Dreams of a Doctor's Wife

Massad, Stewart

Primary Category: Literature / Fiction

Moore, Pamela
Coulehan, Jack

Date of entry: Jan-28-1997

Summary

The story is told from the perspective of an obstetrician's wife. She encourages her husband as he finishes school and gets his first job. Then she becomes pregnant. She tells of the changes in her body and in her perspective. Her husband is busy treating other women, while she goes to childbirth classes alone. He arrives just at the end of the birth. She wants him to be with her more often, but understands his need to be with his patients.

Commentary

The writer attempts to create sympathy for the obstetrician and admiration for his understanding wife. But the doctor still seems unfeeling. When his wife, for example, begins her contractions, he hands her a watch, tells her to go downstairs and walk off the pain, and to wake him when the pains are four minutes apart. Then he rolls over and falls asleep. Coming downstairs many hours later he finds his wife on the floor curled up in pain. "What the hell are you doing," he asks. "Jesus Christ, what a nut you are." One can only hope he treats his patients with more empathy and sympathy.

Primary Source

Doctors and Other Casualties

Publisher

Warner

Place Published

New York

Edition

1993