6. Club drugs
“Enough, isn’t it?”
My brother majored in General Medicine in rural Tennessee. He told me that most of his patient visits go like this:
MD: “Well, you have diabetes, high blood pressure, and are complaining of joint pain. Did you exercise and cut back on sugar and carbs, as we talked about? “
Person: “Yes, I do, doctor, but it doesn’t seem to help. Do you have a better medicine that you can prescribe? “
MD: “Let’s tell me about how much water do you drink a day! “
Person: “I don’t like water, so I add ice to my sweet tea every day to make sure I get enough.”
MD: “Just having ice in your drink is not the same as drinking water. How much sweet tea are you drinking per day? They can carry a lot of sugar in them. “
Person: “Well, I get a big one from Hardee’s / McDonald’s / anywhere on the way to work with my breakfast and another on the way home for dinner. Then I have a drink or two when I get home.”
MD: “Wow, a lot of sugar. And lots of fast food if you’re eating it twice a day. What do you eat at home? “
Person: “I don’t like to cook, so I usually don’t eat anything but little Debbie snacks at home.”
MD: “They also have a lot of sugar….”
Person: “I think all I have to do is cut out the Mountain Dew! Now you’re saying I can’t eat my food or snacks?! What are you suggesting I do? Eat a salad for every meal?! Why can’t you just my pills?!”
