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The man's complaint came as no surprise.

"Doctor, can you look at my molds?"

This is a common request that has minor variations. For instance, patients from the former British Commonwealth ask me to check their moulds.

"Did you ever have any removed?"

"Yes, but it was no problem. They did an autopsy."

I examined his back, looking for a scar. "Where were they taken off?"

"In Chicago."

"Who would have the test results?"

"I'm afraid I don't remember who removed them. It was a doctor."

"Do you have any allergies to medication?"

"I can't take any of the cillins. A pill they once gave me for roseola did a number on my stomach. Doxycillin, that was it."

"Is there a family history of skin cancer?"

"My Dad had several melanomas on his face. And my aunt had a different one. It wasn't the brash kind, it was more reticent … oh yes, a squeamish cell."

"Anybody else?"

"My cousin had something taken off too, but it was OK, just a karyotis."

"Have you had other skin problems?"

"Yes, I was treated with nitroglycerin for planter's warts. Some kind of fungus."

"Warts are a virus."

"Yes. And besides the fungus, I also had athlete's foot. The itch was terrible. I got a cream."

"Do you remember which one?"

"It came in a tube."

"Do you know the name?"

"It was white."

"Do you have a history of rashes?"

"Yes, I've had eczema for years."

"Any family history of eczema?"

"My uncle had psoriasis."

"Is your eczema pretty constant?"

"No, it comes and goes. At the change of seasons it tends to exasperate. Then I go to the doctor, and he describes something."

"Which helps?"

"Oh yes. Whenever there's an exasperation, I get a subscription and the eczema goes into recession."

"Which cream is that?"

"It comes in a tube."

"And it's white?"

"No, actually it's kind of clear. I think I remember the name … fluconide … flocunood … flucafloca … flinkanode …"

"Lidex?"

"That's it!"

"You're new to the practice. How did you find me?"

"You seem OK."

Discussions with patients can strongly impact me.

Sometimes it takes a couple of hours and a Jack Daniels on the rocks for me to be fully disimpacted.

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The man's complaint came as no surprise.

"Doctor, can you look at my molds?"

This is a common request that has minor variations. For instance, patients from the former British Commonwealth ask me to check their moulds.

"Did you ever have any removed?"

"Yes, but it was no problem. They did an autopsy."

I examined his back, looking for a scar. "Where were they taken off?"

"In Chicago."

"Who would have the test results?"

"I'm afraid I don't remember who removed them. It was a doctor."

"Do you have any allergies to medication?"

"I can't take any of the cillins. A pill they once gave me for roseola did a number on my stomach. Doxycillin, that was it."

"Is there a family history of skin cancer?"

"My Dad had several melanomas on his face. And my aunt had a different one. It wasn't the brash kind, it was more reticent … oh yes, a squeamish cell."

"Anybody else?"

"My cousin had something taken off too, but it was OK, just a karyotis."

"Have you had other skin problems?"

"Yes, I was treated with nitroglycerin for planter's warts. Some kind of fungus."

"Warts are a virus."

"Yes. And besides the fungus, I also had athlete's foot. The itch was terrible. I got a cream."

"Do you remember which one?"

"It came in a tube."

"Do you know the name?"

"It was white."

"Do you have a history of rashes?"

"Yes, I've had eczema for years."

"Any family history of eczema?"

"My uncle had psoriasis."

"Is your eczema pretty constant?"

"No, it comes and goes. At the change of seasons it tends to exasperate. Then I go to the doctor, and he describes something."

"Which helps?"

"Oh yes. Whenever there's an exasperation, I get a subscription and the eczema goes into recession."

"Which cream is that?"

"It comes in a tube."

"And it's white?"

"No, actually it's kind of clear. I think I remember the name … fluconide … flocunood … flucafloca … flinkanode …"

"Lidex?"

"That's it!"

"You're new to the practice. How did you find me?"

"You seem OK."

Discussions with patients can strongly impact me.

Sometimes it takes a couple of hours and a Jack Daniels on the rocks for me to be fully disimpacted.

The man's complaint came as no surprise.

"Doctor, can you look at my molds?"

This is a common request that has minor variations. For instance, patients from the former British Commonwealth ask me to check their moulds.

"Did you ever have any removed?"

"Yes, but it was no problem. They did an autopsy."

I examined his back, looking for a scar. "Where were they taken off?"

"In Chicago."

"Who would have the test results?"

"I'm afraid I don't remember who removed them. It was a doctor."

"Do you have any allergies to medication?"

"I can't take any of the cillins. A pill they once gave me for roseola did a number on my stomach. Doxycillin, that was it."

"Is there a family history of skin cancer?"

"My Dad had several melanomas on his face. And my aunt had a different one. It wasn't the brash kind, it was more reticent … oh yes, a squeamish cell."

"Anybody else?"

"My cousin had something taken off too, but it was OK, just a karyotis."

"Have you had other skin problems?"

"Yes, I was treated with nitroglycerin for planter's warts. Some kind of fungus."

"Warts are a virus."

"Yes. And besides the fungus, I also had athlete's foot. The itch was terrible. I got a cream."

"Do you remember which one?"

"It came in a tube."

"Do you know the name?"

"It was white."

"Do you have a history of rashes?"

"Yes, I've had eczema for years."

"Any family history of eczema?"

"My uncle had psoriasis."

"Is your eczema pretty constant?"

"No, it comes and goes. At the change of seasons it tends to exasperate. Then I go to the doctor, and he describes something."

"Which helps?"

"Oh yes. Whenever there's an exasperation, I get a subscription and the eczema goes into recession."

"Which cream is that?"

"It comes in a tube."

"And it's white?"

"No, actually it's kind of clear. I think I remember the name … fluconide … flocunood … flucafloca … flinkanode …"

"Lidex?"

"That's it!"

"You're new to the practice. How did you find me?"

"You seem OK."

Discussions with patients can strongly impact me.

Sometimes it takes a couple of hours and a Jack Daniels on the rocks for me to be fully disimpacted.

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