Sometimes patients are so distressing. Sometimes they are just aggravating. Sometimes they're just very nice and for those, I will bend over backwards and do my darnest.

Yesterday, I received a call from a patient who had missed her April 1 appointment. After I made her follow up appointment, she started crying. I asked her if she was okay. She started spilling her guts and told me that she started using heroin again because she doesn't have pain medication to manage the pain. I feel sorry for her but on the other hand, if she didn't abuse the system and keep her appointments with her primary care doctor, she would have someone to care for her.

Sometimes I feel like we're stuck. You want to help these patients but you also don't want to have them depend on you ALL THE TIME.

Best get back to work.