osodecanela | 7:13 Sunday morning.........

.....and the phone rang. My answering service.

"Good morning Dr.!" Way too cheery for this hour of the morning. DId I mention I am not a morning person? Plus I have a headache.

It was a 42 year-old man, patient of a colleague. Hurt his back yesterday pulling out some folliage inhis yard.

"Where are you hurting?"
"Just my low back."
"Is it radiating anywhere?"
"No."

Then I hear laguhter in the background. His wife. The he laughs. He's already up and carrying things into the house this morning.

"Have you taken anything?"
"4 Advil."
"When?"
"Yesterday."
"Nothing today?"
"Nope."
"Are you allergic to anything?"
"Nope."
"Have you taken a hot shower?"
"No."

I resisted the urge to ask him if he knows how to wipe his own butt.

"Please go take 3 Advil, and go takea hot shower. If you're miserable in a couple of hours call me back."

Wake me, at this hour on a Sunday, when you've done nothing on your own today to manage your problem. You expect sympathy? Lucky, I'm invested in being civil.