Dear GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals,

Thank you for your recent letter concerning Super Poligrip denture adhesive.

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It was thoughtful of you to notify me that this product (all 3 varieties) will no longer be available. How much it cost you to send this letter to every doctor in the U.S. & Canada I have no idea.

In all honesty, I have never, ever, ever, recommended a specific denture adhesive to anyone. In fact, in 12 years of practice, I don't think a patient has ever mentioned their chosen brand of such a product to me. Generally, the study of neurology is pretty far removed from whatever substance people might be using to glue their false teeth to their gums.

My office colleague Dr. Pissy, for whatever reason, hasn't gotten your letter yet. I told him this was likely because he was on your Poligrip consumer, rather than prescriber list. He was not amused.

Yours truly,

Ibee Grumpy, M.D.

Anticipation

Dr. Grumpy: "So the meningioma has been stable on MRI for 10 years now. It should still be followed, but not as often. I'll check a repeat study in 5 years if nothing changes."

Mrs. Ocd: "So, another MRI in 2015?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Yeah."

Mrs. Ocd: (whips out iPhone): "Can I do a Tuesday afternoon?"

Thursday night, 8:05 p.m.

"Hi, I have an appointment with Dr. Grumpy tomorrow, but I keep my schedule on my cell phone calendar, and I've lost the phone. Can someone please call and tell me what time my appointment is? My cell phone is 867-5309. Thank you."

Weather Report

Yes, I know it's raining. I have windows at my office, and occasionally look outside.

And I understand you running late for your appointment. I mean, the rain mucks up traffic, and makes everyone fall a few minutes behind.

We appreciate you calling to say that you'll be a few minutes late. We believe you that it's raining. We can see that for ourselves.

You really don't need to send Mary a picture from your car to prove it.

Attention Boy Scouts of America

DO NOT EVER send out a note saying there will be no food provided at a night meeting, and so we should feed our kids dinner beforehand, AND THEN HAVE SURPRISE PIZZA AT THE MEETING!

My kids overoverovergorged.

Next time you do this I am calling the den leaders (you know who you are) at 2:00 a.m. to come over to my house and clean up 3 kids worth of barf.

Thank you.

Department of Contradiction

Looking through some hospital notes today, and came across this:

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Mary's Desk, February 24, 2010

Mary: "Dr. Grumpy's office, this is Mary."

Mrs. Gold: "Yeah, I have an appointment this afternoon, and wanted to make sure you have a TV there."

Mary: "Um, no..."

Mrs. Gold: "You don't have a TV in the lobby? My internist does."

Mary: "No, we never have."

Mrs. Gold: "How am I supposed to watch the Olympics?"

Mary: "Well... you are coming to see the doctor, not to..."

Mrs. Gold: "Just cancel me, then. I'll call back next week, to reschedule after they're over."

Let me think about this one...

Okay, gang. I was doing an online marketing survey last night, and got this question:


"The following are two attributes for a new Parkinson's disease product. Please select which one you find MOST desirable, and which you find LEAST desirable:

Attribute A: Efficacy in improving tremor and balance.

Attribute B: Serious side-effect profile."

Patient testimonials I don't want

Dr. Grumpy: "How have you been doing since starting the Parkinson's medication?"

Mr. Shakes: "Much better. My wife doesn't yell at me as much about my driving. And since you gave me those pills I haven't blown out any tires from hitting the curb, which is nice. Those replacement tires can get expensive."

Dr. Grumpy: "I bet".

Is she a person? A tree? Both?

From another physician's note:

"During the seizure she was shaking all her limbs, as well as all four extremities".

More drug company toys

For those of you who missed my previous post on drug company gadgetry, click here.

Okay, this awesome doodad was dropped off at my office last month. I took some shots of it when I had time, but didn't get to put them up until now.

This AMAZING doohickey thingamajig is designed to demonstrate how gout happens.

So let's start with the first shot. The yellow slider is on the right, showing a LOW blood level of uric acid. The patient on the left looks comfortable, and the joint shown has a soothing shade of blue.





BUT NOW we slide the yellow switch over to the left, RAISING the blood's uric acid level. The patient's joints now glow red (get it? He's hurting?) and the big joint on the right is now bright red, with sharp, ugly, uric acid crystals causing gout pain.





Isn't it amazing what technology can do these days? And I can't even use it for a fish tank. Look for it at my next garage sale. After I remove the AA batteries to use in my Wiimote.

Skool Nerse Time

This is Mrs. Grumpy.

I'd like to tell the unknown persons who broke in and stole a bunch of my school's band's musical instruments last night that you are complete utter worthless asshole scum.

The school is too poor to buy replacements. Those were bought several years ago on a fundraising drive from the band, and have been carefully kept up since then, at teacher and student's personal expense.

I know that in a world of crappy economy, a horrible earthquake in Haiti, wars, and famine, a few instruments in a school for underprivileged children (many of whom live in shelters) are minor compared to the big picture of human suffering.

But to some of the kids here, they were everything.

And I hope you rot in hell.

Attention patients!

Telling me that you were in ER with a bloody nose last night is good enough for me. I trust you.

I SWEAR that it is NOT necessary for you to whip out your iPhone and show me pictures of blood and mucus streaming down your face. Or to show me the tail of the gauze sponge that is still lodged up there.

Thank you for your consideration.

Ibee Grumpy, M.D.

Sunday evening, 7:05 p.m.

Dr. Grumpy: "This is Dr. Grumpy, returning a page."

Mr. Sue: "Goddammit... Sue! Did you call the doctor?"

Sue (in background): "Yes."

Mr. Sue: "Well it's him. Why the hell did you let me answer the phone if you knew he'd be calling?"

Sue (in background): "I told you not to answer the phone, and that I'd get it."

Mr. Sue: "You didn't say a fucking thing! Why would I answer the damn phone if I knew it wasn't for me?"

Sue (in background): "I don't know. I told you I'd called him, but it's not like you ever listen to me anyway."

Mr. Sue: "Well it's not like you ever have anything worthwhile to say."

Sue (in background): "You're such a..."

(click).

They never called back, either. I was kind of disappointed. It was starting to get interesting.