05 July 2009

Hide and seek

I was getting some ice to prepare for the samples I am getting today when two doctors approached me. Keep in mind I am standing at an ice machine in an otherwise empty pre-op unit (non-emergent surgeries are not scheduled for weekends, especially not holiday weekends).

Doctor: Have you seen a big fat man?
Me: Excuse me?
Doctor: We're looking for a patient, Mr. L. He's ginormous, you couldn't miss him.
Me: I'm sorry, I haven't seen anyone like that.
Doctor: If someone was going to have surgery, where would they be pre-op?
Me: Here, but it's a weekend.
Doctor: Yes, I know, but we've lost him you see. He's missing.
Me: Sorry.

I'm not sure what's more concerning: that fact that they have managed to lose a huge fat patient or that the doctors had to ask the medical student where patients go pre-op.

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