Me: So that’s how you work the Rapid Maxillary Expander appliance
Patient Dad: Fair enough. And how often do I have to do that?
Me: One turn every day, and I’ll check it again in 2 weeks
PD: But how’s that going to work?
Me: Well just turn it once a day, last thing at night is best.
PD: But he’s in boarding school.
Me: Oh.
Patient: Here, I’ll do it myself.
Me: Err, ok, you can have a go, but it can be diffic- oh. Fair play. You’re only the third person I’ve seen be able to do that for themselves.
There’s a phrase that comes up in training in medicine– I don’t know said it originally, or the exact original quote:
“Common illnesses happen often, but many people have rare diseases”.
The same is true of circumstances and situations.
Usually best to have someone help you with this.
(and folks, if you're looking closely, it's a different patient to the other photo)
The parallel is that most of my patients are children, and most of them live near Swords/Malahide/Skerries/Balbriggan/Portmarnock/Donabate etc, and most of them are at school near where they live, and most of them go home after school.
But some are at boarding schools.
Some live in other counties.
Some live in other countries.
Some are adults.
We’ll find a way for all of them.