“They’re killing me!” she cries,
Hobbling, clutching her knees.
This cane-free, tough matron’s fortitude awes me.
“Knee injection?” I offer.
“No way. Terrified of needles!”
Discuss diabetes, hypertension. Finish visit.
“Doc, where’s my Ortho referral?”
“For what?” I ask, perplexed.
“For surgery!”
“Surgery before needles?!”
“Knife over needles any day.”
Nonplussed, I consult Ortho.
NARRATIVE ESSAYS
Trypanophobia
Eliana V. Hempel, MD
Fam Med. 2020;52(10):759-759.
DOI: 10.22454/FamMed.2020.770068
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Lead Author
Eliana V. Hempel, MD
Affiliations: Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA
Corresponding Author
Eliana V. Hempel, MD
Correspondence: Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Drive Mail Code H039, Hershey PA 17033.
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