Geriatrics

Hello All!!!! I am on my last and final rotation. YEEEYYYYYY!!!! I took a Pre-Naplex test last Friday and did very well. I couldn't believe it. I did so well I am thinking about framing the score.

I am on a Geriatrics rotation. I spend my time in the Emergency Department interviewing people over the age of 65 about what medications they are taking. Most don't know so this can be a difficult task. Hell, they barely know what they are using them for. I'm not doing anything difficult. I'm basically sitting on my ass all day looking at profiles checking for interactions, making sure the doses are appropriate, etc.

But I get at least one hilarious case every day. Hospital pharmacist have all the fun. They get the juicy details on every patient and like all queens I am absolutely loving it. All of the gossip, and details keeps me coming back.

This one man in his 80s came in with a black eye. His ass fell and some kind of way hit his face on a table according to his wife. He is very talkative and active but does not know how he got a black eye or that he even has a black eye. Everytime I ask how did you get a black eye he says, "What black eye?" You would initially think he is trying to be funny but he really has no idea that he has a black eye. 15minutes later I had the same conversation with him. I picked at him for about 2 hours. He made my day!!!!

The next lady was acutally admitted to the hospital. She was complaining of jaw pain and inability to eat. She had lost a significant amount of weight. She had been worked up by her primary medical doctor, a dentist, and HEENT (Head, eyes, ears, nose, throat). All results came back normal so we really don't know whats wrong with her. In the middle of the night she called home and told her family that she is home from the hospital and is outside waiting to be let in the house. When I read this I laughed my ass off. I had read about this in her medical profile. Thank God, I wasn't in front of her family or my preceptor because I probably would have burst out laughing then too.

Although my time spent with the elderly is for education purposes, they have been fun, enlightning and scary all at the same time. My beloved grandmother just turned 73 and I don't know what I would do if she developed dementia or Alzheimer's or as she calls it "All Timers". My great grandmother (my grandfather's mother) lived to be 94 and knew everything and everyone. My grandmother's stepmother is still alive and at 96 and still knows everyone. She even told me how old I was the last time I saw her. My father's mother just turned 80 and unfortunantely is mentally no longer there. Yes, she still looks like the grandmother I had as a child but has no idea that I am her grandchild or even kin to her. She doesn't even speak like she did when I was growing up. To me its just someone who looks like my grandmother. It hurts to see her like that.

Anyway, life carries on. What can I do? I have 2 weeks and 3 days left before I will finish and I am going to enjoy my last rotation. These old timers keep me rolling!!

I've got to make plans for a celebration!!!!!