Burned Out

          An adult female in her mid thirties together with two other persons came barging inside the clinic.

          Before introducing herself, she started asking multiple successive questions. She was highly confident and very authoritative. She was asking about her patient's conditions, complications, treatment and long term outcome. And more thoroughly, she was asking about hospital charges.

          When I finally had a chance to interrupt, I said, "Wait, What?!"

          She spoke again, continuously. She was trying to re- explain what I heard a minute ago. She was now being explicit.

          I can't recall anything she was explaining.

          I thought that she might be a deep sea diver because she was speaking so long without taking a breath.

          I don't remember her as a parent nor as a guardian of any of my patient. (Perhaps she's a new parent with a new patient)

          She keeps on talking anyway.

          Yayks...For not being able to remember a patient with a lot of problems and this kind of obnoxious parent, I must be suffering from short-term memory loss.

          I suddenly realized that this could be what is called a  BURN OUT.

          Damn...I think I genuinely needed a vacation.

          I tried concentrating harder, but nothing... I can neither remember her baby nor this parent.

          I paused and started to scramble my mind for solutions:

          I should secure her OUT and IN patient records.
         
          I should clarify their charges at the accounting department.

          I should calmly reassure them of the patient's condition, and if they needed further testing, I should send them to my good friend who would really , really help them out to be worked up and to be treated. (Perhaps this parent is extremely anxious because she feels uncertain of her patient's conditions.)

          I interrupted her again and asked, "What's our patient's name?"

          She quickly responded Querojere. Remigio Santos Querojere.

          Odd first name. Hell... I really don't recall any child with that name.

          Damn...I must truly be suffering from BURN OUT.

        I wrote it down on my prescription paper and additionally asked, "How old is he?"

        "He's 78 years old and  presently admitted in this hospital", She sternly added.

        "Oh." My eyebrows raised a bit.

         The patient was OLD and therefore, was not my patient!

          I explained that my patient were children only, and that she should talk to her attending doctor, my husband...he's the other Dr. Enriquez who sees adult patients about her patient's condition. I added that he is the best person to explain the patient's situation to the family.

          With a smirk on  her face  and arrogance of her voice,  she promptly asked "Don't you know his patients?"

          Hahaha...Amazing...

           It's true that were husband wand wife, but we don't share patient information and treatment, unless, indicated.  (Aside from his patient's information, should I know all his usernames and passwords as well?)

          Sorry, I don't know his patients.

          And...did I take a vacation?