As most of you know I have volunteers who have taken time to help me with my stories and given valuable information and helpful suggestions.

At this time I want to give a special thanks to Cindy and Rena, The word Thanks isn't really enough for their immense help. A special Thanks to Maureen who gave me almost all of the information I have used in this part.

 

A Better Solution Than Divorce

by Jennifer Allison

Part 18

 

During their punishment I will be referring to Wally and Tommy as Annie and Kendra and so forth.

Amanda Blaylock

 

Jennifer

When my grandmother is troubled by something, I knew she liked to go off and be by herself or with someone of her choosing. Another thing she enjoyed was horseback riding.

When I heard her say, "I need some time to think."

"Grandma, how about a little horseback riding," I offered. "I'll get Shocks ready for you."

"Horseback riding, Shocks?" she asked.

"Dean and I have horses. His is named Spots and mine is Shocks," I told her.

"Could you saddle both horses and could you ride with me?" she asked.

It was only five minutes after we started riding, when Grandma asked to stop and then talk.

"Dean, do you really want to stay in Jennifer's body?" she started the conversation with.

"Please call me Jennifer," I told her. "I don't want to sound rude when I don't answer you." I stopped, trying to think of a good answer to give. All I could come with is. "Yes, I do."

"Why?' she asked.

"I didn't start like most of the people you have heard or read about who wanted to be the different sex. I had never worn a piece of woman's clothing until I was forced to wear that bra to school. After I started wearing it, I just started to like doing so. When mom and dad offered me a chance to find out exactly what it is like to be a girl. I couldn't say no."

"Finding out what it is like is completely different from making it permanent," she stated.

"Every day I lived, I found myself hating living my life in my old body so much. I started to have nightmares of having to switch back."

Remembering what I asked earlier about being called Jennifer, she asked, "How does Dean feel about all this?"

"He wants it more than I do," I replied.

We started moving again. I could tell my grandmother was very deep in thought. So I kept my silence. An hour after we had left, we had returned to the house. It was another half-hour to get everything shipshape with Socks and Spots.

As we entered the house. We heard Dean say, "Sam needs changing."

I then said, "I'll do it." When I saw that Dean was preparing supper.

Grandma then spoke up. "Let me do it." As she was changing Sam's diaper, she asks me. "Who does most of the changing?"

"It is about even. Usually it's the one who at the moment isn't doing anything," I told her.

"All four of you?" she inquired.

"Yes, all of us," I answered. "Mom and Dr. Blaylock has a woman who watches Josh and Sam at the office."

"That is nice of her," she said.

"Mary is on Social Security, who needed something to do. So Mom pays her just under the amount allowed for her to keep her Social Security. Both are very happy with idea."

That evening after Sam was put to bed Mildred asked for a family meeting.

Mildred

"Let me start by saying," I said. "I like this program of Dr. Knox. When I arrived at the airport and only found Richard waiting for me. I came to the conclusion that family was in trouble. But I have found one of the happiest families I have ever seen in my life. Where a husband and wife understand each other and where the kids don't have to be yelling at to do something, they do it without being told.

"I had to think about this program quite a long time, I know it wasn't an easy decision for any of you. But if this program will help keep one marriage together it is well worth it. I have seen to many people hurt by a divorce. Of all the divorce people I know there was only one that ended up with no one getting hurt.

I do think that we should plan on not telling the rest of the family right away. Maybe in a couple days we will be able to tell them."

 

Wally Claxon

The morning of Wednesday of Thanksgiving week turned out to be the worst day in my life. I felt like I had been hit by an eighteen-wheeler and I was left underneath the back wheels. It felt like I had the flu but with no fever. Complaining to my acting mom. "I can't go school, I think I have the flu."

"You are going to school. You are not going to mess up Annie's attendance record," she told me.

"I can't go school. If I do everyone will come down with it." I then went into all the problems I was having.

Phyllis just turned and looked at the calendar on the wall and started to, "Heheheheheh."

"What so funny?" I almost demanded.

"Nothing really," she told me. "I just realized what time of the month it was."

"You don't mean!!" I asked. I dreaded the answer to this question.

"It's your time of the month and you have a severe case of PMS," She told me. "It should be over by Monday."

"You can't send me to school!" I demanded.

"Yes I can and I will. Annie hasn't missed a day of school in her life. She always had a problem with

PMS and she has never missed a day of school. This is something you need to learn about being a woman."

Just my luck the first person I ran into at school was Annie. All she asked was, "How are you feeling?" Then she walked away, giggling.

My day didn't improve one tiny little bit. I found a tampon taped to my locker. I could hear laughter around the corner. I recognized this laughter. It was Brad's. That must mean everybody knew it was my time of the month.

