Thursday 26 February 2009

Two Patients

Patient One
  • 18 Year Old Male.
  • No Medical History, Normally very healthy.
  • Very fit and active.
  • Presented to A&E with acute abdominal pain.
  • Diagnosed with appendicitis with immediate risk put on the next mornings surgical list.
  • Patients family are hypochondriacs and overly dramatic panic mongers.
  • Patient goes into theatres for a perfectly routine procedure.

Patient Two
  • 87 Year Old Male.
  • Repeated relapses of cancer over the last 20 years.
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
  • Not very active and in pretty rough shape at the best of times.
  • Patient admitted with increasing Shortness of breath due to infection.
  • Infection not responding to antibiotics.
  • Deterioration indicates that patient meets the criteria for the liverpool care pathway(will be dead within 72 hours).
  • Very upbeat, has had a hard life and accepts everything that is happening.
I have treated patients similar to both of these although neither of these patients is exactly like any one patient I have treated. Now heres the challenge for any of you poor readers, Tell me what I will find if I go back in three weeks to see these patients. And tell me why I will find what I do.

2 comments:

Sage said...

I don't know, but chances are the 18 year old is dead but the 87 year old is fit as a fiddle... or even better in the perfect world, both would be fine and dandy.

PS how is the insomnia issue.

Asclepius said...

Patient One died on the table. Patient Two was still dying months later. I'm sure there is some science to explain it that I dont know but for some reason your ability to survive even simple sugeries seems to heavily depend on how you face your potential fate.

The insomnia is still pretty bad, havent had a good nights sleep in a long time and am now getting very moody, which isnt good.