Q Please give me good advice, doc. I am a girl of 16, and do not know what to do. My mother died when I was small, so I know nothing about sex and men. Until last month, I was a virgin. Then I met a wonderful guy in Portland.
He told me that I was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He said he thought he loved me. That night, we went to bed, and I 'gave' him my virginity.
It was wonderful, doc. Up till then, I had thought that no man would ever want to have sex with me. But this guy did. And he said that going with me was great.
I spent the next few days thinking about marrying him, and having his children.
Then I started telling my cousin about him. And she went real quiet, doc.
So I said, "What is wrong?"
For a little while, she would not tell me. Then she said, "I have to let you into a big secret."
Well, what she revealed was this, doc. The boy who I love is an outside child of my late father. So the fact is that he is my half-brother. There is no doubt about it.
Doc, I have cried and cried since I heard this news. I thought my heart would break.
What must I do? Can I continue my loving romance with him? Could we get married and have babies?
A I am real sorry to hear your sad story. Such things do happen quite frequently, I am afraid.
Now I wish I could bring you good news, but I cannot. However, there is just a chance that your cousin might be wrong, and that this guy is not your half-brother.
Also, I suppose it is remotely possible that your cousin is herself in love with this young man, and therefore has 'made up' the story. But I do not think that is likely. However, you must check with other surviving members of your family, and try to find out the precise truth.
But assuming that the guy is your half-brother, then there can be no future in this relationship. To have sex with a half-brother is incest in Jamaican law, and would render both of you liable to prosecution by the police and possibly imprisonment.
You cannot possibly get married.
I do not think that the cops would try and prosecute you for what you have already done. After all, when you went to bed with him you did not know that he was related to you, so I am sure they would be tolerant with you.
But now that you do know, it would be breaking the law to go to bed with him again. Don't do it!
Please do not be tempted to 'keep quiet' about all this and to continue your sexual relationship. Quite apart from the legal dangers, the fact is that if you had any children by your half-brother there is a high chance that they would be born with abnormalities. That is what often happens when real close relatives have babies together.
So really, I feel that you must tell this guy 'Goodbye'. That may be tough. But it is the only way.
Q I get pain in the top of the belly, and also black motions whenever I go out. What is the cause of that, doc?
A Probably an ulcer inside the belly. You must see a doc this week for an examination and tests.
Q Is breast cancer infectious?
A No, not in any way.
Q My husband has 'pressure', doc. Is that what is making him lose his nature?
A Guys who have high blood pressure can sometimes have problems with an erection. But it is more likely that your husband's loss of nature is caused from the pills he is taking for the treatment of his 'pressure'. He should ask his doc to change the tablets.
Q My little boy has started limping, whenever he walks. Is he doing that deliberately to get attention?
A Most unlikely. This child may have something badly wrong with his knee. Please take him to a doc for a check-up, and possibly an X-ray.
