Friday 27 August 2010

Ever feel out of your depth?


GPs deal with "undifferentiated disease". That's medical speak for "anything can walk through the door". Dr Genesis lends his mind to so many different areas of medicine, I sometimes wonder if I actually know anything substantial about anything. Can my job be done by a nurse, or even just someone with a bit of common sense?
I saw a woman in her 60s who'd had a hip replacement recently. The operation was a success but she's been left with some emotional issues about adjustment to her new (mobile) life, feeling dependent on people post-operatively, and apprehensive about going back to work (having been off for months with the arthritis). She came with her husband.

I'm not sure why, but the image of them in bed came to mind. How easy is it to have sex with severe arthritis of the hip? Have they tried to have sex since the operation? Is she worried about the metal hip coming out of joint? I tentatively suggested a holiday with some "romance". The husband nodded. She nodded. Then she promptly changed the subject.

A young doctor asking a couple in their late 60s about their sex life.
Am I cut out for this?