An 85-year-old woman was referred to me because she was anemic. She was accompanied by her son. Anemia, meaning a decreased blood count, is a common reason that patients are sent to gastroenterologists. The reason for this is that internal bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract – even silent bleeding – can cause anemia. Gastroenterologists are always locked and loaded with our arsenal of scopes ready to probe into your digestive system in search of a bleeding lesion that would explain anemia. While we are always hopeful that any discovery will be benign, at times the news is more serious. Just after I entered the exam room, the patient offered this declaration. “I am not having a colonoscopy!” I had not yet even introduced myself to her and her son, but she was determined to set the ground rules. Of course, it should be the patient who determines her own future, but generally this occurs after some dialogue with a medical professional. After all, this is why patients come
MD Whistleblower presents vignettes and commentaries on the medical profession. We peek 'behind the medical curtain' and deliver candor and controversy in every post.