Medicine vs. Gardening

So, dear blog readers, I've decided that medicine is a little like gardening. For those of you who have difficulty with buying plants that already seemed doomed with some sort of bug or disease before them ever step foot (or root) through your front door, this might make some sense in terms of looking at medicine.

My "favorite" patients (just a little sarcasm on the side) are the ones that come in, give you generalized symptoms with no specifics, and expect a miracle fix. For example, last night I took care of a patient with a very bad viral infection bordering on bronchitis. She literally asked, "Why does my nose hurt?" Um....Yeah, that happens when you get a cold, lady. Sorry.

Or they say, "It hurts! Why does this hurt so much?" And I want to say, "Welcome to labor! Even though I've never had children, I've witnessed hundreds of births, and it's called labor for a reason!"

It's like people expect a miracle cure for everything these days, when in reality, it might not be just one thing. Doctors are not vending machines that can give you the miracle answer if you present with just the right symptoms. Kinda like my poor houseplants. All two of them. One started out with yellowing leaves. Am I overwatering? Is that mold on the leaves, or something else? Is the pot too tight? Is the soil not of very good quality? Is it not draining well? Is the silly thing getting enough (or too much) sunlight? Is it too hot or cold in the apartment? Is it too humid or too dry? The list goes on. It might not be just one issue.

So it is with people. It astonishes me when women walk through the door and cry when they're contracting every half hour and their pain is so severe, and I have to tell them to go home and come back when the pain is worse. Or, if they're sick or in preterm labor, I have to tell them all of the reasons why that might be.

But, at least for most people with common sense, I don't have to explain why their noses hurt when they have a cold, or why they're vomiting when they have the flu. Some things don't need a diagnostician. :o)

On that note, dear bloggers, may you all have a wonderful day and a good night too.