Deenie

That night, Mrs. Rappoport calls at Deenie’s house and talks to Frank. She recommends that Deenie be checked out by her family doctor, Dr. Moravia, which leaves the young girl confused about what may be wrong with her. Later, during her appointment, Dr. Moravia asks Deenie to bend over and touch her toes, which Mrs. Rappoport also asked her to do. He then refers Deenie to Dr. Griffith, an orthopedist, to have her spine checked. Deenie does not understand, but she is worried that her mother will blame her for not working hard enough on her posture.

Both Thelma and Frank accompany Deenie to the appointment with Dr. Griffith. The orthopedic doctor is friendly, and Deenie asks him lots of questions, but she is confused by the tests he puts her through. After taking X-rays of her spine, Dr. Griffith explains that Deenie has idiopathic adolescent scoliosis, a curvature of the spine that is often diagnosed during adolescence and can worsen if left untreated. He recommends they see another specialist and tells Deenie’s parents that the main treatment options are surgery or a back brace. Thelma is distraught when she realizes that her daughter may become “deformed.”