Two women at the Holiday
Inn were ill. The mother suffered low abdominal pain with vomiting and
diarrhea. It seemed like the usual stomach flu. I assured her it wouldn’t last
long and gave medication.
Her adult daughter also
complained of low abdominal pain but without other symptoms. Viral
gastroenteritis can occur without vomiting or diarrhea, but I feel reassured
when they’re present. It’s a good rule that when two members of a family are
ill at the same time, it’s the same illness, but no rule is absolute.
The problem is that
isolated low abdominal pain in a young woman can indicate an urgent problem
such as ectopic pregnancy or twisted ovary. This seemed unlikely, but I
couldn’t rule it out. If she weren’t better in a few hours, I explained, she
must go to the local emergency room. She did not object.
When I phoned a few hours
later, the mother’s symptoms had vanished, and the daughter told me she felt a
little better. Patient tend to tell doctors what they believe we want to hear,
so “…a little better,” does not reassure me. Pressed, she admitted that she
wasn’t feeling better. When urged to go to the emergency room, she worried
about her lack of insurance and the late hour but promised to give it serious
consideration.
I passed a restless night.
When I phoned the next morning, she had recovered.
Posts
