few weeks? You could choose your menus together, there are a few companies that provide that type of service.’
‘And that would be OK?’
‘Absolutely.’ Nick nodded.
‘And,’ Eden added, ‘if it makes things easier for you, for the next couple of days why not let us deal with Priscilla at mealtimes?’
‘Shouldn’t I be telling her?’ Rose asked wisely. ‘Given that I’m the one that’s going to be dealing with her at home.’
‘You should,’ Eden said, ‘but it’s going to be difficult the first few times. Priscilla isn’t going to take very kindly to the rules suddenly changing and we can take some of the strain for you, so long as you support us. As Nick said, if we’re all working as a team there’s a better chance of getting results. Why don’t you come in at mealtimes and if Priscilla starts to kick up, tell her that you’re going to the canteen for a coffee and that the nurses will ring down once she’s finished her dinner?’
‘You’d do that?’
‘Definitely.’
