After two months of pediatrics, I am running around with a new crowd. Perhaps I should say I am running around with an old crowd. The first half of my primary care rotation is dedicated to all the hepta-, octo-, and nonagenarians out there (you know you are): I am knee deep in geriatrics. It was pretty rough going at the start. Don't get me wrong, I love grandmas and grandpas just as much as the next person. My attending is a geriatrician, and a very good one at that. He takes very good care of his patients and as a result, there just isn't a whole lot for me to do. Every single one of these patients has a list of medical diagnoses so long it would make your head spin. On top of that, they are all taking so many medications, they could just pour them all in a bowl with some milk for breakfast and probably not even finish. It's complicated and slow, methodical work, that I just don't think I am cut out for.
On the other hand, the old folk are more willing to let me do things to them. In fact, a patient came into the office the other day with a huge seborrheic keratoses. My preceptor asked me if I wanted to cut the thing off. I replied with, "Well, I've never done anything like that before..." Before I could finish my statement, he handed me the lidocaine and scalpel and said "I'll be with the next patient, come get me when you're done." I had never even seen something like this performed before, so I was re-he-heally trying to do my best job of faking it. I guess I couldn't have screwed it up too bad, because the patient didn't die. It was actually a lot of fun, even if I was flying by the seat of my pants.
And, I gotta admit, it is also pretty fun to flirt with the old ladies...
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Alright, I may be too good at flirting with the grannies. I had the most cantankerous, grumpy old man today as a patient. Was he in a foul mood! He came in with his wife (they were both being seen) and he didn't like me the moment I walked in. Refused to even let me in the room without the attending. He kept scowling at me throughout the interview, giving me the stink eye. That was all manageable, however, after his wife changed into a gown, he absolutely refused to let me in exam room and take part in the physical. I guess he just didn't trust me around his wife. One more week...
