Maryia Bialkovich

DOCTOR We have to walk a little bit, so now my husband takes our son to school in the mornings, when he doesn’t have a morning shift. And when he does, I have the second shift, so I take our son to school, then. It all works fine for us. 

MOTHER Lucky you! It really works out. 

DOCTOR We’re surprised at how well it turned out, too. So. How are you doing?

MOTHER It’s fine, you know, nothing to complain about. Haven’t even caught a cold this year!

DOCTOR That’s great! Do you exercise? Do you take vitamins? 

MOTHER Well, you know how it is. Running around in the morning while getting the kid ready for kindergarten, picking up toys and stuff, that’s a pretty good fitness routine (laughs). 

DOCTOR (laughs) True, true! 

MOTHER And vitamin-wise, well… We eat organic vitamins, those that grow in our garden (laughs). Now, when it’s April, we do have some vitamin insufficiency, though. 

DOCTOR Ah, but the weather is beautiful today!

MOTHER Yes, with all the sunshine! It’s warm just like in summer. It’s so nice to have a walk in this weather. You should really have a walk today!

DOCTOR I shall definitely walk home and get some air today. I’m going completely crazy within these four walls. 

MOTHER (a little anxious) You know,  I came here to, erm— My sister lives in Ukraine, near Kyiv… 

DOCTOR It must be even warmer there.

MOTHER So she called me today and said that yesterday, I mean, today… 

DOCTOR The weather is just perfect today! 

MOTHER She told me about iodine… 

DOCTOR Iodine?

MOTHER Maybe you’ve got some iodide tablets?