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Amy reviews ER computer games |
The stress of being an ER doctor is legendary, but some of the rewards are priceless. Here are a few of my favorite memories: Endearing Thank You Card Simply transcribing this note (from a 12-year-old patient) would not have done it justice. So, here's a copy of it (her signature is obscured by digital pixelation): Surprise Dinner For Two
Everyone has had certain experiences in life that are cherished memories; this is one of mine. The hospital in which I worked is a teaching hospital, meaning that we trained physicians, nurses, and paramedics. Annette was enrolled in the paramedic program. I would often have the paramedic students follow me around so they could get involved in interactions with patients, and so that I could teach them. On her first day in the ER, which was very busy, Annette accompanied me on my rounds. After a few hours, I made a comment about wishing that I could eat, which I could not do because the ER was too busy to allow me to go to the cafeteria. Annette then disappeared for several minutes. Walking into my office, I was astounded! The lights were off, and the room was illuminated by a flashlight that Annette had directed at the ceiling to simulate a candle. One of the tables in the room had been cleared off, covered with a makeshift tablecloth. Annette had china, silverware, napkins, salt and pepper shakers, and a smorgasbord of food covering the table. She also had a red rose placed in a vase that she had improvised from the ER paraphernalia. Music played softly in the background. Gulp. I was so taken by what Annette had done, I probably would have asked her to marry me, if she were older. Strange Beginning to a Blind Date I wouldn't term this one of my favorite memories because I was somewhat embarrassed by it, but I'll mention it anyway since it was a dramatic show of gratitude. Here's the scenario: I met a woman on a blind date, and within a few seconds of meeting her she was kneeling on the ground kissing my hands. I asked her why she was doing that, and she said because "your hands have saved the lives of so many people." That's true, but I couldn't figure out why she was so grateful — after all, I'd never saved her life. Even stranger was the fact that she is an attorney . . . a lawyer kissing a doctor's hands, eminently grateful for what they'd done . . . isn't that unusual behavior for a lawyer? They're usually just blaming doctors because we can't keep everyone alive forever, and we can't always patch up Humpty Dumpty to his former state. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; A few days later the grateful attorney and I drove to my mother's home, and I noticed two girls around the age of ten suspiciously frozen in a field. I knew something was amiss, so I stopped my car and ran over to them. It turned out that one of the girls was petrified of wasps, and she had a wasp on her scalp. The attorney triumphantly announced that I was an ER doctor, and that I would help them. As soon as the attorney said that, the wasp flew off — perhaps he understood English and didn't want to mess with an ER doc? :-) The attorney was very impressed by how I'd "rescued" the girl. In my mind, I did what any responsible adult would do, and the wasp was probably frightened more by the fact that she was an attorney than I was a doctor. Kidding aside, I thought it was no big deal, but my date raved on and on about it. I suppose this goes to show that some people are still grateful for what doctors do, even when we don't do very much. Gifts & Just Having Fun
A parenthetical comment: Nothing
would stick to that car's finish. This wasn't wax (I've used dozens of
waxes on a variety of vehicles, and never found anything that was nearly as
effective as this in completely repelling dirt). I've heard that auto
manufacturers are working on paint coatings that repel all dirt and water
spots. Perhaps such a coating was on my "two-week" car.
Although
I truly appreciated receiving such an expensive and useful gift as the patio
furniture mentioned above, I've been given simple presents which were equally
touching. Homemade jelly, bread, cake, pie, candy, and other delicacies
were veritable treasures. I still exchange Christmas cards with some
former patients, and that warms my heart, too. Others have sent me
e-mail, thanking me and giving an update on their progress. Some have
sent letters, all of which I still have and cherish. One young lady gave
me a Pez® candy dispenser and some Pez® candy;
considering my name, it was a great gift!
Life's simple pleasures are the
best. Ordinarily, I wouldn't count the beginning of a shift in the ER as one
of my favorite memories, but I've had some wonderful experiences at those
times. Occasionally, a nurse would grab me and give me a big, warm hug. Or
they might just say, in a relieved tone of voice, “Oh, good, Dr. Pezzi is
here.” Either way, it made me feel welcome and appreciated. It was a great
feeling.
“Dr.
Pezzi, we have a patient here with hives.” Glancing at the patient that the
nurse was calling my attention to, I immediately recognized that it was more
than hives. Amy's face was swollen, and I determined that her ability to
breathe was in serious jeopardy. I helped Amy onto a stretcher, and I ordered
the usual medical treatment for this condition. Still, I worried that it may
be too late for this, and that I might have to either intubate her (place a
tube into her windpipe) or even establish a surgical airway. The latter
procedure is what lay people often refer to as a tracheostomy; in
reality, this procedure is rarely done. Instead, we do an operation termed a
cricothyrotomy, in which we make an opening just below the voice box,
through which a tube is inserted that bypasses the swollen, obstructed airway
above.
Amy, who
was about 20, was a waitress at a restaurant in a town about ten miles south
of the city in which the ER was located. Coincidentally, I lived in the same
town, and I'd been to that restaurant, which was known for its good food. On
a break, Amy ate some fish to which she was highly allergic.
While I
stood by Amy, I had the nurse prepare the equipment I'd need if the medicine
didn't act soon. After several anxious minutes, it was clear that she was
responding to the treatment, and there was no need for more aggressive
intervention. I then admitted her to the hospital for observation, since the
effects of the medicine sometimes wear off, resulting in a recrudescence of
the original problem.
After
she was admitted, I went to visit her to see how she was doing. When I walked
into her room, I wondered if I was in the correct room. The patient was slim,
and the last time I'd seen Amy, she looked quite bloated. Sure enough, it was
her, obviously much better. I spent some time chatting with Amy and her
fiancé, then I went back to the ER.
A few
years later, I was with my Mom at a restaurant. When the time came to pay the
bill, the waitress would not accept my credit card. I began wondering what
snafu my credit card company had created, then the waitress said, “Your bill
has been taken care of.” I was bewildered by this, since I hadn't yet paid
the bill, but she once again assured me, “Don't worry, it's already been
paid.” I looked across the room, and there was Amy, smiling. I was taking the history on an elderly man when a 3-year-old boy stepped into the cubicle. I'd seen his Mom earlier, and we were awaiting the results of her urinalysis. A cute, precocious youngster with a devilishly appealing charm, he smiled while impatiently tapping his right foot on the ground and said, “Hey, Doc, what's taking so long?” Hmm, good question, I thought. It had been quite a while, so I decided to check on the result, and have a little fun at the same time. Stepping out of the cubicle, I told him what to say to the nurse. With all the confidence and adroitness of a polished Hollywood star, he boldly strode toward the nurse. Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned back slightly and looked straight into her eyes, saying, “Nurse, we need the results of the urinalysis, stat!” Awaiting her reply, which was undoubtedly delayed by a good deal of surprise, he once more resumed tapping his foot, accompanied by a mischievous grin. The nurse slowly looked over at me with an incredulous look on her face, and we all burst out laughing.
Kind
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