I just had a great patient encounter.
An 83 y.o. African American gentleman was referred to me for a creatinine of 1.7 mg/dL (eGFR 50 mL/min). On the initial visit he had a positive review of systems for obstruction. I added a PSA to my normal laboratory work-up of CKD and it ended up grossly positive at 42. We referred him on to urology and they diagnosed prostate Ca. He is currently getting hormone therapy.
Today he came in for his first visit with me since the cancer diagnosis. He was so appreciative. He hugged me. He acted like I saved his life. There was a strange asymmetry to the experience, I felt that I had done almost nothing more than a routine diagnosis while he was treating me like William Osler.
Sometimes the simplest things. . .
