Multi-tasking

I picked up the kid's chart. It wasn't a simple consultation as he had been referred to the pediatric clinic for ongoing investigations of chest pain and palpitations. It was a busy clinic and so I was trying to juggle reading referral letters, getting histories, and writing notes all at the same time.

I was sifting though the documentation while a sweet, round faced lad swung his legs against the examination table - non stop kid-style stream of consciousness monologue pouring forth. So while I'm seeing ECG's and prescription refills and trying to elucidate the history from his mom, ignore the chatter and read through a holter monitor report from the cardiologist he says, "Excuse me, excuse me..." I realise that I am not emulating the appropriate 'doctor/patient/parent' interaction so I stop mid sentence in the specialist report and say, "Yes?"

"Did you know that lemurs have opposable thumbs?"

No kid. No I didn't. I'll just add that to the seemingly countless other things I do not know in this world. I laughed and made a mental note to start dropping more non sequiturs into conversation.

Now back to that pediatric cardiology referral.

At the end of the consultation I told him he was one sharp kid and he agreed adding, "and a curious one too".

Yes indeed.