Comments on: Abdominal Pain http://www.politedissent.com/archives/1163 a blog of medicine, comics, television, science and other fun stuff Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:37:50 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Diane R http://www.politedissent.com/archives/1163/comment-page-1#comment-5797 Diane R Tue, 21 Mar 2006 03:12:49 +0000 http://politedissent.com/archives/1163#comment-5797 I was amused to realize that, unlike Dr House, none of your diagnostic efforts included something that could kill, maim, embarrass or permanently damage your patient. Sometimes a great detective mystery is a REALLY great mystery, even in the absence of a cliffhanger threat of death. When I was 8 I had my appendix out, because there was no such creature as a CAT scan (this was 1972 for all you young whippersnappers out there.) All my surgeon had to go on was my vomiting, my white count, and my guarding. I still recall thinking to myself "I know exactly what he wants me to say...I know exactly where he expects it to hurt." I didn't have a hot appy, but I had my appendix out. And I learned not to telegraph to my patients. And I learned not to have surgery on a vacation to Arizona because then you can't swim in your aunt's pool. I was amused to realize that, unlike Dr House, none of your diagnostic efforts
included something that could kill, maim, embarrass or permanently damage your patient.
Sometimes a great detective mystery is a REALLY great mystery, even in the absence of a
cliffhanger threat of death.

When I was 8 I had my appendix out, because there was no such creature as a CAT scan
(this was 1972 for all you young whippersnappers out there.) All my surgeon had to go
on was my vomiting, my white count, and my guarding. I still recall thinking to myself
“I know exactly what he wants me to say…I know exactly where he expects it to hurt.”

I didn’t have a hot appy, but I had my appendix out. And I learned not to telegraph
to my patients. And I learned not to have surgery on a vacation to Arizona because then
you can’t swim in your aunt’s pool.

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