She Had a Cold

I was in clinic today talking with a new patient, a fairly healthy 40-year-old woman, and as part of my routine sexual history I asked if she had ever had a STD (sexually transmitted disease). She responded with "I had something a few years ago, but it turns out she had a cold." I did not understand at all what she meant, so I asked her to repeat herself, to which she again said "She had a cold."

I had no clue what she was talking about. I had no idea who "she" was. I assumed I was simply zoning out while the patient was talking earlier and thus must have missed who "she" was. Thinking the patient may have been referring to a female sexual partner, but not wanting to appear as if I hadn't been listening, I casually asked her "Oh, your female partner?" and she again responded with "No, she had a cold."

Still without a clue as to who had this cold, I then asked "You mean your doctor? So your doctor had a cold?" and she again said "No, she had a cold."

I was about to lose it. Who is she? Who had this cold?

I finally blurted aloud, "OK who are you referring to?"

She then pointed with both hands to her crotch and said, "SHE had a cold!"

Oh. Ohhh. Her. Well excuse me. Couldn't you simply have given her a name and made this easier from the start?

I did laugh, though ... and yes, in front of her.

(And no, I still have no idea what she meant by "a cold".)

Scrubs, the Huffington Post, and Me

Recently I came across this Huffington Post article. Yes I know I am reading it one year and four months after it was published, but that aside, it reports how the television show Scrubs will be returning for what ended up being its ninth and final season.

Obviously I was excited -- both at the time and also currently -- to read about Scrubs, for as many of you know I am what may be considered a fan. But what was even more thrilled was that they mentioned one of my posts in their article! I had reached the end of the first full paragraph, which finished with:

Scrubs remains the most realistic medical show on television according to most actual doctors and nurses.

With intense curiosity I clicked on that link, which very unexpectedly brought me to my own article. Apparently I'm "most doctors or nurses" ... me, yours truly, your favorite Axis.

I wish I had come across this in a more timely manner, but this delayed surprise isn't so bad. Unfortunately, Scrubs has since come to an end (even after a brief and weak effort at resurrecting itself with a newer version involving medical students) so all I have of that unique show are memories ... and great articles like this.