A Short ER Doctor Rant
Some medical tips from 32 years of practice...
A few thoughts from this aging, slightly grumpy physician:
The marijuana is NOT improving your vomiting, abdominal pain, anxiety, depression or (and especially) your psychosis or schizophrenia. Anyone who tells you so is selling something. Probably weed. In fact, it’s probably also increasing your risk of cancer and heart disease.
Outside of a few very specific instances, the red bumps, the skin abscesses, the sore places on your skin are NOT spider bites. Spiders do so much good; there’s really no reason to blame them for things they don’t do.
Antibiotics, lab tests, CT scans and all the rest should be done for a reason. Not merely because ‘better safe than sorry.’ Antibiotics have side effects like terrible diarrhea and bacterial resistance. Labs often lead us down incorrect rabbit holes and can cause more harm than good if done inappropriately. And CT scans are a not insignificant amount of radiation; especially for children. We worry about future cancers.
We all love our pets, but please don’t reach into a dog or cat fight and try to ‘break them up.’ The result will be stitches, antibiotics and may be rabies shots. Also, don’t try to cuddle wild animals or feed them from your hand. The same things can happen. (I mean, I get it, who doesn’t love a raccoon?)
That’s all for now.
Have a great Saturday!
Grumpy ER dad,
Edwin
Ah, the good ol spider bite. I work in a prison and hear that one at least 10 times a week.
And this gem, "the only thing that works for my pain is Dilaudid". (Guess what you're not getting?)
Or the ever increasing, "I googled my complaints, pretty sure I know what's wrong." Thanks for doing all the work. Here's the prescription pad, write what you want.
From my EMS days. " I called because you guys will get me in the back faster. " Walk them right to registration and then see them hours later sitting in the waiting room.
Ed, we definitely work in the same universe!