Tommy confirmed this, when I saw him. "Almost everyone has come up and told me that it was your time of the month," he told me.

All I could do was ask. "Tommy could you please get this eighteen-wheeler off me." From what I said he knew how I was feeling.

 

Helen

Mildred told us something we haven't heard before. "Adam and Hilda are getting a divorce." Hilda was my younger sister. "Dr. Knox's program might be able to save their marriage."

Richard made a very important point. "Before we tell them about the program. I suggest we try and find out if they still love each other. The program will be useless if there is no love left in the marriage."

With at least thirty McLean's arriving in the next day. Richard asked the school board permission to use a school bus to get them all at the city airport. In a show of appreciation for the work I have done for the community and Richard's work in the school and the football field they agreed.

With thirteen children between the ages of 8 to 15, we knew that Socks and Spots going to be overridden. So we asked Mark Steel's father, if we could borrow three of his horses.

Since the Homecoming Dance, the Steel family has come to be accepted more as a member the Tolerance community. He agreed to the loan, as long as we took responsibility for care and any damage that one of his horses might do. In other words, he didn't want to be sued because one of his horses threw someone.

 

Jennifer

It was decided that I would ride with those kids closer to my age. Since I was 14 to all of my relatives, I had to ride with the 11 to 14 year-olds. The younger children would be allowed to ride, but only around the house.

"So how do you like living in Tolerance?" asked Mary Ellen. I knew from past get-togethers, Mary Ellen and Jennifer were very close friends.

"Great, it is a lot different from the big city," I told her. I should have stop there, but my big mouth had to say more. "I even have a boyfriend in the same class I am in."

"A boyfriend at your age ain't much," Cousin Tim broke in.

"What do you mean ain't much," I told him. "He took me to the Homecoming Dance."

"You must have a strange high school," said Mary Ellen. "No eight graders would be allowed in Arthur's Homecoming dance."

"I was more than just invited, I was a Homecoming Princess for the sophomore class," I told them.

"How can that be?" asked Tim. "You're only in the eighth grade."

I let out a very loud, "OOOOPPPPPPPPSSSS!" I then said. "I think we better head back to the house." I didn't dare tell them about the incident during the dance.

"Not yet," said Mary Ellen. "I want to know how you can be in the tenth grade, Jennifer."

"This is something I think mom and dad could answer better." As I finished saying this I turned Socks and galloped off towards home.

When I arrived home I found out that our plans for not telling the family the truth had flown out the window. I found my dad trying unsuccessfully trying to explain to my aunts and uncles why my mom had been called out for a medical emergency when he was the doctor not her.

Mildred stepped in to try calm everybody down but all she did was make it worst. "We can explain all of this but we need to wait until Richard comes home."

"Richard is home," most of my aunts and uncles said in unison.

"No, he isn't," that was all that was said in the matter until mom returned.

By the time mom had returned, the turkey was so burnt that the coyote in the Coyote and

Roadrunner cartoons would refuse to eat.

 

Helen

I stood in the middle of the living room surrounded by my family. I didn't mince my words.

"Helen and I mind swapped before we moved to Tolerance," I told them. "To answer the question in your minds, yes, Sam was conceived after the switch." I continued as most of the family sat there open-mouthed. "As most of you know, Helen and I were a very small step away from a divorce. A divorce neither one of us wanted," I told them. "Our marriage counselor recommended a colleague of his that had a program that helps married couples who would do anything to save their marriage."

"You have to be kidding," announced Great Aunt Vivian.

"Yes, it really happened. Helen and I loved living in each others bodies so much we have decided to never swap back," I told them. "That is why we decided to make our home in Tolerance permanent."

Still unbelieving what he had just heard Uncle Cliff asked actually begged. "How could you?"

"I have a question for all of you men in this family," I then asked. "How many of you have tried on your mother's or sister's clothes, or dream of being a girl? I want the truth."

90% of the males above the age of eight in the room raised their hand.

"In our case, our dreams have come true," I told them.

Uncle Cliff then turned to Dean and asked. "What do you think about this?'

"Love it," then with a smile Dean announced. "Jennifer and I decided to stay switched too."

"You don't mean???" at least half of relatives asked.

"Yes, we switched the same as mom and dad," replied Jennifer. Turning towards to the cousins who she had been riding with. "That is why I am in the tenth grade."

"Aren't there a lot problems with the townspeople of Tolerance?" asked Aunt Vivian.

"There are least twenty families in the program right now, and the program has been going on for years. So they are used to it. Before the program, the nearest doctor was seventy-five mile away. Now the town has two."

