Monday, September 14, 2009

Take Her Down, Helmsman

People use different phrases to mean the same thing. Case in point: migraines.

Some patients say "I have migraines". Others say "I get migraines". Occasionally one will use the odd phrase (at least to me) "I take migraines" to mean the same thing (I always want to ask who they're taking them from).

But today I had a lady who used a more, uh interesting, phrase.

When she gets a migraine she has to go lie down in a dark room (which is common). So, for whatever reason, she uses this act to refer to the migraine.

In other words: when she gets a migraine, she calls it "going down".

It is remarkably hard to keep a straight face when the young lady across from me says things like:

"I went down 3 times last week."

"July was awful. I spent the entire month going down".

"I went down on Saturday. I had to do it in front of my kids, too."

And, as she was leaving, she said, "I feel another one coming on. I just know I'll be going down tonight, but have to wait until my husband gets home."

No comment.
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23 comments:

  1. GertSeptember 14, 2009 at 8:25 PM

    OMG!

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  2. LilorfnannieSeptember 14, 2009 at 8:26 PM

    Gotta love Freudian Slips. They tell you sooooo much about a person. It's a mighty fun game if you know what to watch for ;-)

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  3. modesty pressSeptember 14, 2009 at 9:03 PM

    On top of this (so to speak), she probably frequently tells her spouse, "Not tonight, dear; I have a headache."

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  4. AnonymousSeptember 14, 2009 at 9:26 PM

    OMG! I am really taking all this to heart and wondering if I say or do the crazy shit you see everyday. I do NOT want to end up on a blog like yours... Only thing I can think of was being startled by the activator that my chiropractor pulled out and I blurted out "Well you startled me when you whipped that thing out of your pocket and started poking me with it!" I started laughing and apologized for how that sounded. Thankfully he had a sense of humor too!

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  5. DispensingPhysicianCPhTSeptember 14, 2009 at 10:05 PM

    LOL!!! That's great!

    Here are some more phrases for you (These are true statements):

    "I have a migraine that's trying to grab me"

    or,

    "This migraine is trying to catch me."

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  6. The Tuotio ManSeptember 14, 2009 at 10:22 PM

    "I went to see the neurologist because I want to get a good head..."

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  7. Kate AllisonSeptember 14, 2009 at 10:51 PM

    I am sooo glad that this kind of silly euphemism is not confined to Vet Med. One of my fellow vets that asked if, after the spay, her female dog was going to lose her "chocolate chip." Umm, do you mean her vulva? It shows a shocking lack of understanding simple biology on a number of levels.

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  8. ChrisSeptember 14, 2009 at 11:43 PM

    "I've been going down since I was in junior high."

    "If my husband turns the lights off, I'll go down sometime tonight."

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  9. AnonymousSeptember 15, 2009 at 12:06 AM

    Hilarious!
    Thanks for the laugh.
    Pharmagirl

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  10. DanaSeptember 15, 2009 at 3:05 AM

    I have and get migraines. I don't take them 'cause I don't want them.

    But if I told my husband, "I am going down, but I waited for you to get home." The pants would be around his ankles before I know it.

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  11. ERPSeptember 15, 2009 at 3:37 AM

    I bet her husband can clarify things.

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  12. Serious Replies OnlySeptember 15, 2009 at 9:31 AM

    That is hilarious.

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  13. The Good CookSeptember 15, 2009 at 9:49 AM

    That's a lot of going down. Were you able to help her?

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  14. Grumpy, M.D.September 15, 2009 at 9:53 AM

    I told her I'd do my best, and to keep her chin up.

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  15. bSeptember 15, 2009 at 10:37 AM

    There are no words to fully describe how much I love your blog!

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  16. charlotteSeptember 15, 2009 at 10:50 AM

    My coworker and I have a secret game. Whenever anyone mentions or deals with their purse, totebag, lunchbox, wallet, etc. they are actually talking about their vagina or penis.

    "I always stick a handful of tissues in my purse right before I leave the house"

    "I had better not catch anybody messing around in my totebag again"

    "You sure have a big lunchbox--are you planning on treating everybody at the table?"

    Ok, I made the last one up, but I keep hoping.

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  17. TranscriptionistTiaSeptember 15, 2009 at 3:58 PM

    My Sweetie keeps telling me that sex will cure a headache... I didn't know he was talking about oral!

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  18. AnonymousSeptember 15, 2009 at 4:53 PM

    It's the "blue screen of death"!

    You know you've worked in IT too long when something like this comes to mind before the obvious...

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  19. BagladySeptember 15, 2009 at 5:25 PM

    I hear it's the best thing for a headache...

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  20. Square Peg GuySeptember 15, 2009 at 10:07 PM

    Priceless!

    It vaguely reminds me of the time I was waiting for the older woman to tell me the total price of a $5 bag of cashews I wanted to buy.

    When she saw me hesitate, she said, "It's $5 even. There's no tax on your nuts."

    I should hope not!

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  21. JimAtTheRezSeptember 15, 2009 at 11:51 PM

    How you did not fall out in the floor laughing is beyond me and demonstrates a remarkable amount of restraint. LOL, that made my day.

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  22. Chrysalis October 5, 2009 at 3:42 PM

    That's bad. Lol. Even I couldn't keep a straight face on that one.

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  23. Grumpy, M.D.October 5, 2009 at 3:44 PM

    Chrysalis- It wasn't easy. Believe me.

    ReplyDelete

So wadda you think?