O....M....G

For those that don't know, when you work inpatient, you get used to the population having a certain....aroma. The kind you get when you're deathly ill and not bathing appropriately. It's a completely understandable situation and you get over it...unless you meet that stench in the clinic.

We had a lady come in today with a BMI roughly in the low to mid 50's (important in a sec) and I got sent to see her first. I notice on her chart that she reports a 1/2ppd smoking history, which is complete BS because you could smell it on her through the door. Being a gentleman, I left the physical exam for when I could be supervised by my female attending (word to the wise, don't try an exam unsupervised on a female without at least SOMEONE else there). Unfortunately, I'm on gen surg at the moment, and we HAD to do an abdominal exam. I really don't mind doing one on obese people with the exception that you're not going to find anything, its the fact that we quickly found out this chick rarely bathes and certainly doesn't hit in between her folds. The smell alone was overpowering. Putrid even. Bleh.

So in conclusion, shower for f**k's sake. Please. Thanks.