The past few months...

...have been without much to note for me. The community I work suffered a horrible tragedy in the theater shooting. Strangely, we seem to have missed only a few beats and are predictably normal ways. The fires have mercifully subsided and given way to snow of late. I am still busy at work. Folks can't seem to help but get hurt at work. Friday is always the busiest and last Friday was no exception. I had three new injuries walk in 30 minutes before close. One fellow fell from a ladder 16 ft onto concrete. Another had a hernia for which he already sought treatment in the ED. The last sustained a concussion and had an interesting, albeit not unheard of presentation. His mechanism of injury didn't match his complaints but I still sent him to the ED for urgent imaging. I find myself questioning my patient's motives frequently. Perhaps they want a few days off from work. Maybe they want to get back at there boss or employer for some perceived or real injustice perpetrated against them. Often they have some pathological need for attention. Some feel this is there best chance at a big payday. Most of my patients are honest and recover as expected. There are some that I know, after their first visit, that they will not get better any time soon. We'll see how Friday's patients shake out.