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Mr. Wolff:
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Hello Doctor. This Jeorge Wolff. I'm Sylvia's brother.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hello Mr. Wolff. What can I do for you?
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Mr. Wolff:
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I would like to speak to you about my sister.
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Dr. Balis:
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Mr. Wolff, I'm Ms. Bows therapist and as such I am not at liberty to discuss my patient even with a member of her family.
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Mr. Wolff:
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I understand. But I think Sylvia's situation has gone way past personal boundaries and is clearly adversely affecting quite a number of people. I think it's in everyones benefit that we talk.
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Dr. Balis:
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My position on this point will not change, but you are certainly free to tell whatever you wish.
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Mr. Wolff:
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I met with Tom Bows for lunch a few days ago. We're quite close. In fact I have always considered him my older brother. But in the last couple of months I've hardly had a chance to speak two words with him. Tom has not been himself. He's very depressed. He told me that he thinks that he is losing Sylvia. Doctor, I don't know every thing that happened between them, but I do know that they used to be very much in love. And I think Tom's feelings in this regard haven't changed, although I can't speak for Sylvia.
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Dr. Balis:
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Mr. Wolff...
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Mr. Wolff:
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Please Doctor, let me say what I need to say.
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Dr. Balis:
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Go on.
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Mr. Wolff:
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A few years ago, Tom did something very courageous. If it was me, I don't think that I would have been able to go through with it. In fact I tried hard to talk him out of it. But he was resolved to do everything he could to save Sylvia.
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Dr. Balis:
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Save Sylvia from what?
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Mr. Wolff:
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Five years ago Sylvia had cervical cancer. It was caught early and they were able to completely cut out all the cancerous cells. But it meant that Sylvia couldn't have children.
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh?
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Mr. Wolff:
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Don't misunderstand. She could get pregnant all right, but she would have problems carrying--her cervix is too weak to support a growing uterus. Sylvia was weird about it. She never wanted to have children before but suddenly, after she was told that she shouldn't, she became obsessed by the idea. Our whole family tried to talk to her and convince her of the danger of trying to get pregnant. We just witnessed Tom's sister lose her child. It cost her everything including her sanity. It was clear that Sylvia was heading in the same direction. For a while it seemed to work--Sylvia changed professions and was happy with her work. We thought that was it. But Tom began to suspect that Sylvia stopped using birth control. Forgive me Doctor for being very graphic, but at one point Tom said that he saw Sylvia save his sperm after an oral copulation and inject it into herself in the bathroom. It was then that Tom confided in me that he was going to have a vasectomy. Tom loves his wife. He wasn't going to lose her to some irrational biological timebomb. He sacrificed his ability to ever have children to save Sylvia. That is more than most men would do, don't you think Doctor?
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Dr. Balis:
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Perhaps.
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Mr. Wolff:
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I could never do that. Even if I resolved never to have children I couldn't do that. But Tom cared so much about his wife that he did. And he had to keep it a secret forever--never being able to speak of it to anyone.
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Dr. Balis:
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But you.
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Mr. Wolff:
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Yes. As I said we are very close and Tom needed some moral support, not to mention he was not feeling well for a few days afterwards. But this is in the past now. What's important is that Tom's and Sylvia's marriage is falling apart. As you know, Sylvia found out about the vasectomy two or so months ago and she just blew up. We thought and hoped that after a while she would calm down and understand but it never happened. She came to you. And I believe you were her downfall, Doctor. You gave her drugs and she used them and you to get just what she wanted without regard for anyone including herself. Tom told me that she had an affair with someone and that he believes she's now pregnant.
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Dr. Balis:
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Has Sylvia talked to him?
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Mr. Wolff:
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No. So I went to see her myself. I was at SII this morning. I saw her. She's pregnant, I'm sure. In fact she's showing quite a bit. I'm surprised that she thinks she could hide it. I tried to confront her but she wouldn't let me. She's also very jittery--her hands were shaking and she had problems finding words to express herself. Sylvia is a journalist and a writer and she never had that problem before. Pregnancy is not agreeing with her. Well Doctor, I just thought that you should know how many lives you are responsible for ruining--Tom's, Sylvia's, and her unborn child, not to mention the rest of us.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see.
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Mr. Wolff:
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I'm not sure you do. I'll do everything in my power to save my sister. Now goodbye Doctor. I hope you have a conscience that won't let you sleep.
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Dr. Balis:
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Goodbye Mr. Wolff.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Telephone Call
Transcripts of Sylvia Bows' Therapy Sessions
