No Room at the Inn

I discharged my patient to a shelter yesterday with heparin induced thrombocytopenia recently “resolved” by argatroban (tx stopped 2 hours prior), but with no coumadin. I discharged him with a foley. I did so because I was told to do so by the doctor. I put up a totally meager fight and then sent him packing with Thursday’s copy of the New York Times that I’d brought from home, a bag with handles donated by the gift shop, a pair of flip flops and a sweat suit donated by social services, a walker donated by physical therapy and no clear idea of where he was going or how to care for himself. We just put him in a cab and sent him away.

The Patient Man

Yesterday I said goodbye to my patient of the past two weeks, a man of great heart.
He took my hand and said, "Goodbye, Dear. I'll see you in the movies."
I smiled, "I hope you fly again someday."
"I will," said he.