Amnesia Bob Part 3

Recap of Part 1 and Part 2......................


Amnesia Bob was wheeled back to his cubicle after his CT scan.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"OK. Did I fall?"

"Read your list."

"OK.....Had a fall......won't scar..."

"Do you recognise me at all?"

"No."

Shit! No improvement. I reviewed the scan, his brain looked normal, no bleeding or masses. I would wait for the radiologist's report. He could have always been like this? HIV-encephalopathy? Neurosyphilis? I went back to ask him a few more questions.

"Do you have any family we can phone, try to find out what happened?"

"I live alone and my family is in Belgium. We don't have much contact."

SHIT!

"Any friends here?"

"I can't remember."

"Do you remember any important phone numbers?"

"No. Where am I?"

"List!" I answered abruptly as I walked out.

No family or friends to get a baseline history from. I looked at the scan report - NORMAL. Double SHIT! What was I going to do with him now? I couldn't refer him to any speciality. There was nothing clinically wrong with him, except for this bizarre amnesia. The medics would laugh at me. The neurologists would slam down the phone.

Not being able to refer him, meant discharge. But I couldn't send him home! He couldn't remember a damn thing. I decided to admit him overnight to the Short Stay Ward, we could figure out what to do with him in the morning.

I accompanied him to the ward for a hand over. I felt protective over Amnesia Bob. I didn't want to leave him in the hands of someone else.

I went back to work and after a few hours, my shift finally ended. I decided to pop in and see how Bob was doing.

"Hi. How are you feeling?"

"OK, I guess."

"I stitched your lip."

His hand moved towards his mouth, confused.

"Its on the list," I added.

As he reread his list, I slipped away.

Two days later, I returned for another locum shift. I had been thinking of Amnesia Bob after that night, but as with all patients, I had forgotten about him and gotten on with daily life. I was curious as to what had happened to him. I went to the Short Stay Ward, to see what I could find out. I asked one of the nurses, but she hadn't been on duty when he was discharged. The doctor there couldn't remember him, until I started to describe him.

"Mid forties, laceration on his lip, remembers nothing, has a list with numbers and points on it......"

"Oh yes. That list was life-saving!"

"I wrote it for him."

"He was discharged yesterday."

"Was he OK?"

"Yes. in the morning everything came back to him. He was assaulted by a gang as he was taking out the recycling."

"Explains the wellies."

"What?"

"Never mind. Anyway, thanks."

Amnesia Bob had remembered. Yay for Bob!


LMM

xoxo

Amnesia Bob Part 1

A few days ago I arrived at the A+E with a sense of dread. I wanted to be at home, in bed with hot chocolate, watching the latest episode of Gossip Girl.

I took the next file in the box. The presenting problem was "fell down stairwell. No memory."

Probably a decrepit 88 year old. I drew back the curtain to find a man in his mid-forties, with a bleeding face.

"Hello. I am Little Miss Medic, one of the doctors here. Do you remember what happened to you?"

"No, I don't remember anything. Where am I?" 

"You are at the A+E at the _______________ Hospital. What is your name?"


"Bob. That's my favourite hospital. I see Dr Brown here."

Dr Brown was an HIV consultant.

"Are you HIV positive?"

         "Yes. Do you know why I am wearing Wellies?
        
          "I'm not sure. You may have been on your way out."

"What happened?"

Did he not just ask me that?

"You fell down the stairs and somebody found you and phoned an ambulance."


"Is my flat secure?"


"Yes. Do you have any medical conditions?"


"Yes. I am HIV positive and see Dr Brown."


"Yes, you told me that. Any allergies?"


"Where am I?"


"At The ____________________ Hospital. Do you not remember me telling you that?"


"No, what happened? And why am I wearing wellies?"

Holy shit! This guy couldn't remember anything. Every two minutes it was as if the tape replayed and the questions repeated themselves.

"I need to examine you now, so we can find out whether you bumped your head or not. Look straight ahead, whilst I shine this light in your eyes."


"Did I mention I am HIV positive."

And his name shall be Amnesia Bob!

"Yes you told me. Now, take a deep breath in........good........and out. Now stick out your tongue."


"Why am I wearing wellies?"


"I don't know. Now just breath normally whilst I listen to your heart."

"Where am I?"

"At The ____________________ Hospital."


"That's my favourite hospital. I see Dr Brown here."

I can't handle this! Answering the same questions fifty million times.


"I'll be back now."

"What happened to me? Where........"

"I will be back NOW!"



Stay tuned to find out what happened to Amnesia Bob........

LMM

xoxo