The Human Tune-up

I had just finished the last suture on a young child only nights ago when I had an epiphany. He walked out sewn accordingly and feeling better than when he walked in.

Time for a Fix

Being a human mechanic definitely has it's perks. The object of our profession can actually express gratitude for the help received. People of all backgrounds come see us for a tune-up of body, mind and spirit. We are in the business of repairs; diagnosing problems and giving appropriate treatment.

It's not always easy to make patients feel at ease when their mechanism malfunctions. Jokes seem out of place, time is precious and pain is very subjective. I suppose that is why so many refer to medicine as an art. Balancing these things is a skill obtained over time and one in which students definitely need experience. So my epiphany was part realization and part appreciation. People get broken and we fix them, what an awesome responsibility.

Question of the Week

A 25 year old female presents to the emergency department with right sided flank pain, nausea and vomiting since this morning. She denies frank hematuria but urinalysis is positive for occult blood. Her CT scan is pictured above. Which of the following medications would be most appropriate for this patient?

A. Tamsulosin
B. Verapamil
C. Gabapentin
D. Calcitonin
E. Metronidazole

Answer & Explanation