Chapter 4 - Serena Had Been Calling Nora’s Condition “Behavioral”
The next morning, I called Nora’s pediatric pulmonologist.
Not Serena.
Not our family assistant.
Personally.
I asked for a complete summary of communications over the previous year.
The doctor’s nurse hesitated before saying:
“Mr. Mercer, there have been several messages from Mrs. Mercer suggesting Nora may be overusing her rescue medication.”
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What kind of messages?”
Concerns that Nora used the mask when anxious.
Questions about whether symptoms could be psychological.
Requests to reduce access during “nonessential episodes.”
One message read:
We are trying not to reinforce attention-seeking behavior.
I went completely still.
“Did I approve that?”
“No. We advised continued access according to Nora’s asthma plan.”
“Did Serena tell you I agreed?”
The nurse paused.
“She described it as a family concern.”
Family concern.
Two words large enough to hide a child inside.
The doctor had not removed Nora’s medication access.
But Serena had clearly been building a narrative.
Not:
Nora has asthma.
But:
Nora is anxious.
Dramatic.
Attention-seeking.
Maybe the medicine is becoming a crutch.
That framing mattered because once adults accept that a child exaggerates, every real symptom has to argue for credibility before it receives care.
May you like
Nora had been doing that alone.
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