Words No Doctor Wants to Hear

I immediately imagine the worst thing possible

[shay]

I appreciate the other doctor for staying on hold for all that time.

[pattimaska]

Several years ago, I got a really bad headache (I am prone to migraines). Almost on a whim, I went to Urgent Aid, thinking I had a sinus infection. Almost argued with the Doc that it was just a headache, but when I mentioned I wanted to claw out my eye to relieve the pain, he Strongly Suggested I go to the Emergency Room. So I did, thinking I would be parked in the ER for hours .. nope. Whisked to the back, did not pass go or collect my $200. Turns out I had a TIA (stroke).
After I got out of the hospital I re visited the doctor just to let him know and to thank him. He just sat there, stunned, I think, that I followed up with him. I THINK I made his day.

[pinkdiamonds]

My beautiful husband is an incredible Neurosurgeon in a major hospital in the UK, yet the most genuinely humble man I have ever met in my life; I am nowhere near exaggerating. He is very sought after for the toughest cases, spending at times, 12 hours in the OR, saving countless lives, yet the way he is treated and spoken to by patients is absolutely reprehensible, it breaks my heart hearing him talk about his day at times because he is such a gentle, meek and kind soul, I’ve never even heard him raise his voice. He has come home in tears a few times from how he is treated and was even slapped across the face, breaking his glasses by a despicable patient because she was unhappy with the treatment protocol. I’ll never forget the day he came home one day, beaming because the mother of a boy he removed an enormous brain tumour from, called the hospital and asked to speak with him, thanked him over and over for saving her son. He was so shocked and couldn’t wipe the smile off his face for the rest of the day. Please, show your doctor appreciation when they help you, it can be a soul-crushing profession for many reasons and your small gesture of appreciation means the world to them.

[RaineeG]

I mentioned to my grandmother's previous doctor that she had passed recently. (She'd moved to another place. ) The doctor winced. Her demeanor changed when I thanked her for the care she'd given my grandmother. Showing gratitude goes a long way.

[sunnypaTradise]

Almost as horrible as “Hey doc! Were you the one on duty last night?” 💀💀💀

[eleanorgloria]

This is also true as a nurse. Just say the thing please, don't leave me rethinking every decision I made for the last week.

[davidh]

When I was in training in NYC a few years back, if a patient returned to the ER with the same complaint within 72 hours, he was an immediate admission. 9 times out of 10, he was out within 2 days max, but there were those rare instances when our crock had real pathology, and was saved because of medical prudence. The REAL words you don't want to hear, especially at 4AM is "Good morning, sorry, I've got a hit for you." I took a lot of heat from my superiors who could have hurt me badly, but when I was ER Chief, I almost never allowed an admission to the floor between 4:30-7AM. I wanted a fresh team that could see and think straight doing the admission, even in the days when we were told we were to clear the ER and not hold patients. I think I saved a life or two for my slovenly medical care. God, I love medicine and being a physician!

[deeceepnw]

I sent a card to my PCP once. She later told me she keeps it in a drawer for rough days when she questions her life choices.

[Omnicloudstrife]

Neurosurgeon: “I remember everything about the brain I operated on, but I don’t recall any patients, no.”

[TheMaggiemay]

I have a friend who is a nurse(RN); while working in the hospital she saw a patient who had signs of a brain bleed. She had to go to four different doctors in the hospital to FINALLY get one to listen to her. Turned out she was right and her knowledge saved the kid’s life. So for all you doctors who think nurses are stupid, stop it!

[markpickett]

At first, I thought the call was going to be the dreaded "bounce back." Then all the other stuff you dredged up was perfect. Typical physician feelings of inadequacy, guilt trips, etc, ad nauseum. The "why I suck" journal was a stellar touch!
One of my mentors would sneak up behind me in the operating room when I was administering anesthesia to some desperately ill patient. I'd be sweating bullets, and he'd quietly say, "If you kill this little old lady, you're goin' to jail!"
At least one of us would laugh. He was a prior Vietnam-era Marine Corps helicopter pilot. I think getting shot at too much warps a person's sense of humor.

[theedwardianwriter]

So I fell down the stairs and got a concussion (aged 24) and after every single medical professional I interacted with remembered me I started to be a little concerned

[billyrodriguez]

As an emergency medicine physician I can attest that those words spark a panic attack every time. Not because of a lawsuit but just thinking that I did something wrong that affected my patient’s wellbeing is frightening!

[lulumoon]

Thanks to all the super medical professionals here who carry our health needs with you, blessings for your care. 🙏🕊️

[heterosapiens_sapiens]

Now this is one reason I didnt go to medical school and went to engineering instead.

Fixing computers can be stressful, but fixing humans is 10000x worse

[stansman]

It's worse when the patient hits you with "Oh hey doc, you remember me?"

Sir we both know I don't, so please don't make me lie about it

[gaghhuh]

This short sums up everything terrifying about being a doctor

[Elevendyeleven]

Nice to see a doctor caring about patients. The real response would be "do I need a lawyer?"

[cynthiaahern]

Why I suck journal 😂😂😂. Poor guy. Thank you, all medical personnel that are saving lives❤

[DeathKittyHell]

As a therapist, we do this too... and check the local news...