Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Mary, call tomorrow's 3:30 and cancel him

A packet of records showed up on a new patient who has a pending appointment with me. It included this note from his previous neurologist:

"He's quite insistent on being allowed to get his drivers license back. When I refused to comply, he pulled out a gun and threatened me with it. Fortunately, his wife quickly took it from him and told me it wasn't loaded."

24 comments:

  1. Rule number one for gun safety: All guns should be treated/considered loaded. My husband shot a hole in the ceiling with a gun his grandfather, his father and then he had checked.

    I am guessing the previous neuro fired this patient and I don't blame him!

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  2. seriously-- what do you do in a situation like this? this guy apparently needs the services of a neurologist, but i sure wouldn't want to treat him if i were you.... ugh!

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  3. I don't think a neurologist is what the guy needs.
    Holy crap.

    Are you still going to see the guy? If so, will you wear a bullet proof vest?

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  4. that bulletproof cellphone case would come in handy now!

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  5. I'm curious to know what a physician or his/her office staff would do in a situation such as this.

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  6. prior neurologist should have had criminal charges filed !!

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  7. Hey!!! This guy needs a locket with a bullet...!

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  8. Can you do the exam with himm wearing one of those paper gowns? Kind of hard (but not impossible) to conceal a weapon in one of those.
    Is it ethical to speak to wife/regular caregiver and broach hte subject? Mary is right, all weapons should be considered "live" at all times.

    Good luck, Dr. Grumpy.

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  9. "Fortunately, his wife quickly took it from him . . ."

    It is his wife's action that gives new meaning to the phrase "gun control."

    I do have to wonder why/how she acted so quickly - did she suspect something? Has she seen him do this before?

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  10. Nice to see that he still has his gun license.

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  11. So many question arise...

    Do white coats come with kevlar lining?

    How can a person get a license for a firearm if not for a vehicle?

    Why threated the very person you want something from?

    Does the wife have concealed handgun license and a handy taser?

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  12. Guns don't kill people. Patients kill people.

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  13. If you don't believe this can happen, it did in our small town. An older patient was not happy and decided to start shooting at our local medical facility, if I remember right. Fortunately no one was killed, but security was tightened up after that episode.

    One of the best things about small town living is the trust factor. Unfortunately this patient's actions ruined that.

    Dr. Grumpy be thankful your patient's previous doctor gave you fair warning. You can now suit up in your bullet proof white coat.

    NOTE: Guns do not kill people. People decide how they wish to operate a gun.

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    1. But only crazy people WANT a gun, violently minded ones. Whether toward animals or people or both.

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  14. The patient has dementia, perhaps?

    When my father, who had been a very calm and gentle person all his life, developed Alzheimers, he became paranoid, hostile and angry. He harassed neighbors with whom he'd never had a problem and threatened to blow up their house. I don't want to think about what could've happened if he'd owned a gun.

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  15. But of course she only figured that out AFTER she married him.

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  16. So how did this work? The former neurologist looked at the gun pointed in his face and said "go see Dr Grumpy"?

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  17. my non medical brother (non common sense as well) continued to supply shells / bullets to my Alzheimer afflicted father as it was his "right to bear arms".

    This at a time Dad was increasing apt to leave the house at 1am with loaded shotgun, rifle, etc (no handguns) to seek out what was the disturbance (they lived on rural ranch). Increasingly he was paranoid. Although I found out later mom was also feeding him xanax to "keep him calm" (didnot work), the constitution waving brother brought shells into the house as fast as I could take them out. Luckily dad died without any mishap, and yes, I regret not taking legal action for custody.

    Am not being so hesitant with Mom

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  18. Ahh.. re-reading the entry, it doesn't look like the other neurologist referred him, which is how I read it at first. I was a bit worried about how much of a grudge the other neurologist had with you, lol.

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  19. Guns do kill people if used by crazy/mean people. Crazy mean people armed with fists or knives = much less death. Impulsivity + access to guns is a very bad combination.

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  20. Some people are concerned about when is the proper time to take the car keys, but it looks like this is a different kettle of fish. Donezepil and double dose of memantine coming up.

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  21. I am reminded of an ER (television series) episode where an elderly woman was dehydrated, or became so whilst waiting to be seen, which (apparently) precipitated a aberrant mental state where she picked up a gun (I forget how it came to be lying about, accessible - police officer momentarily taking off gun belt?) and ended up getting shot/killed by another officer when she started pointing the gun & making threats.

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So wadda you think?