Flashaholic at the doctor's

benh

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Sep 2, 2005
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So I have the flu and I go to the doctor the other day. First thing they do is weigh me, so I have to empty my pockets. I go to the table and start unloading. Lighter, smokes, ARC-P, cellphone, work cellphone, sunglasses, Mini Ritter, keys, wallet, Prybaby, Fenix L0P, pen, can wrench, random change, wallet. The nurse's eyes are bugging out at this point, and she tells me I have so much stuff that I need a purse. Hee.

So I get weighed and stuff everything back into my pockets, get into a room and wait. And wait.

Finally the doctor comes in and while he's checking me out, he gets to the point where he wants to look down my throat. Grabs this cheapass yellow plastic Dorcy 2C incan off the cart o tools and turns it on. Nothing. He starts smacking it and gets a weak bit of light. So without much conscious thought, I grab my Fenix out of my back pocket while saying "Dude, you need a better flashlight.", turn it on and hand it to him.

He starts freaking out about how bright it was, so I begin telling him about how it's an LED and go on about LEDs a bit. He checks out my throat, and sure enough, flu. He then asks me if I got the Fenix at Best Buy (???) and I say no, that I got it online, told him to google for "Fenix" and that they make a 2AA version that'd probably be perfect, except that it'd probably get stolen.

Heh.
 

PhotonWrangler

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How nice when one gets the opportunity to enlighten someone else about the reasons for carrying a good flashlight. I'm sure he got the point.

Whether he actually goes out of his way to buy one though is another story. Usually when I tell people that I bought a light (or other gadget) online, their eyes glaze over and that's the end of that.
:rolleyes:
 

benh

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This office leaves the (crappy Dorcy) flashlight out on the cart o tools that sits in the examining room. They leave you in there by yourself with the door closed for extended periods of time.

I understand that all kinds of stuff disappears from those rooms, to the point where nothing portable and of value is ever left in there unless locked in a cabinet. And this is a doctor's office in a nice area.

Back when I worked in an ER, people would steal scalpel blades, needles, syringes, damn near anything that wasn't locked down.

I'd think that a light as nice looking as a Fenix would go poof in pretty short order.
 

greenLED

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benh said:
...so I have to empty my pockets. I go to the table and start unloading. Lighter, smokes, ARC-P, cellphone, work cellphone, sunglasses, Mini Ritter, keys, wallet, Prybaby, Fenix L0P, pen, can wrench, random change, wallet. The nurse's eyes are bugging out at this point, and she tells me I have so much stuff that I need a purse. Hee.

So I get weighed...

Sounds like me at PT a while back... :crackup:

Sooo, did you weigh your EDC? :whistle:


(L2 maight get stolen 'cuz it's a nice light, BTW)
 
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Lit Up

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I'll just add that next time it starts, flush each ear 2-3 times with hydrogen peroxide for about a minute or so and eat a couple cloves of garlic.

Didn't even have to empty your pockets either....or your wallet:)
 

Luxman

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Interesting story..
Maybe the Doctor could just keep a L1P in his lab coat pocket instead of leaving the light in a room.
 

benh

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It didn't even occur to me to weigh my EDC. I wish I had. I figure it probably comes in at a couple pounds, easy. The messenger bag I carry most places is probably a good 30 pounds, with laptop.

Peroxide? Garlic? What's that about?
 

ABTOMAT

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nemul said:
ummm.... What doctor do you go to?

Crazy Carlos's Discount Medical Care. Open two days a week, 10PM to 6AM, in the back of a blue '78 Dodge van. Location changes daily. Guaranteed to use only the sharpest scissors and hacksaw, and makes sure he wipes off the tools every third patient.
 
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PhotonWrangler

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ABTOMAT said:
Crazy Carlos's Discount Medical Care. Open two days a week, 10PM to 6AM, in the back of a blue '78 Dodge van. Location changes daily. Guaranteed to use only the sharpest scissors and hacksaw, and makes sure he wipes off the tools every third patient.

I think that's the only guy that many HMOs will pay for! :laughing:
 

Knifemaster

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benh said:
Grabs this cheapass yellow plastic Dorcy 2C incan off the cart o tools and turns it on.

Heh.

Is this doctor in Mexico or something :awman:There is a special "light" tool for checking throats ears noses. I have never heard or seen a doctor use a normal flashlight.
 

ABTOMAT

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Knifemaster said:
Is this doctor in Mexico or something :awman:There is a special "light" tool for checking throats ears noses. I have never heard or seen a doctor use a normal flashlight.

Maybe he was just playing doctor.
 

LEDninja

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I am surprised the doctor uses a plastic 2C. Ususlly they just use a 2AAA penlight clipped to a front pocket. The medical equipment suppliers must have stopped giving them out as freebies.
 

Sharpdogs

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I have to go to the doctors quarterly to monitor my diabetes. First thing they do is weigh me. Since I have added to my EDC (Fenix, Inova T3, Spyderco Wegner) I have gained two pounds. My doctor says, "I see you gained two pounds." I just nodded my head and blamed it on holiday celebrations and Christmas parties. It takes too long to empty my pockets.
 

a99raptors

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ENT surgeons are famous for looking down people's throats. One of them was mesmerised by my G2 for quite some time....... :)
 

benh

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Just about every doctor I've been to has used a flashlight of some kind to look down my throat. They use that special magnifying light probe thing for noses and ears, though. *shrug*
 

Navck

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benh said:
Just about every doctor I've been to has used a flashlight of some kind to look down my throat. They use that special magnifying light probe thing for noses and ears, though. *shrug*

I think you're talking about an "Ophthalmoscope" or a "Otoscope"
Ophtha *Too long to type* scope = Eyes
Otoscope = Used in ears, nose, and maybe throat

I'm just refering this off one of my science books.
 
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