We talked for another two hours before we quit eating dinner.

Amanda

My Thanksgiving weekend started out great but by Sunday evening it became a disaster.

It was like any Sunday Evening, I was doing my usual last Sunday of the month routine. A self examination of my breasts Exams before the switch my wife had done a self exam every month. I continued to do so after the switch.

It was like all the exams I had done before until I ran across something that I didn't want to find.

It was a lump.

As a doctor I knew this lump didn't mean it was cancer, but I didn't react as a doctor. I reacted as a woman.

I screamed, "NNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

I woke up the house.

My husband rushed into the bathroom and asked very calmly. "What 's wrong Honey?'

I couldn't open my mouth to say a word, all I could do was put my finger on the lump.

"You found something?" he asked me.

Still unable to speak I shook my head up and down.

By this time the kids had entered the bedroom.

"What is it?" asked Susan.

"It was nothing," I told her finally finding my voice. "Please go back to bed. Susan please check on the baby to make sure I didn't wake him."

Ron then sat me down and started to comfort me. "Finding a lump doesn't mean it is breast cancer. How many women you have seen or known have found a lump and it has turned out to be a benign cyst or something like that."

I then said, "How many do I know that have found a lump and lost both of their breasts."

"Then you know what to do, find out the truth," he told me this as he handed me the phone.

The first call was to the city hospital, since we didn't have the needed equipment in my clinic.

"I would like to set an appointment for a mammogram as soon as possible," I told the Hospital after I told them who I was.

"We have an appointment tomorrow at ten," said the voice on the end of the line. "What is the name of the patient?"

"Me," I told them. I then gave the voice all the required information.

My next call was to Helen.

"Helen I need for you to cover for me the next couple days, maybe more," I told Helen.

"Anything I can do to help?" asked Helen.

"I don't want this spread all over town," I told her. "I found a lump in my self exam tonight. I have called the hospital and I have a mammogram for tomorrow schedule."

"I am so sorry, Amanda," Helen said to me.

"I am going to tell Sam, but I don't want any one else to know," I repeated my request.

If my nightmares were anything like my life was going to be like. I knew I wasn't going to make it.

All night long I dreamed of woman who were perfect 10s in all respects but one. Instead of breast.

They all had surgery scars instead of breasts All night long they waved me over to join them.

The next morning I found Sam standing by my car waiting for me.

Before I could say a word Sam told me why he was here. "Ron, Helen and I have agreed you shouldn't make this trip alone."

I knew that Ron, my husband had spent all night trying to get out an important meeting schedule for today unsuccessfully.

Helen

I almost collapse when Amanda told me about finding the lump.

As most men growing up I never worried about breast cancer. I knew it was a problem that almost one of in four women will face in their lifetime. I realized it was a problem I would face along with

Jennifer.

I broke my promise to Amanda as soon as I hung up the phone.

"What is it?' asked Richard.

"Amanda found a lump during her breast exam," I told him

"NO!!!!!" he almost scream, but he stopped before the noise woke anybody else. "What is she going to do?" asked Richard.

"She has already called the hospital for a mammogram. After that, it will depend on what they find." I answered.

All night long my mind kept going back to one thing. When I decided to stay in Helen's body I didn't count on the medical problems that women have to face. To name just a couple, Breast and Ovarian Cancer.

NOTE

*In the last five years I have lost a friend to Ovarian Cancer and another had to go through the treatment for Breast Cancer within a year of each other. JA

 

Vanessa Wolf

By lunch time everyone in school had heard of Dr. Blaylock's problem.

I think it would be hard on Susan, Dr. Blaylock's daughter, finding out about her mom's problem from someone else. So, I decided to speak to her as soon as possible.

By sheer luck Susan was in my next class right after I heard about it.

So I took her aside and had a talk with her.

"Susan, you might be hearing a rumor about your mother, I thought I should warn you," I told her.

"You mean the one about my mom's cancer," Susan said. "I know all about it. My dad told us kids

about it before we left for school this morning."

"Doesn't the thought of your mom having breast cancer bother you?" I asked her.

"The thought that mom might die does upset me," she told me. "Also knowing that I will face the same problem in my lifetime upsets me more. You see, before I made this swap permanent, I researched everything I could about the differences I will face in my new body."

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," I then told her. "Anytime you need to talk, my door is always open."

"Thank you for your concern Ms. Wolf," Susan said to me as she left for her next class.

 

Ron Blaylock

I lasted about ten minutes before Mr. Andrews asked, "Ron is there a problem, your mind seems to be some place else."

"About now, my wife is having a mammogram done on a lump she found last night," I told him.

