Telling it Like it Is
By way of welcoming a newcomer to my blogroll, On the Pharm had a great post the other day about convincing someone that they really did need to get the series of rabies immunizations if they had been exposed.
His story reminded me of a call a few winters ago from the wife of a patient with diabetes and hypertension who smoked (of course):
Wife: My husband says he feels some pressure in his chest, and his arms feel really heavy from all the snow he's been shovelling. And I don't like his color; he's kind of gray.
Me: It sounds like he may be having a heart attack. I think you need to take him to the ER.
Wife (after conferring with patient): He doesn't want to do that.
Me (in a very calm, reassuring, almost cheerful tone): Ok. Is his will up to date?
Wife (with little hesitation): I'm taking him.
True story. Outcome: acute inferior MI. He's still with us.
posted by #1 Dinosaur @ 6:51 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Thanks for the kind words. As soon as I've updated the look for OnThePharm, you'll be joining my blogroll as well.
By way of a similar story, one of our regulars was experiencing similar symptoms. The pharmacist on convinced this man to take his wife to the hospital. She also had a heart attack, but she's still among the living, too. :)
"Me (in a very calm, reassuring, almost cheerful tone): Ok. Is his will up to date?"
Brilliant. That's my kind of doc.
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