Dr. Grumpy: "Good to see you again, Mr. Fried."
Mr. Fried: "It's good to be back in Minnesota, Doc".
Dr. Grumpy: "We're in Oregon, sir."
Mr. Fried: "Yeah, that's what I meant."
Dr. Grumpy: "So I last saw you in 2001, before you moved to Alabama."
Mr. Fried: "I didn't know you moved to Alabama. I was living there, too."
Dr. Grumpy: "No, I was here in Oregon the whole time. You moved."
Mr. Fried: "I know. I miss Minnesota already."
Dr. Grumpy: "How are your headaches?"
Mr. Fried: "Are they why I moved to Alabama?"
Dr. Grumpy: "I have no idea."
Mr. Fried: "Do you know if I had them when I lived in Minnesota?"
Dr. Grumpy: "Mr. Fried, I've never lived in Minnesota."
Mr. Fried: "Neither have I."
It was a really long hour.
16 comments:
I am not sure what state either of you live in, but the state I live in is "Chicago".
Thanks.
I live in the state of Fubar.
Along with what The Kat's Meow said... we still have people who think Hawaii is foreign soil. :p
Back to the patient, maybe he just needs to move to Minnesota. Problem solved.
I live in the state of Denial, just west of Nevada.
I thought Denial wuz in Ejypt?
Truly, we are just jealous. Be honest, there are some days you wish you didn't know where you where:)
I think the state he's currently living in is Confusion...
Who's on first?
But at least he remembered you.
I live in the state of Chaos. The state of Confusion seems more peaceful.
Oh Dr. Grumpy...that is too funny. I'm glad that he found his way back to your office since he is so desperately in need of your services.
I think I vote for state of Contentment...
I live in the state of Denial, while my husband lives in the state of Perpetual Confusion.
OK - so is he demented or did he have a CVA in his Hippocampus?
ERP- Just too much of the 60's. I suspect he's been this way since Woodstock.
I had the pleasure of interviewing a patient like that in the ED on my medicine sub-i. The resident had decided to to send the 3rd year medical student with me, who kept trying to interject empathetic remarks, and clarify questions, on top of the patient not having a clue as to what was going on. OMG I wanted to hit my head against the wall.
:-)
Old MD Girl- Yeah, that drives me nuts. I've learned not to try and clarify things in these people, because it always opens up yet another meandering tangent.
At some point in these cases I just give up and start examining them.
I just don't know how to get through these exchanges without bursting out laughing out loud. That must be the pharmacognosy lecture I skipped in 4th year.
At least on the phone, one can put a hand over the receiver, or something, when patients (or their representatives) call about why they don't have any refills left or other perfectly mundane subjects. (Sometimes these calls involve someone who is hard of hearing, then it's even more fun trying to control diaphragm or latent intestinal flatus.)
Post a Comment