Totally Crackers About Their Self-Importance
Crazy Requests, Emergency Services, Hospital, Jerk, Montana, Patients, USA | Healthy | March 13, 2018
(I work in an emergency room. It’s late morning when a well-dressed woman of late middle-age registers. She states that she was just in a serious accident and must be seen immediately. Although we know that we hear about serious in-town accidents right away, sometimes a serious accident does occur in the country and the victims may be brought in by private vehicle. They usually have on outdoor-appropriate clothing rather than clean high heels, but we still hustle the patient back quickly. Once in a bed, she relates that the “serious accident” occurred hours ago, in town, at a speed she calls “much less than 20 miles per hour.” She has driven here in the car involved. She gets an exam and a neck x-ray. Then, she complains
Patient: “This is taking too long. I am diabetic and haven’t eaten breakfast. You have to feed me.”
(It’s about 11:30 am.)
Me: “What have you been doing since the accident?”
Patient: “I went to see a lawyer first, then came straight to the hospital.”
Me: *sighs* “We’ll get you some crackers and peanut butter.”
Patient: “No, I’m in the mood for an egg salad sandwich.”
Me: *finally had enough* “This is not a restaurant, and we don’t have egg salad sandwiches lying around to give out!”
(She got her crackers and peanut butter.)