In message <[log in to unmask]>, Iain L M Hotchkies
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>1. "Doctor, everyone else know who's been to Turkey
> has come back with the dreaded lurgy. If it wasn't
> so cheap I'd think twice about going. You don't mind
> if I come to see you in Saturday morning surgery,
> 40 minutes after I step off the plane, do you?"
>
I had a patient - tough looking geezer with previous attack of abdominal
pain - who went to Turkey for a holiday and was taken ill on his second
day there with "terrible pains in the stomach". He was admitted to
hospital and, according to the letter had a "hepatic appendix" removed.
He came to see me to tell me the sorry tale (and I made the mistake,
before he told me what happened, of asking if he's had a good holiday!).
After I commiserated with him for a while the consultation drew to a
close. As he left, he pulled out a small parcel and gave it to me. How
nice, I thought - a miniature of Scotch perhaps? It turned out to be his
pickled appendix. I sent it to the lab who reported (and why wasn't I
surpised?) "normal appendix"!
>2. "I'll be all right if I drink 20 cans of Special
> Brew a day, yeah?"
>
I've had a few patients who believed that, who presented feeling seedy,
saying at least their suntan wasn't fading, but their stomach seemed to
be swelling up somewhat.
>3. "If I go to Spain and smoke 40 a day, I won't develop
> a chest infection, will I?"
>
Is that true? Where's the evidence?
>4. "It says in the paper that most doctor take a course of
> Ciproxin with them when they travel abroad. What's
> good enough for you is good enough for me. You don't
> mind, do you doc? You're not a fundholder."
>
Agreed. Very wise. And if you can get hold of samples of omeprazole too,
you'll be well prepared.
Toby
--
Toby Lipman 7, Collingwood Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne. Tel
0191-2811060 (home), 0191-2437000 (surgery)
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|