All the Emergency Medicine Stories

Summary

A seasoned Emergency Medicine physician shares a collection of compelling, real-life stories from their 33-year career, offering insights into the human side of emergency healthcare.

Abstract

The website presents a series of personal narratives by an Emergency Medicine physician, who has spent over three decades in the field. These stories range from the humorous and odd to the tragic, each containing a message or lesson. The author emphasizes that these accounts are not typical medical cases but rather the real, day-to-day interactions with patients, including moments of stress, compassion, and the occasional unexpected twist. The stories aim to convey the depth and breadth of experiences one faces in emergency medicine, and while the author has tried to minimize graphic details, they suggest that more intense content may be shared in the future. Readers are encouraged to spend time engaging with the stories to truly appreciate the nuances of each encounter.

Opinions

The author believes that their stories, despite their length, are necessary to fully convey the critical moments they've witnessed.
There is a sense of pride and fulfillment in the author's work, as they have cared for a diverse array of patients and encountered unique situations.
The author acknowledges the difficulty of maintaining compassion in certain scenarios, particularly when dealing with patients who neglect their own health.
A recurring theme is the unexpected nature of emergency medicine, with cases that can be surprisingly humorous, deeply troubling, or profoundly moving.
The author values the impact of their experiences on both themselves and their readers, hoping to impart wisdom and understanding through their storytelling.
There is an underlying respect for the profession and the patients served, as well as a recognition of the emotional toll such work can take on healthcare providers.

After 33 years in the Emergency Department I’ve got some to share

PLEASE 🙏 spend a minimum of 30 seconds in this story. If you do not, I get PENALIZED in a variety of odious ways. I wish I was kidding about that, but I’m not. Thank you 😃

Emergency Medicine was my profession for 33 years.

In that time I witnessed volume’s worth of compelling stories, some funny or odd, many not so. Some tragic and seemingly unredeemable but in my opinion always containing a message. Maybe hidden, but still present.

After posting my latest offering …

… some readers indicated they wanted more.

That’s planned.

Meanwhile, here’s my “from the trench warfare that is Emergency Medicine” collection.

Just factual medicine-related stories are not listed. You’ll not find stories here about heart attack symptoms or cancer or obesity and so forth.

What you will find is the day-to-day real life stuff of patient encounters. I’ve tried to keep the gore to a minimum. More of that may come later.

Disclaimer: Some of these are on the long side. That’s just how it is when critical moments in another life unfolds before you. It takes some time to tell the story well.

But, even if you opt to scroll and skim you should have no trouble fulfilling the 30-second rule. Please don’t disappoint.

And please do scroll all the way to the bottom of this short list. The story that resonates best with you may be the last.

Enjoy!

All the Emergency Medicine Stories

After 33 years in the Emergency Department I’ve got some to share

A Confusing Conversation With Another Doctor About Appendicitis

‘Please call my mom and tell her what I’ve got. She’s a doctor too’

“Trouble” down under with an unexpected twist.

Tush Trouble and a “Meet Cute”— An Emergency Department Story of Priorities

As Mrs. Tannenbaum said, “I’ve got tsuris in my tuchus,” but …

Who knew the patient was going to yell this!

The Strangest Emergency Department Case of “Holiday Heart” Ever Seen

Memorable “Meet and Greet”

Just what every Emergency Physician needs, an extra helping of stress.

My Patient Was a World-Famous HIV/AIDS Researcher Having a Massive Heart Attack

Under pressure in the emergency department

A “two-fer” about trying to straighten out some problems.

The Man Who Was Folded in Half and the Man Who Couldn’t Be Folded

Two stories about getting bent

Understanding comes easy. Compassion is tough sometimes.

How Do Doctors Care For Patients Who Don’t Care For Themselves?

Smiling through the pain

Wow! Just freakin’ WOW!

Dry the Ammo in the Microwave

And other medical misadventures with machines

I’m just the doctor. There’s lots I don’t know.

An Emergency Department Encounter That Stayed With Me

How Does This Happen?

We did everything. It didn’t help.

A Young Man Dies

When “Doing Everything” in the Emergency Department Still Isn’t Enough

Please remain calm.

Emergency Department Death and Its Unexpected Outcome

An Emergency Physician’s Experience With a Death That Produced Pandemonium

Listen carefully or you’ll miss something important.

The “Demented” Patient

“He Ain’t Right in the Head”

Words of wisdom that well went beyond knowledge.

Maybe It Was Just Her Time to Die

A somber moment of discovery for our medical team

I really wish this hadn’t happened.

Learning and Teaching in a Tough Medical Environment — What Works?

Lessons in heat and light

What happens when a roomful of medical professionals suddenly become crazily unprofessional?

Emergency Department Death — Salvaging Dignity From an Indignity

We almost robbed a man of his just rewards for a life well lived