But Mercedes (10 yo) had already had more than enough hardship and fear. . . . Her father was in prison. Terrifying seizures plagued her little sister. Drugs rendered the adults she loved incoherent. . . . Sadness threatened to engulf every corner if her anger couldn’t keep it at bay. Fear organized whole seasons of Mercedes’ experience, and she was probably still frightened: she just didn’t show it anymore.
As a general pediatrician in the South Bronx, trained to serve the underserved, I believed I understood the social issues that my patients encounter and how these impact their health. In her first book, LeBlanc has clearly demonstrated to me how much I am yet sheltered from the realities of my patients’ lives.