15 May 2010

Medicine

Wednesday morning Kim (Justin’s Mom who is a nifty PA in Oklahoma) and I took 4 of the HCH kids down to 3 Corners to visit the hospital.  This hospital is more of a clinic with 2 doctors and a lab and 14 regular beds and a L&D unit where they deliver at least 15 babies each month.  We got to sit in with the doctor while he examined each of the kids.  
One rash of bacterial staph on a precious 8 year old that will take forever to get rid of because he lives at an orphanage.  2 periumbilical hernias that won’t get operated on because the holes are >3 cm and it’s considered a cosmetic surgery here.  And one case of possible pyelonephritis/ nephrolithiasis/ choledocolithiasis/ PUD.  The doctor relied on all the physical exam skills he could: percussion, kidney trapping, costovertebral angle tenderness…
Pure medicine :)
And now, to the soundtrack or rumbling thunder, we’re handing out toys, clothes, socks, and underwear.  The girls got bracelets and earings. The boys got bracelets and action figures.  
Never before have kids been so excited to get one action figure. Or one pair of socks.
Can I stay forever?!

2 comments:

  1. That doctor needs to brush up on his medicine if his differential diagnosis was that diverse. Those conditions have very different presentations and findings.

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  2. The doctor narrowed down the differential to one thing. He just started with it wide so he could explore all the possibilities and not miss anything.

    He was able to practice medicine with limited resources- a skill I hope to learn!

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