Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Huh?

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

Phone Lady: "Hi? What's your fax number? I want to make an appointment with Dr. Grumpy, and send him my records."

Mary: "It's 867-5309."

Phone Lady: "Great! What kind of doctor is he, anyway?"

Mary: "Uh, he's a neurologist."

Phone Lady: "Oh, never mind."

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Weekend on call

DiaStat is an emergency anti-seizure medication in a liquid form, that's given rectally. It's for seizures that are hard to control. It's usually used when you're trying to avoid taking the patient to ER.

This holiday weekend, while on call, I was phoned by a lady who has a daughter with severe epilepsy. Her regular neurologist had already given the family a supply of DiaStat for emergencies.

So when they called to tell me the seizures were out of control, I had her mother give her a dose of DiaStat, without benefit. After I told her to give a 2nd dose, I got called again.


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

Mom Seizure: "Hi, I gave Lisa the 2nd dose like you told me to, then I gave a 3rd dose of DiaStat on my own, and she's still seizing."

Dr. Grumpy: "You're going to have to bring her to the ER, and I'll meet you there. I can't safely give her any more outpatient medication."

Mom Seizure: "I understand, but is there anything else you could do? We really don't want to take her to the hospital. Is there another medication? Or another way of giving DiaStat?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Nothing I'm comfortable with, she needs to get IV medication, and further testing, and..."

Pause

Dr. Grumpy: "What did you mean by "is there another way to give DiaStat?"

Mom Seizure: "Well, the instructions say to give it rectally. I could try doing that."

Pause

Dr. Grumpy: "What the... you haven't been giving it to her rectally?"

Mom Seizures: "No. I've been putting it in her ear."

Dr. Grumpy: "IN HER EAR???!!!!!!!"

Mom Seizure: "Well, since seizures start in the brain, I figured squirting it in her ear would get it there faster. I was afraid putting it in her rear end would be too far away from the brain."

Pause.

Dr. Grumpy: "You need to bring her to ER."

Monday, September 2, 2013

Lazy holiday post

Science marches on. And makes a mess!


Thank you, Tab!

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Huh?

Cat-Vi was kind enough to send in this picture from a magazine:





 It raises a few points:

1. Eggs are not dairy products. Just because the grocery store sells them near the milk does not mean they come from cows. Or mammals in general (yes, I know monotremes lay eggs, but they aren't generally eaten).

2. Pie graphs are supposed to add up to 100%. Not 71%. Even if you're just showing the top 3, you still should have a 29% slice marked "other."

3. Your graph is flawed. It left out broccoli and cauliflower, which have a near-100% allergy rate among children.

 Thank you, Cat-Vi!




Friday, August 30, 2013

Quote of the day

Dr. Grumpy: "Any side effects with the medication?"

Mr. Colon: "Yeah, I'm constipated. I've been using Miralax, Sennakot, Colace, and some other stuff. You know how it goes. It takes a village to have a shit."

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Skool nerse time

This is Mrs. Grumpy.

My, how did the Summer go by so quickly? Well here we are again, in the first week of school.

As always, I have the cherished task of sorting out the "medical information cards" you parents fill out. I'm sure in this day and age it could be done more effectively online, but apparently they tried that at another school last year, and the parents didn't bother. I guess the internet kiosk line at the bus station was too long.

So we're continuing with cards.

Since filling these things out is a surprisingly complex task for so many of you, I thought I'd offer a few pointers.

1. On the line where it says "name" write YOUR KID'S NAME. Not your name. Or his sister's name. Also, putting nicknames like "Raggy," "Dudette," and "Booger," while cute, do not help. Especially when you don't put on a last name. So, let's keep this in mind: Write your KID'S name, both first and last. Middle is optional, unless it's a name that ends in a Roman numeral (such as Harold Winthrop Higgleschweimer IV). Then it's required so the teachers know he's just killing time with school until he gets his inheritance.

2. On the line where it says "medications" please list any your kid is taking. Things your ex was taking at the time of conception that you believe explain junior's shitty math scores do not belong there. Nor am I looking for a list of EVERY FUCKING PILL BOTTLE IN THE HOUSE. Just what junior is presently on, not what he might get into because of crappy supervision by your baby-daddy's 9 year old watching him and playing Nintendo simultaneously.

3. Under allergies, please write your kid's allergies. That's all. How hard is that? Peanuts? Check. Penicillin? Good, you've got the point. So stop putting stuff in like "soap from a Motel 6," "the sunscreen my MIL bought," and (my favorite this year) "Disney backpacks."

4. I need a phone number where I can reach you in an emergency. 911 doesn't count, unless you work there. And even then, it's a stretch. Likewise, telling me that it changes from week-to-week doesn't help, and makes me wonder if CPS should be called.

