"Sick"

God, I hate it when people sign in "don't feel well" or "I'm sick". Usually it's just some BS virus or --- heaven forbid --- a cold, but every once in awhile, people really just don't know how to describe their problem.

Recently, an elderly gentleman signed in "sick". This in and of itself is a rarity in the English-speaking population. Generally, elderly folks put down the exact reason why they want to be seen. So, I wheel him over and he explains how he's had this wicked case of the diarrhea for a few days and feels dehydrated. Okay. Another one of these, eh? Why couldn't you just have written "diarrhea"?

So, I go through everything, and "oh, by the way, I'm a little dizzy right now too" and "oh, by the way, my chest feels tight" and "oh, by the way, I think I could pass out."

Blood pressure is "indeterminate" on the monitor. Whatever. Pulse is "indeterminate" as well. Good God dammit already.

I wheel him back, slap him on the monitor, slap him on the BP cuff and --- gee, that's why you feel sick, Grandpa --- your heart's beating at 210 beats per minute (hm, looks a bit like a fast a-fib) with runs of v-tach and your blood pressure is 60/30.

Nothing brings a whole bunch of people in a room like that. My work here is done.