Mrs. Mehl: Hello!
Secretary: Hi Mrs. Mehl. We have a problem with Camie. She has been rubbing her eye a lot today. The skin around her eye is red, but her eye is not. What can you tell me about it?
Mrs. Mehl: I didn't notice anything.
Secretary: OK......
(silence)
Mrs. Mehl: Does she have pinkeye?
(more silence)
Secretary: Well, we don't know. Can you come look at her?
Mrs. Mehl: (Me wondering, "Why are you calling me if you don't know?...) Sure, I can come if you need me too. Do you think she has pinkeye?
(strained silence)
Secretary: We would like you to come check her eye out and tell us what you think.
Mrs. Mehl: (Me wondering, "Why do you think that I am more capable of a diagnosis than a school nurse?) OK, that's fine. What do YOU think it looks like?(Some information please...)
Secretary: I was just told to have you come to the office.
(silence)
Mrs. Mehl: (Realizing that logic is not part of this discussion...) Um, OK, I'll be there soon. Bye.
I then used the skills that ALL of my medical training gave me and made my diagnosis even before I went to go pick up my patient. I deduced that my patient didn't need to have people looking at her like she was diseased all day, which would happen if I left her at school. I picked up my ecstatic patient and we are headed off to McDonald's for lunch and an afternoon of shoe shopping and Easy-Bake oven-ing. Later.
P.S. I was right, she didn't have pinkeye. Maybe I am a medical professional after all
