Monthly Archives: December, 2012
The Terrible Haircut that Got me into Medical School
patientswewillneverforget ♦ December 31, 2012 ♦ 9 Comments
My all-important medical school interview was tomorrow, so it was critical I look my best. Professional. Confident. And, after viewing “Legally Blond,” pretty wouldn’t hurt either. Staring in the mirror, I saw a cross between a Shih Tzu and a sheepdog—yup, some serious trimming was in order. But therein lay the problem—I could barely …
My First Day of Practice
patientswewillneverforget ♦ December 29, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment
After eleven years of college, medical school, and residency, I finally completed my medical training. I designed and decorated my new office with matted and framed Monet and Cezanne prints. Opening day arrived and I proudly welcomed my first patient and escorted her back to an exam room. She yanked up her sweater to …
There’s a Spider on the Wall!
patientswewillneverforget ♦ December 27, 2012 ♦ 1 Comment
At age ninety, Cora Jones suffered moments when her memory failed—her nephew’s name, the gist of Sunday’s sermon, what she ate for lunch, and what her daughter told her she wanted for Christmas. Thus, when she was admitted to the hospital for an emergency gall bladder surgery, no one was surprised when she couldn’t remember …
The Worst Christmas Gift Ever
patientswewillneverforget ♦ December 24, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment
Think your Aunt Matilda’s Christmas sweater with cross-eyed reindeer was a loser gift? I received the worst Christmas gift ever when one of my patients marched into my office shortly before Christmas with “gifts” for my entire staff. His treasure trove included cheap bendable combs and tiny bars of soap swiped from a local motel. …
Think your job is bad???
patientswewillneverforget ♦ December 6, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment
Margaret gripped the arms of her chair, stress etched across her forehead. “I either need a new job or a bottle of Valium,” she’d insisted. Since I knew she worked in Customer Service at an expensive department store in town, I couldn’t imagine how that could be so difficult. Then she told me about two …
