One of my favorite prep cooks, an incredible Latina immigrant, had a horrific experience recently...

[Aristus]

3. I'm looking for a window to jump out of.

This is one of many reasons why I don’t see pediatric patients anymore. They once brought in an eleven month old infant covered with bruises. Her mother’s boyfriend had beaten her, and she needed an exam to enter into the legal record.

The state-appointed caregiver was very protective of and affectionate toward her charge. But before I began the examination, I turned away for a moment to squeeze back some tears. The caregiver seemed to understand, and didn’t say anything.

I examined the girl carefully and very gently, and by the end of the examination, she was smiling at me. The perp was in jail, and the baby was safe and well cared-for. But when I got back to my office, it was all I could to keep from rage-kicking holes in the wall.

It wasn’t long after that when I stopped seeing pediatric patients for good.