The one about the guy that looks like Lemmy.

[RustedFox]

Just getting home. Typed up an e-mail to my buddy about this odd patient encounter (he's a non-medical person, so I had to use non-med terms for him). Figured I'd share it. After all; it kinda feels like something that Birdstrike would write.



I'm taking care of a guy with a rather wicked abscess near his left tonsil. Thing is so big that he really can't shut his mouth comfortably. For context - the guy looks like he belongs at a *Motorhead* concert, or is a member of our local "Sons of Anarchy" chapter; he clearly has lived a life of amphetamines and cigarettes - likely contributing to his present condition. At any rate, the guy is in need of help; he has a truly urgent/emergent condition. I got some antibiotics and steroids rolling in him and he begins to feel better in the manner expected after an hour or so. I tell him: "Hey, I have to keep you here in the hospital; this thing will likely need to be surgically drained tomorrow." He says that while he understands, that he has "to go back to his business and shut things down; shut down all the machines". He's very vague about just what these machines are and why he has no co-workers that can "shut the machines down"... but looking at his teeth and complexion, I'm pretty sure that he's got to shut down the meth cookery before it blows sky-high. After all; few legit things are going on at 1 AM. He says that he understands me, but "has to sign out AMA". I read him my speech, have him sign all the forms, etc. Before he leaves, he looks at me and shakes my hand - says; "Thanks for being kind to me - I'll be back in 1-2 hours. I promise. I'll bring you a cup of coffee." Guy walks out the front door. I know he's not coming back... they never do, after all.



2 hours later... guy comes back to the ER. Politely asks for me, and hands me the promised cup of coffee. Guy says; "I may not have much in this world; but I do have my word." He will be seen in the morning by the ENT docs for drainage of the abscess. Even meth-heads can return kindness, it seems.



No way was I drinking that coffee, though. Too freaking scared that I'll be up for DAYS.

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[dchristismi]

Aw. That does echo of Birdstrikeyness.

Good story. There are decent, grateful people out there. Sometimes they're just hard to see, but a nice reminder. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BoardingDoc]

No way was I drinking that coffee, though. Too freaking scared that I'll be up for DAYS.

Good call on the coffee.

 

[Birdstrike]

Just getting home. Typed up an e-mail to my buddy about this odd patient encounter (he's a non-medical person, so I had to use non-med terms for him). Figured I'd share it. After all; it kinda feels like something that Birdstrike would write.



I'm taking care of a guy with a rather wicked abscess near his left tonsil. Thing is so big that he really can't shut his mouth comfortably. For context - the guy looks like he belongs at a *Motorhead* concert, or is a member of our local "Sons of Anarchy" chapter; he clearly has lived a life of amphetamines and cigarettes - likely contributing to his present condition. At any rate, the guy is in need of help; he has a truly urgent/emergent condition. I got some antibiotics and steroids rolling in him and he begins to feel better in the manner expected after an hour or so. I tell him: "Hey, I have to keep you here in the hospital; this thing will likely need to be surgically drained tomorrow." He says that while he understands, that he has "to go back to his business and shut things down; shut down all the machines". He's very vague about just what these machines are and why he has no co-workers that can "shut the machines down"... but looking at his teeth and complexion, I'm pretty sure that he's got to shut down the meth cookery before it blows sky-high. After all; few legit things are going on at 1 AM. He says that he understands me, but "has to sign out AMA". I read him my speech, have him sign all the forms, etc. Before he leaves, he looks at me and shakes my hand - says; "Thanks for being kind to me - I'll be back in 1-2 hours. I promise. I'll bring you a cup of coffee." Guy walks out the front door. I know he's not coming back... they never do, after all.



2 hours later... guy comes back to the ER. Politely asks for me, and hands me the promised cup of coffee. Guy says; "I may not have much in this world; but I do have my word." He will be seen in the morning by the ENT docs for drainage of the abscess. Even meth-heads can return kindness, it seems.



No way was I drinking that coffee, though. Too freaking scared that I'll be up for DAYS.

Great story. Thanks for sharing. And thanks for the shout-out.

 

[Birdstrike]

Aw. That does echo of Birdstrikeyness.

Good story. There are decent, grateful people out there. Sometimes they're just hard to see, but a nice reminder. Thanks for sharing.

I have a really good one I wrote sometime in the past that White Coat (from EP monthly, White Coat's Call Room) told me "Do. Not. Publish," but that I saved, that I so totally want to publish. I was going to save it for "my book" than I've never gotten around to writing (yet.) I went back and read it the other day while on a tropical island, and almost hit the "Cut, past, publish" buttons. So tempting. With recent events being what they are, it would be

SO

SO

SO

apropos.



Lol