Trifecta

Two tidbits of good news from clinic today:

1. My fateful clinic delivery will be featured in the company newsletter. The PR people came to interview me and take some quotes. I imagine soon I will be fending off the prying eyes of paparazzi and having to wear large dark sunglasses a la the Olsen twins or other such starlets. I sincerely hope to fulfill my wish of someday ending up in the US Weekly section entitled Stars, They're Just Like Us (insert photo of me pumping gas or doing some other equally mundane activity).
2. I had three English speaking patients in a row today! A personal record. Trifecta! I nearly broke out into The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music. I was especially thankful for that since I saw a record 24 patients today.

I needed those two little gems today, as I'm still wanting to bang my head against my desk in regards to some of my other patients. One in particular was a lovely 63 year old woman in for medication refills and a gyn exam. After noticing that the interpretor was nearly yelling directly into the patient's ear in order for the patient to hear her, I asked, "Are you having any hearing problems?" Fast forward about 7 minutes of rapid Cantonese conversation amonst the two people in the room who speak said language, and I discover that the patient had been followed by ENT for chronic mixed hearing loss, likely congenital, with a chronic perforated ear drum (which I admit I was slightly curious about when I peeked in her ears). I read through the ENT note from this past July and noted they recommended a follow up around now. When I inquired about this, the patient replied, "No, I have decided to follow up in a year or so."

Moving on. I noted her extremely elevated blood pressure and inquired about this. "I check at home and it is always normal." I told her I wasn't thrilled about her blood pressure medication (beta blocker only), especially since her blood pressure was still high (and I might add, her pulse was teetering in the low 50s). "I like my medications and I won't switch."

Sensing my losing battle, I moved on to inquire about her last mammogram which I noted had been many years ago. "I don't want another one, I'm done with that." I politely replied that she is free to decline but that I wanted her to know that I was recommending she have a mammogram.

Feeling dejected and unsatisfied, I wrapped up the session (all the while wondering why a stubborn 63 year old woman would still eagerly be having yearly paps). Via interpretor, the patient, with a big smile on her face, says, "I like you. You're very good." "But you won't do anything that I say!" was my reply. She just smiles and shakes her head, announcing that she'll be back to see me soon.

Another satisfied customer. At least that makes one of us.