One, actually two, less things to explain....

Some aspects of modern medical technology are really useful.  In particular I enjoy the digital xray systems.  I can be looking at the images on a computer screen before the patient is even back in the ER.  I can zoom them in and out, rotate the angles, play with the contrast to highlight subtle features....its great.

I can also print out a low res version to bring back to the patient room.  It helps explain things better in an era where people appear to be more visually oriented.

But on occasion this can backfire on me.

A few months back I had a very sweet kindergarten teacher in with a cough.  We needed to exclude pneumonia, so I ordered a chest xray.  As it happens she had her four year old daughter with her, also a very sweet person.

So I asked "Would you like to see cool xray skeleton pictures of your mom?".

Well of course she would.

Off goes the school marm to the radiology department.  Back comes the images to my computer.

But when my finger hovered above the print button I paused, wondering, "Has mom explained those very elaborate nipple rings to daughter?".

So on that occasion I broke a small promise to a small person and did not print off xrays for the fridge at home!