I hope the rest of the week in clinic goes as well as today.

[Aristus]

The first smooth, snag-free clinic day I've had in weeks.

Strange, though; today was my "abscess-due-to-IV-drug-use" day. I had about four patients come in for treatment of their abscesses.

The first was my brand-new clean and sober patient following up on treatment for what he swears is his last ever abscess. He's so happy to be clean, and I'm happy for him.

One of them was a patient who told me she'd kicked, then she comes in today for wound care and antimicrobial treatment. She told me that her abscess was "an old one"; when I questioned her further about that odd assertion, she confessed she was using again, just this morning, in fact.

The last was a new patient with multiples. I thought I'd never finish draining her, she had so much discharge. I fixed her up, and asked her if she wanted to quit. She said 'yes', and I got her into de-tox.

All in all, a good day. Not like the hellah Monday I had last week. Just this week, four days next week, and then a four-day weekend...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I hope the rest of your week goes well too, my dear Aristus!

And I feel really sorry about the folks who are using...

You are doing the most invaluable work!

[Locut0s]

2. Seeing so much suffering must be difficult :(...

Like Peggy I commend you on doing amazing work!

How do you feel about 'users', having to see them every day like that? Do you feel mainly sorry for them, or is it tinged with a lot of frustration? Anger? I can imagine you would feel so at times. So much of this stems from inadequate mental health treatment and awareness in our society

[Aristus]

3. I don't judge them or resent them.

They are patients; in one respect, no different than someone who comes in for a cold. They need treatment, not judgement.

If that sounds too saintly to be true, well, I confess I do occasionally harbor resentment for narcotic-seekers, or for patients with asthma and COPD who still smoke a pack or two a day.

That's probably not fair of me. An addiction is an addiction. Maybe all addicts should be treated alike.

[Locut0s]

4. I'm glad you feel that way :P...

Most who work in clinics, at the ER, or as EMTs seem to feel similarly, they probably have to in order to handle their jobs. Not that I'm an addict, I'm not. But it's comforting to know as someone who's been through a lot of emotional ups and downs.

[magical thyme]

5. isn't it odd the way certain ailments seem to come in waves?

We've had "fainting young female" evenings at the ER. Chest pain evenings. Abdmonial pain evenings. Even an H Pylori Saturday afternoon when, inexplicably, suddenly everybody was in the OR for emergency abdominal pain surgery.

[Aristus]

6. Sometimes, yes. Other times, it makes sense.

A lot of my patients live down at the homeless shelter.The communal living facilities mean they pass a lot of viruses back and forth all through cold and flu season.

But, yeah. The abscesses all in a row seemed a little odd...

[magical thyme]

7. Well I always figured the fainting young females

were probably a group of friends texting each other and finding an excuse to get out of work early and get together after.

But why we have chest pain evenings and abdominal pain evenings eludes me (except on holidays when they're stressed out with families and overeating, of course)

[Aristus]

8. I guess we humans have much more of a 'hive mind' - or body, than any of the

John Galt-ers would ever admit.

[magical thyme]

9. I suspect you are right...nt

[In_The_Wind]

10. That sounds like an excellent morning.

How do you rate a 4 day weekend?

[Aristus]

11. I rate it excellent. Nothing like it!

I just put in for some time off. The grind is really getting to me...

[In_The_Wind]

12. A change of pace can benefit all of us at times.

Or a change of location.

[Aristus]

13. It all depends on how alluring the invitation...

[In_The_Wind]

14. Seriously

Only the best need apply.

[Aristus]

15. I can't help it.

It's a gift...