Sick January 24, 2008
Posted by keepbreathing in Coming to an ER near you, my life.trackback
I picked something up from somebody at work and now I’m sick. It began in my sinuses and now it’s decided to move in and get cozy in my bronchial tubes. Lovely. I’ve been hacking and coughing and blowing snot out for the last few days, and though I thought it had peaked a few days ago it’s just not going away.
But you’ll note that unlike the million or so bored inhabitants of Scumble County with nothing better to do, I’m staying at home and sucking down some cough drops instead of going to the ER and demanding antibiotics and treatments and pain meds for “this awful cough.” Not that I’m at all bitter about wimps people who present to the ER for no good reason people who are differently-tolerant of mild illness wimps, mind you. I have nothing but the utmost respect for people who have nothing better to do than abuse the ER couldn’t find Walgreens with a map and a troop of boy scouts wish to continue their excellent self-care and so present to the ER to make sure they’re okay.
I don’t know how this went from “pity me I have a cold” to “I dislike many of my patients and wish to use my public forum to complain about them,” but I’m going to blame NyQuil and we’ll leave it at that.
You should go to ER and demand an Ativan neb. Speaking of Ativan nebs. We have a cool doctor here who told me he wanted to start giving Ativan nebs instead of scrubbing bubbles. He’s one doc who keeps up on his research.
TSK TSK..present to the ER for antibiotics and analgesics?You are SUCH an amature. Take a lesson from a patient this week who called an ambulance from accross the street for cold symptoms and informed EMS she was doing them a favor and opting to come to us instead of the far Hosptital Swanky she is affilated because she planned on walking home and wouldn’t bother them twice in a night.Such altruism makes my eyes well up and the lump rise in my throat!
Wow. Just…wow.
hope you feel better soon
Hope you feel better soon!
I remember the time when I got sick as a dog while working in the ER and I had to x-ray some chicky who had a fever and tickle, not even a cough. Well, I had a raging fever, white as a sheet, and loosing lung matter all over the place. Where was I? I was at work. Where was she? Clogging the ER. I did go home after that patient. I figured the fever was the breaking point
Calling all ER/ EMS workers for a check. At your busiest times, how many of your patients could be considered “Psych” patients?
I’m not saying they don’t need help. They do have problems.
But wow. Does 33% to 50% sound right? Include drug seeking, malingering,phantom pains as well as psych crisises.Then add in OD’s, both intentional and unintentional.Don’t forget the homeless psych pt.s you all know and see all the time.
But what can we do?
The best we can, I guess. Don’t give up. Don’t get worn down.
We all got into this to try to help, Right?
I hope your immune system crushes that virus quickly, young man.
AJC