Keith and Sarah had been happily married for just over ten years. They had both been married before, and both had grown up children from their first marriages, who all got on fine, and the relationships with the first spouses weren't too bad either. They didn't socialise, but they didn't fight either.
Both Sarah and Keith were fairly content with their second marriage, they were both in their fifties, with Keith being a few years older than his wife, and they were both fit and healthy. If Keith had a gripe at all, it was that they didn't have sex as often as he'd like, and even when they did, it was pretty vanilla, but, all in all, he was content in his life.
Sarah also wished that their lives were more exciting, especially the sex, which was satisfying but not thrilling any more, but she had decided some years previously that she had no wish to endanger her marriage, for a bit of excitement. Sometimes events intervene and make unexpected changes to people's lives, which was exactly what this happy couple were about to find out.
Over a period of a couple of months, Sarah started to have some health issues, which started out minor, but became increasingly serious. She started having periods again, which she thought she had put behind her some years previously, and she was becoming more and more lethargic and less and less interested in sex. She went to her doctor a couple of times but was told it was her age, and other unsatisfactory diagnoses, until, finally, she saw a different doctor who listened to her more seriously.
Three weeks later, having had a battery of tests at various hospitals, Sarah and Keith found themselves in front of a consultant at a large teaching hospital. The consultant was a very attractive woman in her forties, and she had a very nice English accent, suggesting that she was from a good family, and had received a good education, and she spoke frankly and clearly to Sarah, almost ignoring Keith.
"Sarah, can I call you Sarah?" she started "I believe that all your problems can be traced to your hormones."
"I see." Sarah answered, not really seeing at all. She glanced nervously at her husband and waited for the specialist to go on.
"The good news is that I am confident that we can solve your problem, however, please note that I'm not saying we can cure it. What we can do is make the symptoms go away, and, hopefully, your hormones will re-balance themselves in time."
"OK, well that sounds good." Sarah responded, feeling cheered up by this specialist's diagnosis.
"Hmmnn, we'll see. What I'm going to prescribe is a fairly new synthetic hormone which will remove the symptoms you've been having, however, it has a side effect, which I need to warn you both about." The consultant explained.
Keith and Sarah sat silent, waiting for the consultant to explain.
"The hormone will increase your libido, you understand what I mean by your libido?"
"Of course, it'll make me horny." Sarah replied, feeling slightly embarrassed, and therefore, irritated.
"Yes, exactly. At first the change will be slight. But, as time goes on, it will get stronger and stronger. Keith, that's your name, yes?"
"Yes." Keith answered, thinking that he had just won the lottery.
"The change in your wife's libido will happen slowly, so please don't think that she's going to become a sex crazed woman in a week or two, but, over a period of time you will certainly notice differences in her attitude to sex. No two women react in exactly the same way to the hormone, so we'll monitor how she's getting on and how it's affecting your marriage, because, if her reaction is too extreme we might have to look for a different treatment. I suggest we get together again in about a month, so we can review progress. We'll send you an appointment letter in the next few days."
"Oh, ok, right, that's fine." Sarah said, her mind trying to process what the doctor had told her. She was very doubtful that the drug would make much difference to her sex drive at her age, but if it solved her hormone problems she would be very happy.
"Is there anything else you want to ask me?" The consultant asked, looking intently at Sarah.
Keith cleared his throat, wanting to ask a question, but feeling intimidated.
"Erm, I was just wondering," he began nervously, "if my wife gets horny, as you suggest she might, is it ok for us to have more sex, to relieve her frustration, as it were."
"Oh Keith, you have a one track mind, how embarrassing!" Sarah admonished her husband.
"No, that's alright Sarah, it's a good question. Yes, it's very important that Sarah's increased urges are satisfied, otherwise she will be storing up new problems. Obviously if you can't keep up with her needs, you'll have to be inventive, but we can discuss that better in a month, when we see where we are. OK, if that's everything, you can go. Please collect your prescription on the way out."
The next couple of days went by in a blur of hard work, so it was Saturday morning before the couple were able to discuss the new hormone treatment. As they lay in bed Keith cuddled his lovely wife and asked her how she was feeling, and was the drug helping her.
"Well, now that you ask, I am pleased to say that I feel a lot better. My period has stopped, I don't feel so tired or unwell, so,it seems that the hormonetreatment is working." She told her concerned husband.
"Oh that's good my love, I've been so worried about you." He replied, giving her a little kiss on the forehead.
"I'm afraid there's no sign of any increase in my libido, sorry to disappoint you, but since I'm feeling a lot better, there's more hope for you getting some sex soon, maybe even tonight, if you play your cards right." Sarah told her husband with a little chuckle.
"Oh wow! That would be wonderful my love, but what must I do to 'play my cards right'." He asked with a smile, and gave her another little kiss.
"I think..."
