I understand cultural sensitivity. I know some people consider their cultural heritage and traditions to be very important to them - religious based or not. However, there are times when people have to decide what is more important. Attending a special event or performing some culturally-ordained task, or taking care of one’s self.
The other day […]

Patient: My doctor sent me in to see a neurologist.
Me: OK, why?
Patient: I don’t know, he just said I should.
Me: OK, who is your doctor?
Patient: I don’t remember.
Me. When did you see him?
Patient: I have no idea.
Me: OK, who did he say you were supposed to see?
Patient: I don’t know, I think it is supposed […]

I have posted on this before but it bears repeating. I love the snow - and it is not because I am a skier. I also don’t mean I love it when I am driving (although it is more because of all the traffic and others who flail about without snow tires […]

I don’t know but I guess I can understand. Some people define themselves by their career. When they retire, they essentially lose their identity and get really depressed. Still, I think it gets to the point where you need to turn your stethoscope and enjoy other aspects of life. I know for sure […]

ERP (walking into the ER at 9am, about to take a sip of coffee): “Good Morning, How was your weekend?”
Nurse: “Fine, get into room 19″
ERP: “What?”
Nurse: “Get into room 19, you need to tube this guy, I think they just started compressions”
ERP (heading over to room 19):”Great, what a way to start”
Two minutes […]

Occasionally I meet a flirtatious patient. I mean, come on, I am so Uber-Hott that it comes with the turf of being me! (Cue the cymbal crash). Anyway, sometimes a chief complaint or at least the description of symptoms don’t lend themselves well to making one’s self sexually alluring. GI complaints […]

Mr Palpitation (a vibrant appearing man in his mid 80’s): Doc, I got chest pain and felt my heart beating really fast yesterday.
ERP: OK, what were you doing at the time?
Mr Palp: I was on a plane flying back from Puerto Rico - I have a bakery here in town and I […]