|
I helped out our local doctor today (and I will be tomorrow, as well) with his rounds in the clinic. Today was mostly a learning day... Making sure I can read blood pressures right, taking an accurate history, that type deal.
You should probably know this doctor is a jokester and he enjoys having fun in the clinic, so he sent me in to practice examining a 76 year old female patient (of whose name I'm legally bound not to reveal), check her BP, and take a quick history. He already knew that information but needed me to do it to see if I was competent.
BP was normal, I did a thorough history, but when I went popped in my stethoscope (did I mention I got one of those?) to check her heart and breathing, I was shocked. On the left side of her chest, I couldn't find her heart. Embarrassing, really, when you consider it makes a pretty unmistakable sound.
I tell her I need to consult the doctor a minute and go out. I explain my findings, and he looks at me really seriously and says something like, "That could be serious." and runs into the room to check her himself. I follow.
He pulls out a stethoscope and listens for a moment, looks up, and shakes his head as if to say, "Nope, not there." He then checked the right side... And bid me to do the same.
Back goes the stethoscope... [I]Bu-bump. Bu-bump.[/I] I'm seriously WTFing right about then and he says two words in Latin--situs inversus--and told me to Bing it (doesn't sound as catchy as "Google it", but hooray, Microsoft!).
Anyway, she has a condition that literally means "reversed site". What this means is all of her internal organs are exactly opposite of what side they should be on. It's caused by a birth defect when the embryo is about 7 days old.
He knew that's what I'd do the whole time--freak.
I also took a look at a drunk patient with rectal bleeding and another man who passed out every time he had a coughing fit. This, my friends, is my life's calling. It's been the best day I could have... Even better than having sex.
Ooh, did you guys see what I did there? I put something above man's natural craving for a mate. Hombre is gonna kill me.
|