A loooong day

When I originally started this blog, I thought I'd write about past and current patients. If you put the blogs of all the interesting ones together, you could make a book. Somehow, it became more of my family and the "Girls." (Molly, by the way, rolled in eau de dead bird last week. Lovely. Necessitated a late-night bath. We both hated it.) Tonight I'll write about a patient.

I was called to clinic at 11:15. Seems there was a patient acting strangely, and some of my staff thought perhaps he ought to be informed that we couldn't help him. I decided to try some of my kindness, since at times, there are a few of my staff who can over-react and/or exaggerate.

Sitting in the interview was a tall, thin black male with a scarf on his head, the type that hugs the head tightly and ties in the back. He was completing his history. I asked him if he was ready for me to take care of him. No answer. I repeated the question. He looked up, finally, and shook his head "no." I told him to open the door when he was finished.

I thought this may require extra safety, so I asked the deputy to come nearer to the clinic area and be alert, where he couldn't be seen, but come quickly if needed. I finally had the pt. come to the exam room, and the next hour consisted of me s-l-o-w-l-y completing his exam and treating his affliction. Suffice to say that he exhibited obvious signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder (it took him 15 minutes to adjust his shirts in prep to leave the exam room) and paranoia, and there may have been other problems as well; I suspect schizophrenia; he spoke of someone breaking into his home and putting a cream on his penis that changed its' color (color was normal.) This was a poor dude. Took me an hour to do what would have taken 5 minutes on a "normal" patient. And afterward, I was exhausted. He told me several times that "he was angry" because I "hadn't allowed him to finish." He would explain something and take a long pause, I thought he was through and would answer. I almost wish we had walkie-talkies, so he could say "over" and I'd know I could answer. That was the longest hour in years. I felt exhausted after that. However.....

.....I had to later do a "formal counseling" session with an employee who has found it ok to speak rudely and loudly to her supervisor. Not with me. Naturally, she thought this was our fault and mentioned a grievance. I told her to do what she had to do and dismissed her. Such is the life of management.

Well, Searcher just came home from "Iguana Mia." She and Ripped turned 20 today! They all went to the restaurant to have dinner with their friends, and the twins ate free. Nice.

G'night, y'all. Gotta do it all again tomorrow, but I hope not like today!

Later.