i've not been able to run this week due to a nasty blister on my left heel.
it's finally healed.
well, sort of.
enough to try running again today on my day off from the ED.
life on the ED rotation is sort of interesting. it's a little lonely, as i work when most of my other friends are sleeping. but it's also pretty neat. i get to see people who are really freaked out, whether for valid reasons or their own imagination, and help them in a very real way. whether it's getting a kid with an asthma exacerbation a neb and a wopping dose or steroids or sewing up a laceration on a little boy's knee. i always tell them how brave they are, even if they weren't really, because that's as much of a band-aid as anything else i can offer.
the families whom i've met so far in my short 2 weeks on this rotation have run the gamut from those reeking of cigarette smoke and neglected dental hygiene to the most well-educated with glowingly polished veneers. i have to say that i learn something from each and every encounter.
even if it's just that i should really floss more.
here's to healed blisters (and other body parts) and to a glorious, sunny day off.
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6 comments:
I love reading your blog -- please tell me you don't make this stuff up, because I'm wishing you could clone yourself so that every patient requiring medical care could have a provider as compassionate and considerate as you appear to be. There are a lot of not-so-nice docs out there, and their demeanor with their patients can go a long way toward whether or not that patient seeks future care.
Thank you for remembering your humanity, and living the statement on your masthead -- It's a privilege to be a doctor.
Please do the non-emergent cases a huge favor by reminding them that non-emergent illness/injury does not require emergent level of care.
Think of these as "teachable moments".
best,
Flea
p.s. Do what my word verication says and "gouxiit!"
flea,
i actually do make a point to tell families who bring in non-emergent kids that this would be much better handled by their PCP during regular office hours. i try to do it sweetly and kindly, but firmly. i also try to emphasize how un-kid-friendly our ED is and how much more efficient the visit would be had i been able to see them in the clinic. that usually makes an impression. most of them did not know about our extended hours and promise to make use of that next time. the naive part of me believes them.
what the heck does "gouxiit" mean?
WIP,
thanks for all your words of encouragement. not sure it's all deserved. but i definitely don't make this stuff up. there are many days when i wish i could clone myself, too, just so i could get everything done in a day!
hi Girl MD: I love your blog so far; thanks for writing so clearly and thoughtfully about your field.
I have an ER question for you if you're interested. When you work in the ER, do you ever check patients for Medic-Alert bracelets? Do ER staff ever call Medic-Alert to retrieve pt info? Is it worth it, from a pt/doc pov, for pts to subscribe to that Medic-Alert service and wear those bracelets?
Thanks. Now I'll go back to reading more of your blog. :)
AJ
aj,
kids don't usually have medic alert bracelets, but i'm sure that if i ever saw a kid with one (and without a parent to explain it), i'd figure out why it was there.
i would imagine it is common practice to investigate any medic alert tag if the person is not conscious and cannot tell you about their medical history.
Good luck with your running! Blisters are nasty; I've found that sport socks (wicking) and shoes that are compatible with my nasty old feet go a long way towards preventing them.
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