Memoirs

For those who do not know our duet of internist, EL and RK both used to be physician of the same ward. Two particular stories between them are worth mentioning:

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(EL met RK at the nursing station. The latter had just finished seeing a patient who was referred by the professor of rheumatology for a neurologist's opinion.)

EL: What's wrong with my patient?
RK: I'm not sure. I need some time to sort it out.
EL: What are you going to do for her now?
RK: I don't know. I need to think it over before making a decision.
EL: The condition is critical. You've got to make the decision now.
RK: Em... OK, I decide... to make the decision tomorrow.

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(Same scenario. Nursing station again. RK just finished seeing another patient referred by the rheumatologist.)

EL: What's wrong with my patient?
RK: I'm not sure. I need some time to sort it out.
EL: What are you going to do for her now?
RK: Let's do a CT brain.
EL: CT brain is quite useless in this situation.
RK: Let's do an MRI.
EL: MRI is equally useless.
RK: Let's do lumbar puncture and EEG.
EL: These are also useless.
RK: Yes, but, if we put all useless things together, they may become useful.

This is what I call intelligence.