Friday, August 13, 2010

Just Shoot Me

Mrs. Handz: "I think I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. My hands and fingers go numb when I'm typing."

Dr. Grumpy: "What about when you're holding the steering wheel, while driving?"

Mrs. Handz: "Yeah, then too, and OH MY GOD! YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE MY LICENSE AWAY!"

Dr. Grumpy: "No, not at all! I'm just trying to get an idea of what triggers the symptoms."

Mrs.Handz: "I don't believe you! My friends warned me this might happen! You're going to turn me into the MVD and stop my driving!"

Dr. Grumpy: "I'm honestly not. I ask because Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can..."

Mrs. Handz: "I'm leaving before you ask more questions! I know your game!"

(patient storms out of the office)

35 comments:

Angela said...

huh????!!!! People get the weirdist ideas sometimes!!

xx
Jaxs

dsantirso said...

Greetings from Spain, I recently discovered your blog.
I am resident of Neurology and in this side of the ocean these funny situations happen too.
Congratulations for your work

tamara said...

hahaha, that is hilarious.

The Mother said...

I'd run screaming out of your office, too, if you threatened to take my driver's license away. Meanie.

OMDG said...

But but wait! I can actually help you! Oh nevermind....

Syrlinus said...

Was she wearing a tin-foil ensemble by any chance??

Diana said...

Sounds like she has carpal tunnel of the brain, otherwise known as a brain fart.

Keith B said...

Okay, I'll bite. If she had been a normal person and said "Well, yeah, my hands also get numb when I hold the steering wheel", would you have recommended she stop driving or change hand position or what?

I'm wondering where you were going with the question as far as how it would effect her treatment.

Grumpy, M.D. said...

If she said that, I'd have noted the answer, and moved on to my next question of "does the hand tingling wake you up at night?".

I was only trying to get an idea of what makes it better or worse, which is part of the patient history. I wasn't going to make any recommendations about her driving.

Anonymous said...

so, um, hand numbness that wakes you up at night could be a symptom of carpel tunnel? I was hoping I just kept lying on them.

Grumpy, M.D. said...

Yes, but you can also see it in excessive auto-erotic activity. So stop that!

Anonymous said...

bwuahahaaaa...it all makes sense now!

Grumpy, M.D. said...

Or, I guess, from non-auto-erotic activities, as this study showed.

Stephanie Ann said...

Ya know, if everybody in the world who was diagnosed with carpal tunnel had their license taken away the carpool lane and bus system would be so full it would take ten times longer to get to work. Just a thought.

Anonymous said...

It does say something about how fearful people are of the power doctors seem to have, doesn't it? (Fears aren't necessarily rational, but they can be real.)

Anonymous said...

I'd report her to MVD just for your own protection. I mean, do you really want to share the streets with someone that "challenged" with rational thought processes?

Diana said...

When I started on insulin, to renew my driver's license, I had to provide a doctor's statement that said it was ok for me to drive because I was over the "allowed" limit for daily dosage. It was a WTF? moment for me but it has never been questioned again.

scarfoot79 said...

If she was so worried you'd take it away from her, why did she even come in?!

People are so weird!

Swami Dil said...

Watch your step.........not only does she know your game......she also knows your name and where you work!!!

w8ng2retirerph said...

i hope you collect co-payments upon arrival.

arzt4empfaenger said...

Hello Mr. Paranoia. Goodbye Mr. Paranoia.

arzt4empfaenger said...

Ah, Make that Mrs. Paranoia. I was distracted and misread.
The advice of friends is not always good, apparently.

Anonymous said...

too bad. with the correct diagnosis, properly done surgery is safe, over 95% effective, and patients are very happy they have done it.

Anonymous said...

I would never have associated numbness in the hands with inability to drive. There are all sorts of handicap devices available. She could be driving without hands, as far as that goes, and perhaps only with the tip of her nose. Were you going to ask about the sensation in the end of her nose, too, Dr. G?

Anonymous said...

I never knew carpal tunnel was a thing seen by a neurologist. I always thought bones, tendons, and muscles were ortho. >.<

Ladyk73 said...

I had no idea carpel tunnel could be so painful...until I woke up to intense pain, burning...and began pounding my hands on the wall in the hopes that it would help. I get shots, I wear fancy braces at night...I am sure surgery is soon.

Joann said...

I'd report her to the MVD just for the fun of it. LOL!!!

Anonymous said...

Diagnosis confirmed again.

ERP said...

You should take away her license. She is a nut job.

burned-out medic said...

someone please report her to the dmv for being too stupid to drive.

she's probably already reported you to the whatever agency for being part of the big brother/government apparatus.

Michelle Dailey said...

All I have is 3 words...what the fuck?!

Me said...

Easiest copay of the day, right?

Katie Axelson said...

MVD?
Is dyslexia a symptom of Carpal Tunnel, too?
<>< Katie

Eileen said...

@Stephanie Anne - if you'd used Dragon you might have had a carpool tunnel instead of a carpal lane...

Anonymous said...

Are you allowed to say,"STFU and listen to what I am saying!" Or is that considered too abrupt?

rasem: Grain grown specifically for athletes.

 
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