Sjogren's patient on House, M.D.

[Teri]

On a recent episode of the TV show "House, M.D.," the patient ended up being diagnosed with Sjogren's!

Here's how it went:

"Patient has unusual symptoms. What can it be?"
"Maybe it's this."
"No. It can't be. Maybe it's that."
"Okay! Start the patient on medication."
"Oh, no! The patient is crashing!"
"The biopsy showed the patient has bad disease and is going to die."
"We were wrong! Patient is going to live! She has a permanent, debilitating illness. She's going to be 'fine'."

Dr. House diagnosed her Sjogren's by cutting an onion (who knows where he got a whole onion) and holding it under her nose. Dr. 13 exclaimed, "She doesn't have any tears!"

Dr. House said, "That's right. She has Sjogren's! Start her on [name of medicine I didn't recognize] and get her Sjogren's under control and get her some artificial tears and she'll be fine."

This is when I said, "Oh, if it were only so easy!"

Later, Dr. Foreman says to Dr. 13, "I heard your patient's going to be fine."

I said, "Argh!"

Because I guess on TV, "not terminal" = "fine"

[calli66]

Great Synopsis!

I think TeeVee is where some ophthalmologists get their training in patient "bed-side" manner.

C

[mary kenny badami]

Oh, Teri, you gave me my laugh of the day . . . I would enjoy watching TV with you any time just to savor your play-by-play commentary!

[nahzee]

One part that confused me.. was the 'patient' wasn't complaining of eye pain. If they had -no tears whatsoever- wouldn't they be.. you know, as unhappy about it as we are?

All in all, I think it was a piss-poor representation that just spreads that whole idea of dry eye not being a 'real' important problem- and by requirement, sjogren's can't be.. because what's being chronically ill and probably in pain for the rest of your life matter when, hey, at least you're not dying? Who needs a healthy body anyways?

[regina]

haha too funny...if not a little sad

So true...if only they only new...somedays I get constant questions on my glasses,, saran wrap over the corners of my eyes...and then my moisture goggles over that! yeah it sjorgrens...a few eye drops and voila...we are cured! Gosh if only!