The Untouchables

My critically ill patient is back in the office. She is literally disintegrating before my eyes, her encephalopathy worse. Confused, hallucinating and delusional-- she is unable to speak. A week ago she was somewhat mobile. Now she is confined to a wheel chair resembling many unfortunate patients I have cared for in nursing homes with end stage Alzheimer's disease: this patient is 47 years old. Another doctor had cared for her for 7 months. She has been under my care for only one month. She needs hospitalization. I have sent other patients to many hospitals over a period of years with poor outcomes. This different University Hospital is reputed to be a bit more friendly. We shall see.

I send her to the hospital with a stack of studies and a hand written summary. She is sero-positive for both Lyme and Ehrlichia--thank God! I have written down the name of a neurologist who is reputed to be "Lyme friendly."

The only way to be admitted to hospitals these days is through the ER, unless you are an "attending" with direct admitting privileges. And even this occurs rarely these days.

The intern is the first to call me: "We don't see anything acutely wrong with patient"--not wanting to admit her to his service.

She is very ill, please admit her.

I am called back by a supercilious second year resident, his boss. "The patient has been the same for a month--there is nothing acute here--we don't want to admit her. The neurologist whose name you wrote down won't be able to see her unless you call him. You should not have sent the patient to the ER: you have given her the erroneous impression that she will be admitted. I don't see any reason for an admission."

"Please admit this patient. She is getting worse. She has a severe progressive encephalitis. She absolutely must be admitted for a work up; she needs a a lumbar puncture. You cannot send this patient home"-- I implore.

"Humf, I will get neurology to see her." The neurologist you have requested will not see her unless you arrange it--here is his beeper number."

I page the doctor: no response.

The gatekeeper--the man who would keep my critically ill patient from admission to the esteemed University Hospital is a "sagacious" 26 year old doctor with a major "...tude."

The patient is crazy of course, the doctor a wack-job. Tick borne disease causing encephalopathy--"whatever". Reluctantly: "I'll see what neurology has to say."

The untouchables: cursed-- damned-- invisible.
At least that how it seems.

Why take the blue pill if the red one works just as well?

Something about chasing a white rabbit down a hole I think.

"I'm sorry-- which pill do we take?"