Noe’s Comics Nook: Two-Week Wait

Review

Two-Week Wait is an unflinchingly honest, emotional rollercoaster (yes, I know, but it is accurate here) of a story following Conrad and Joanne on their process to conceive a child using in vitro fertilization, or, IVF. The story comes from a combination of authors Luke and Kelly’s experiences of their own with IVF and the interviews and stories of other couples they discussed the process with. The result is a glimpse into the trauma and risks to marriage that arise when conception becomes difficult – and costly, which leads to even further stress and potential for trust to erode (as Conrad learns firsthand).

We learn about the medical process of IVF – the myriad of tests, the time-sensitive needle pricks, the hours spent in doctor’s offices – right alongside the social processes, which are not equally felt by the couple. It is Joanne’s body that has to go through most of the poking and prodding after all, and it is also her that faces problems at work for running late and a much higher level of social shame to contend with. Shining a light on these gendered expectations can hopefully be a step on the path to change. We also learn that, while adoption might seem a “common sense” solution, it is far from it – the process can be longer and even more expensive than IVF.

Illustrated by Mara Wild in a swooping style that captures both the seriousness of the experience and lets the rare moments of humor shine through. There are many stories out there written about IVF experiences now, but this one showcases exactly why comics are a great medium for hard stories: the pain on the characters faces brought me to tears in a way that prose alone seldom does.

Elements of Story

Plot: Struggling to conceive, Conrad and Joanne begin a long, emotional, and expensive route through the IVF process – complete with overbearing family, loving friends, and a near-end to their marriage.

Characters: Conrad, Joanne, Dr. Schneider, Arthur, Elizabeth, many friends and family

Major Settings: Home, Sperm Bank, Hospital and numerous doctor’s offices, Joanne’s school, eco-resort

Themes: Pregnancy, hope, family, medicine, time, love

Lesson Plan Idea Using Common Core Standards (CCS)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9 – Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.

Directions: Approximately 1 in 50 couples worldwide now find themselves looking to IVF due to difficulties in conceiving, regardless of cause. In Two-Week Wait, the creators share a fictionalized compilation of their own experiences and those of couples they interviewed for the work. While the comic does a masterful job of addressing the human elements – the pain, the joy, the struggling – it focuses less on the medical specifics itself. Just enough for the reader to understand what is happening.

For this assignment, students are tasked with researching the history of IVF, its growth, and describing the process as it happens in modern day medicine. Students should make use of credible medical resources, should be guided through the research process, and should produce a 3 to 4 page paper written in an informative manner.