5. A vaccination record is really helpful. Writing "I believe in Jenny McCarthy" doesn't make me think highly of you. But my REAL pet peeve here is those of you who are simply too damn lazy to actually look for the records, and just scribble "religious reasons" to save time in filling it out. If that many of you hadn't vaccinated your kids, most would be dead by now. I don't believe you, so get off your ass and look through the filing cabinet.

6. If junior takes pills, please bring them in a labeled prescription bottle. A plastic baggie that says "Give a blue pill to Joanie once a day" isn't helpful. Nor is dumping a handful of loose unidentifiable pills on the counter and mumbling "those are for Steve" as you rush out with a phone glued to your ear.

7. I am not the NSA. I am not trying to violate your privacy here. I really do need to know if your kid has epilepsy. Or diabetes. Or asthma. This is knowledge that can make the difference between Billy living or dying when he's brought to my office sick as shit. Writing "none of your business" or "PRIVATE!!!" on the medical history section doesn't make my job easier. If you're writing it because you're too lazy to call your ex and ask about medical history, grow a pair and and do it. This is about your kid, not you.

Have a great school year!

For more skool nerse stories, please see my page.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Pop quiz!

Time for another contest, class:

These gadgets were in an MRI-supply catalog that (for unknown reasons) showed up at my office. So let's forget I told you that.

Take out your #2 pencils, and try to come up with some creative answers as to what they might be. I've already started you off with three ideas. 

These items are:





A. The latest in BDSM equipment.

B. Props from the next Hannibal Lecter movie.

C. Um... stuff used in a new Olympic sport? From, uh, that country over on that other continent?

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Kid quote of the night

"Dad, you can tell this book takes place in the olden days, because the girl has a tape recorder."

Thanks, Marie.

Mary's desk, August 26, 2013

Mr. Stapes: "Hello?"

Mary: "Hi, Mr. Stapes. It's Mary at Dr. Grumpy's office."

Mr. Stapes: "Can you speak up?"

Mary: "HI, MR. STAPES. IT'S MARY, AT DR. GRUMPY'S OFFICE."

Mr. Stapes: "Oh, hi, Mary. Wasn't I just there a short while ago?"

Mary: "Yes. I'm calling because you left your hearing aids in Dr. Grumpy's exam room."

Mr. Stapes: "What?"

Mary: "YOU LEFT YOUR HEARING AIDS IN DR. GRUMPY'S EXAM ROOM."

Mr. Stapes: "I'm sorry, I have to hand the phone to my wife. I can't find my hearing aids."

Monday, August 26, 2013

Sunday night


My cell phone rings.

Dr. Grumpy: "This is Dr. Grumpy."

Dr. Nerve: "Hi, Ibee" (pant, pant, pant, loud thumping noise) "I'm just calling to give you the post-call check-out" (thump, thump, thump) "In room 752 is the guy you saw Friday..."

Dr. Grumpy: "Are you okay? What's all that noise?"

Dr. Nerve: "I'm running" (pant, pant, thump, thump, thump) "on my treadmill."

Dr. Grumpy: "Why don't you call me later? I can barely hear you."

Dr. Nerve: "No! (pant, thump) "I'm determined to get back in shape!" (pant, thump, pant, thump) "Anyway, the guy in 752, Mr. Smith, had another seizure last night..." (pant, pant, thump...)

Dr. Grumpy: "What did his MRI show?"

Dr. Nerve: (thump, pant) "Hang on, let me get the list. I set it next to..." (thump) "AAAAAAAHHH!" (crash, thud) "SHIT!!!

click

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Found in a shopping cart at Local Grocery


Friday, August 23, 2013

Patient quote of the day

"Why do I have to let you know whenever I have a seizure? You're not my fucking mother."

Thursday, August 22, 2013

More survey fun

I've put up some of the weird/stupid/random questions I've seen on surveys in the past. Apparently these aren't limited to North America.

A reader from the other side of the planet (Australia) sent this excerpt from one he recently took:




It's the 4th item down that grabs my attention.

Let's face it: everyone has their own degree of what is and isn't comfortable. But if I've reached a point in my life where I'm having an autopsy, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to care one way or the other.

Thank you, Caillin!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Oh, I'm sure they're used to your type

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

Mr. Platelet: "Hi, I need you to call the pharmacist about my Plavix."

Dr. Grumpy: "What's wrong? I thought Annie called it in earlier today?"

Mr. Platelet: "Yeah, but they're trying to pull a fast one on me. They tried to give me something called Clopidogrel, and they're telling me it's the same. And I've never taken Clopidogrel!"

Dr. Grumpy: "It is the same. Clopidogrel is just the generic name."

Mr. Platelet: "It is?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Yeah."

Mr. Platelet: "Oh crap. Normally my wife picks it up for me, too. I've just never noticed."

Dr. Grumpy: "Same drug. Just go get it."

Mr. Platelet: "Um, can you call it in to another pharmacy for me? After the way I acted I'm too embarrassed to go back there now."
 
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