Seriously, you really need to look

Posted on April 10, 2012 by medic
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...
No Gravatar

This is a story that was told to me some years ago.

A woman went to her physician with vaginal itching for several days and one episode of some white discharge. The physician took an oral history.

“Do I have a yeast infection?”

“From what you’re describing, it doesn’t sound like a yeast infection to me. It could be bacterial. It could be other things. Let me prescribe you some medications.”

“Can you at least take a look since I came all this way?”

“OK.”

“Thanks.”

A speculum and an actual exam later…

“Err… you do have a yeast infection. Let me change that prescription.”

Random old posts:

Posted in Stories | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Some things never change

Posted on April 7, 2012 by medic
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...
No Gravatar

Today I picked up yet another drunk. We will never stop picking up drunks, yes. But this drunk I last saw probably 10 years ago. Not only is it sad that he’s still doing the exact same thing – getting drunk and wandering the streets – after 10 years, but it is also sad that I actually remember him.

Random old posts:

Posted in Stories | Tagged , | Leave a comment

I did not love The Hunger Games

Posted on April 1, 2012 by medic
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
No Gravatar

This is not a review.

I saw The Hunger Games. I had read the book some months ago. Although they were well-written and nicely captured the desperation, I did not love either. It took me a long time to finish the book, and I shifted uncomfortably in the seat during the entire movie.

I’m not sure why, but I think it has something to do with the story itself. In creating the rich-vs.-poor, powerful-vs.-masses setting, the story is told through kids killing kids for no good reason. Having seen way more than I care to remember, I am weary of senseless violence.

Random old posts:

Posted in Media | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

I love this shit

Posted on March 30, 2012 by medic
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
No Gravatar

“Why do you still do this?”

“I love this shit.”

An hour later, I step in a drunk, homeless regular’s poo, which is at least a day old going by its dry appearance. It apparently fell out of his pant leg onto the tailboard as he climbed into the ambulance and stayed there the entire ride to the hospital. My partner, who is standing at the back door as I step in it exiting the patient compartment, sees my foot follow gravity toward the large piece of poo but either can’t get the words out or simply doesn’t say anything, even though he has, up to this point in the shift, been talking non-fucking-stop.

Yes, I guess I still love this shit.

Random old posts:

Posted in Stories | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Protocols: Now this is just fucking annoying

Posted on March 28, 2012 by medic
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
No Gravatar

There’s a long wait at the emergency psychiatric* receiving facility. Our patient wants a cigarette. She has been completely cooperative, and is voluntarily here. My partner gives her a cigarette after asking me and the facility staff if it’s OK. I generally believe in the path of least resistance, and I suspect the facility does too.

We let the patient off the gurney and she smokes. The staff is aware of this, of her steady gait, of her ability to walk, of her absolute lack of medical issues. I even re-make the gurney now that she’s off of it.

So, the wait is over, and it’s time to bring her into the facility.

“You guys have to wheel her in on the gurney.”

“What the fuck? She’s already walking toward your door. And I already made the gurney!”

“It’s our policy. We don’t want her to fall or pass out or run away.”

“WHAT? Use your heads!”

Path of least resistance. Path of least resistance. Well, after some lip first. Assholes.

*Oxymoron

Random old posts:

Posted in Stories | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment