Monday, October 1, 2007

MMSE irony part Deux

Again, this mini-mental status exam continues to baffle me. We ask our patients a round of questions, quite basic but somehow complex enough to determine a person's mental capacity and capability. I had a complaint about this exam earlier, and now being on the wards, I have yet another one.

What day of the week is it? Whats the date? What time is it?

At this point, I can't even answer these questions...everyday seems like the other day. Friday's are no longer something to look forward to and Sunday's don't have that same mellow, calm feel to them. We are as disoriented as our patients are.

But am I really complaining about my lost, disoriented state? not really. I love the idea of having something and somewhere to belong to. The hospital sad to say, has turned into a home. My little shack across the street is a place to crash, but I do love the fact that I can walk across the street and be at my escape, the hospital wards. If you ever need to get your mind off your real life, just step into the hospital...its a great distraction. It's a lot easier solving other people's problems than your own....trust me.