Mr. Andrews then pointed towards the door, and shouted. "GET OUT HERE, you need to be by your wife's side."

I arrived three minutes before my wife was told of the results of the test.

Just long enough to tell Amanda what Mr. Andrews said.

I sat silently as my wife and Dr. House looked at the results of the mammogram.

"As you can see there is something there, but I can't say what exactly it is," Dr. House said to Amanda.

"What do you want to do?" asked Amanda.

"I want to do a biopsy and test a sample of the mass. Then decide what our next step will be after that."

"Today?" she asked.

"No, tomorrow," he replied.

I then went to the waiting area and gave Sam the keys to my car.

"Sam, Amanda and I will be staying in the city tonight, and coming back here tomorrow for a biopsy," I told him. "My kids are old enough to be by themselves, but could you keep an eye on them for us?"

"Is it that bad?" he asked. "What do I tell Helen? you know she'll want to know as soon as I get to town?"

"I'll call her and explain everything," Amanda told Sam.

 

Helen

By the time Sam returned, everyone in town had heard about Amanda.}

By that time Sam was a welcome relief.

My waiting room was inundated with teenage girls of every size, shape and age. Some had been part of Dr. Knox's program and some were regular Tolerance girls.

They were here for one reason and one reason only.

"Doc Mac. Do I have breast cancer?" asked my first three patients.

After the third such patient, I called Mr. Brown and had a talk with him. This is what we decided upon.

Here is the decision decided upon.

A special assembly for women of all ages, to be held in the school's gym one morning where the boys would not be allowed into the school until after lunch. The only exception to the no boys rule will be Annie/Wally and Kendra/Tommy and those boys in Dr. Knox's program at the present time. This way I could see everyone as a group and if after the meeting someone needed to see me further, they could do so.

"What about the men?" asked Mr. Brown. "I know I would like to learn everything I can that will affect my students and some of the other men would like to know how it would affect their wives, sisters, daughters and girlfriends."

"I will hold a meeting for the men also," I told him. "I will hold the meeting separate because there will be something's that I will have to show the women that the men need not see. Like the correct way to do a breast exam."

This meeting was set up for the following Monday.

Mr. Brown said he would inform the kids.

I put out the word on the gossip line. By Friday everyone had heard about the meeting.

 

Amanda

By the look on Dr. House's face I knew it wasn't a benign cyst.

"It is cancer," he said.

"How bad is it?" I had to know, but I should have realized the answer before I asked.

"We won't know until I go in and get a better look," he told me.

"So when do you want to do it?" I asked.

"As soon as possible," he replied. "When was the last time you ate?'

"Last night," I answered. "I wasn't very hungry this morning."

Dr. House then went to his office door and opened it and waved in two orderlies and a quern.

"They will take you to pre-op," Dr, House said to me.

I awoke in my hospital room, still a little groggy. I saw my husband in the chair by my bed. By the look on my husband's face I could tell the surgery didn't go as well as expected. So, I raised my hand to my breast. I found a bandage but nothing else.

"Yes, dear," My husband told me with tears in his eyes. "They had to remove your breast."

"I want you to take it easy for the next week," Dr. House told me as I prepared to leave the hospital.

"If there is a problem call Doc. Mac. and she will call me if need be. I want you back here in three weeks to start your kemo."

I asked, "will I need to stay in the city while I am on kemo?"

"That will up to you," he replied. "I suggest you stay here for the first couple days and see how you feel and if you are up to making that 150 mile trip daily."

One of the things I was worried about was. Since Doc Mac decided to live in Tolerance we had expanded our practice. One of the many things I worried about was that since Doc Mac had decided to live in Tolerance, we had expanded our practice and I was wondering if she was up to handling all the extra work while I was undergoing treatment. I shouldn't have worried.

Dr. Knox was fixing as the problem at that very moment. Another Doctor was about to join her program. With one difference the Doctor was the wife in the marriage.

I received another surprise when I returned home. A get well card. Not just an ordinary get well card. My kids had to have help getting it through the front door. It was signed by 99% of the population of Tolerance and the surrounding area.

I found out later how this cards got so many signatures. Tuesday and Wednesday it was in the reception room of my office. Thursday the football team help take it to the out laying areas and Friday it spent some time in the schools.

 

Annie

"Will Annie Watson please come to the school's office?" Ms Yang announced over the loud speaker.

"Have fun," the real Annie said to me as I walked out the door.

I found Mrs. Watson and Mr. Brown waiting outside the office.

"I am here to take you to your Doctor's appointment Annie," announced Mrs. Watson.

