After discovering Roman's true identity, she refuses to have anything more to do with the Castevets, yet keeps going to the creepy doctor they steered her to.
She even confides in him about the Castevets, who were friends of his. She suspects that all their friends are part of the witch coven, and she had reservations about the doctor's care early on, so why trust him, of all people?
I did think it was funny that Dr. Saperstien tosses the HIPAA laws out the window when he confides that Roman was "ill". It's a little tricky because he did appear to be a confident, somewhat arrogant, seasoned veteran (compared to the young Dr. Hill) so she may have went to the only person (a health care provider) she could trust. If his receptionist hadn't made that offhand remark about Rosemary's tannis root necklace, she would have never made the connection.
shareNo HIPPA laws in 1966!
shareYou bring up a very good point! 😀
1. Minnie and Roman aren't the only ones who know Dr. Abe - he delivered two of Hutch's grandchildren. 😷
When Ro meets Hutch's daughter Doris, they have this exchange:
“We have an obstetrician in common,” Rosemary said when the nurse had gone; and then they talked about Rosemary’s pregnancy and Dr. Sapirstein’s skill and eminence. Doris was surprised to hear that he was seeing Rosemary every week. - p. 121
2. Later, after Hutch's death, Guy and Ro mention this exact issue.
Guy watched her for a moment. “What about Dr. Sapirstein?” he said. “Is he in the coven too?”
She turned and looked at him.
“After all,” he said, “there’ve been maniac doctors, haven’t there? His big ambition is probably to make house calls on a broomstick.”
She turned to the window again, her face sober. “No, I don’t think he’s one of them,” she said. “He’s-too intelligent.”
“And besides, he’s Jewish,” Guy said and laughed. “Well, I’m glad you’ve exempted somebody from your McCarthy-type smear campaign. Talk about witch-hunting, wow! And guilt by association.” - p. 151
3. At this point - right before Andy's birth - Ro is understandably terrified for herself and baby. 🍼🚼
I think she needs someone to trust and believe in very much.
Plus, Dr. Sapirstein is seemingly very forthright and frank when she discovers who Roman is. He doesn't try to weasel out of or deny Roman's identity.
4. Later events also show the importance of Dr. Sapirstein's prestige and reputation. He's a famous doc who's been on Open End.
When Ro goes to Dr. Hill (boo, hiss) for help, he seems to believe that there's at least SOME type of plot - UNTIL she mentions Dr. Abe. From then on, he thinks she's crazy.
When Ro realizes that Andy's alive & being hidden in the Bramford, she thinks,
She had learned her lesson with Dr. Hill. This time she would turn to no one, would expect no one to believe her and be her savior. Not the police, not Joan or the Dunstans or Grace Cardiff, not even Brian. Guy was too good an actor, Dr. Sapirstein too famous a doctor; between the two of them they’d have even him, even Brian, thinking she had some kind of post-losing-the-baby madness. This time she would do it alone, would go in there and get him herself, with her longest sharpest kitchen knife to fend away those maniacs. - p. 191
I think all of these issues combined to keep Ro unaware of Dr. Abe's witchery until his receptionist mentions that he wears stinky tannis root.
God, do NOT bless Dr. Hill! 😣😝
"Not all who wander are lost." - Tolkien 🌹