Doctor meets Doctor

Yesterday was my first day in the department of surgery… you knoe… like Grey’s Anatomy kind of atmosphere. But since the other day, every swallow that I take made me cry in pain and despair, accompanied with fever and generalized body weakness, I detested submitting myself to the ward and work.

I instead visited a doctor in the University’s health service.

DOC: What’s the problem?
(his eyes on what the nurse wrote on my record:
Pain on swallowing, hyperemic tonsils, with febrile episodes, Rx Orofar L, Tylenol, Amox 1 cap q8 hrs completed 2 doses, Temp: 36.7)
DAK: Doc, it’s painful to swallow.
DOC: You’re a medical student, right?
DAK: (Oh-oh, how did you knoe?!) Ahm, yes doc. (I wore a jacket due to several reasons, first as a prop cos t’was raining, second as a protection cos I felt cold cos and was too sick to function well and most importantly so as to not recognize my uniform as a medical student.) I am a medical clerk.
DOC: So, what do you think is your condition?
DAK: (Are you kidding me?! I am here cos I need your help and not because I want you to evaluate me! Duh.) I think it’s tonsillitis.
DOC: Why did you say so?
DAK: (Pft!) Cos I had tonsillitis before, and it felt the same. But this time, it’s a lot more painful. I think I woke up every hour last night due to severe pain everytime I swallow. I also have palpable and tender cervical lymph nodes. Doc, the left is more painful. However, I haven’t checked and seen my tonsils yet.
DOC: How come you didn’t inspect your tonsils?
DAK: I can’t find my penlight. (My penlight’s actually not missing, the batteries were drained. LOL)
(Doc took out his penlight, a tongue depressor and checked my tonsils)
DOC: Say ah………
DAK: Ahhhh………… (Alck! Ack!)
DOC: You have tonsillopharyngitis. The left if very red.
DAK: Oh ok. I already took 2 doses of amoxicillin. 8PM last night and 4AM a while ago.
DOC: I’ll shift your antibiotics to co-amoxiclav. Twice a day for 7 days. (Which is a lot more expensive!)
DAK: Ok. Ahm, can I ask for a medical certificate?
DOC: For what?! What will I write in your medical certificate? You don’t even have a fever. Your temperature is 36.7.
DAK: Doc, I already took Tylenol. (Duh!)
DOC: That’s the point, I don’t have a reason to excuse you from duty.
DAK: Doc, it’s my first day in surgery today. I was absent in our orientation this morning.
DOC: So tell me, what should I write in you medical certificate?
DAK: That I was too weak to get up from bed?
DOC: Just show them this prescription.
DAK: Oh ok. Thanks.

Luckily, there never was an orientation. And I am a lot better nao, better than your lazy dog. It’s not H1N1, freaks! ROFL.

So far, so good in surgery. First stop? Urology-pediatrics surgery. Let’s see… Let’s see…