"Two questions," I replied. "Why do you need to take me? Doc Mac's office is within walking distance. Why didn't my mom tell me about this, this morning."

"Your appointment isn't with Dr. Mac. It is in the city and if you knew about it. You would have found away to get out of it," she answered.

A chill went up my spine. Dreading the answer I asked. "What kind of an appointment is it?"

"It is with Ob/Gyn," was her reply. "For the last three years Annie has had a Ob/Gyn a between

Thanksgiving and New Years. We thought at least one of you boys should have the pleasure of this visit."

As with most men, I didn't know what went on during a woman's visit to her Ob/Gyn. All that I knew came from my mom and she never said a thing. It was what she did that gave the impression that I was in trouble. I knew from experience that I had to be on my best behavior

for two weeks after my mom's visits.

I remember one time when I was nine. I said one word of disrespect after one these visit and I ended up with two weeks of no TV.

During my punishment I had been able to talk to Mrs. Watson about everything. When I tried to talk about my up and coming doctor's visit. She told me, "I don't want to talk about it." She then handed me a sheet of paper. "Study this, you will be needed to know this stuff so you can answer the questions asked by either the nurse or the doctor.

When Mrs. Watson didn't get out the car with me. I asked why.

"I know this is going to very uncomfortable for you. I really don't like even being in Dr. Ashton's office unless I have too," Mrs. Watson. "I hope you understand."

I replied, "I do."

At the reception desk I was told. "The doctor is running a little behind, but she will get to you today, Ms. Watson."

A woman Ob/Gyn the only thing that was halfway decent about all of this.

I was finally call an hour and half later.

The nurse had me weigh in and then took me to an examination room. The first time I noticed entering to room was the stir-up on the examination table. The same kind I have seen in the baby delivery room.

The nurse took my blood pressure.

The information that Mrs. Watson had given me earlier, now came in handy.

"Are your periods on a regular schedule?" the nurse asked.

"Every four weeks like they are supposed to be," I replied.

"Is there a lot of blood? Or, is it about the same since your last visit?"

"The same."

"Have any PMS?"

"A few cramps and bloating but nothing that isn't normal."

"Any unusual pain when you go the bathroom?"

"No."

"Anything else you think the doctor needs to look at?"

"None that I can think of."

She then got up and open a cabinet and took out one of those hospital gowns, we all know the type. Two sizes to small and tied by a string around the neck and no where else.

"Please remove all of your clothes and put this on," she told me. "The doctor will be with you shortly."

Ten minutes later Dr. Ashton walked into the examination room.

The first words out of her where struck me like a 2x4 between my eyes, "Hi Wally."

I just sat there dumb founded.

"To answer your question. I know all about Dr. Knox's program and your punishment," she answered my look.

I was finally able to say a few words. "Why? How?"

"Why is. I am the Ob/Gyn to all the women in the program and I needed to know," she answered to my first question. "I went to premed with Dr. Knox. She knew I would go to jail before I broke a patient confidence."

As I climbed up on the table. Dr. Ashton told me. "I will be explaining everything I do during this exam."

"Do you do this with all your patients?" I asked.

"Yes for those who are having their first exam." She told me.

"Annie has already had her first?'

"Annie has had an exam every year since her fourteenth birthday, but this is your first." She replied.

"First thing I do is a visual check to see if I can see anything out of the ordinary,"

This took about two minutes.

"Next I will need to used my finger to see if I can feel anything."

This was the first time that I had anybody but myself touch me down in that area.

"Now I will need to slip my finger inside and feel around,"

So this is how a girl feels when someone slips a finger in her pussy. Or So this is how girls feel when someone slips a finger in their pussy.

"So far, so good."

She then pulled out her finger. I heard her turn in her chair.

"Now comes the fun part. I will be using a speculum to spread your vagina so that I can use a Q-tip to scrap the wall of your uterus to check for cervix cancer."

I had thought what I had gone through was bad enough. You add them all together and multiply it by ten and it wouldn't be as bad as the speculum.

Finally the speculum was removed.

"Unless the lab finds anything, everything is OK." She then turned and pointed. "There is a second door to the bathroom." As I rushed to the bathroom I heard her say. "Most of my patients need to go right after their exam."

I did both piss and crap and it burned when I did so.

I found Mrs. Watson in the lobby downstairs.

We drove home in complete silence.

 

 

*TO LOYAL READERS.

This story is Fiction

1 out 4 of women will face the prospect of losing one or both of their breasts in their lifetime.

So I dedicate this part to those women who have faced breast cancer with Honor, Respect and Courage for something I wouldn't want to face in my lifetime. JA

  

  

  

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