#tadpole

"Arterialised blood returning from the gills of the tadpole by the anterior bronchial veins." Outlines of comparative anatomy. 1841.

Watch Sasha's genes struggle to shine through in her kids

I immediately spotted a problem, but I knew my sister would hate any correction.

I tried to ask, “Have you ever had tadpoles before?”

This was not diplomatic enough, because her instant response was, “I’m not an idiot, I think I can handle watching some wild tadpoles. It can’t be hard.”

“Oh, no,” I reassured her. “I’m sure you already know about giving them branches and platforms to crawl onto to rest when their lungs develop. I was gonna tell you about how Mom learned that one the hard way when she did a tank for her classroom. All their tadpoles drowned because there were only in water. They couldn’t rest once their gills went away, it was so sad.”

She was silent a moment, contemplating her all water tank which would surely become a death trap for the little developing amphibians if she didn’t add some bridges out of the water.

“Of course I already knew that,” she lied. “We’re gonna get branches later this week.”

Something I want to clarify first is that elements of transitioning that are easy for me are not easy for everyone; the very fact that I have meds available at all is a blessing and not everyone is so fortunate.

I’m hoping and wishing and fighting for everyone to get the care they need.

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I’m not sure if this was something that happens in pre-schools everywhere or maybe it’s a regional thing, but my wife also had “tadpole day” so to speak growing up in the same state as me. 

Apparently the tadpole visitation made such an impact on me that I remember it over thirty years later.  They’re cool!  They go through big changes!  They become frogs!