Stinky Patients!

**Sledzinator** · 08-28-2012, 11:53 AM

Here is my rant

. We just had some grandparents come in hoping to get there grandsons glasses replaced under medicaid. Our receptionist notices that they are each wearing 2 pair of sunglasses and asks why. They said in our line of work you need them. She then asks what they do. They haul dead animal carcuses for a living (there are several very large dairies around here). While explaining the the Rx has expired and he needs a new exam they managed to smell up the whole office with the stench of dead rotting cow. I told the ladies on the other side if they com in smelling like dead cow again to kindly ask them to leave. We do glasses for a lot of localy well known people including the mayor. I believe it is rude to knowingly enter a dr's office smelling of death. So now our office smells of a combination of lilac, lysol, and death. Ok rant over noseplugs on.

**mdeimler** · 08-28-2012, 12:21 PM

That's a lot worse than our Gateway patients smelling like fried foods and cigarettes.

**optilady1** · 08-28-2012, 12:40 PM

I hate any perfume. None of them smell good, and they all give me immediate headaches. And cat pee. I will take poop anyday of the week over perfume and cat pee.

**TanyaO** · 08-28-2012, 12:43 PM

We had a very large mom yesterday who forgot to wear a brassiere and then when she got up from the vinyl chair, there was a thin line of wetness. Not to mention the nice aroma they left in our office. Not enough disinfectants and air deodorizers....

**SharonB** · 08-29-2012, 06:59 AM

We live in a dairy farm area (think Chobani, Oikos, etc.) - when the farmers come in, they smell like....well, a dairy farm. There is nothing they can do to eradicate that smell from their clothing, and that means they smell even after showering and dressing in freshly laundered clothing. While it's not pleasant for us, we are all sympathetic. These people work 365/24/7, with no vacations, to keep yoghurt on the grocery store shelves.
With that said - I have also been faced with nasty clean-ups from patients who have urinated (or worse) on waiting room chairs, in the refracting lane, or who have left yucky messes in the restrooms. I never thought I'd be doing THAT as an optician! We always keep air fresheners, disinfectants, wipes, etc. available for quick use.
The absolute worst experience I had was a teenager in for a CL follow-up. He had a "do-rag" on that smelled so intensely of cat urine that I had to keep leaving the exam room so that I wouldn't barf...it took us 2 days to get that smell out of the room!

**SharonB** · 08-29-2012, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by optilady1

I hate any perfume. None of them smell good, and they all give me immediate headaches. And cat pee. I will take poop anyday of the week over perfume and cat pee.

Totally agree - maybe because we're moms - poop over cat pee anytime!

**Sledzinator** · 08-29-2012, 08:51 AM

Yeah we get a lot of dairy men in here too and they are some of the hardest working people out there. The death smell is a whole new ball game. I texted one of my dairy friends and he said that the dead smell still makes him gag even though he grew up on a dairy. Luckily the smell has gone and I can freely breath again!

**MikeAurelius** · 08-29-2012, 09:18 AM

Febreeze?

**Sledzinator** · 08-29-2012, 09:32 AM

We ended up doing febreeze and lysol but it just ended up smelling like lylac lysol and death lol.

**mdeimler** · 08-29-2012, 09:37 AM

This ozium stuff works great. It's expensive but you only need a small amount.
http://www.officedepot.com/a/product...eners-_-168611

**NCspecs** · 08-29-2012, 11:08 AM

When I was at my first lab job back in rural Wisconsin we had a regular patient who was a pig farmer. Being a good ole pratical wisconsinite, he didn't see the need to fool with a shower or a change of boots before he visited our dispensary. I still remember the manager trying to clean the pig poop off of the carpet. Incidently I learned about glasses lenses from him- it's all he would wear, no exceptions.

Speaking of poop, At the last place I worked a 50 year old woman defecated in the chair during an office visit. That was pretty special.

**kat** · 08-29-2012, 11:54 AM

You can also put a little mentholatum under your nose and that will eliminate the smells. Of course you have to be aboe to tolerate mentholatum, or some other type of cream (ointment) that you can place under your nose.

**SharonB** · 08-29-2012, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by NCspecs

When I was at my first lab job back in rural Wisconsin we had a regular patient who was a pig farmer. Being a good ole pratical wisconsinite, he didn't see the need to fool with a shower or a change of boots before he visited our dispensary. I still remember the manager trying to clean the pig poop off of the carpet. Incidently I learned about glasses lenses from him- it's all he would wear, no exceptions.

Speaking of poop, At the last place I worked a 50 year old woman defecated in the chair during an office visit. That was pretty special.

Special???? That was NOT a gift!

**Diane** · 08-30-2012, 08:03 AM

Had a patient who walked the streets in our town, pulling a wheeled cart. Her hair was never combed, her clothes were filthy (an understatement), and she was stooped over mostly looking at the sidewalk. Nobody gave her much thought. She came in for an appointment and I made it for the last of the day the next afternoon, well after the last patient, which would keep us a bit late. I discussed it with the doc. He had a heart for human beings, just like I do. She showed up, and she smelled of urine and whatever...it was truly bad, but I sat down right next to her to talk with her. It turned out she was really intelligent. She knew nobody wanted to be around her, but then nobody gave her the time of day. The doc examined her, I ordered glasses for her (really high cyl) and she came back a few days later...late in the day to pick them up. It reminded me of why I do what I do. Not to judge my patients, but just to try to make their lives a little better by helping them see better.

Diane

**NCspecs** · 08-30-2012, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by SharonB

Special???? That was NOT a gift!

Lol! Actually it kinda was. I really did not like the tech who did all the prelim work-ups (she and the office manager made my life hell while I worked in that office) so it was kinda fun to watch her have a little freak out session. I do believe in Karma. :)

Originally Posted by Diane

Not to judge my patients, but just to try to make their lives a little better by helping them see better.

You are right, of course. Sometimes people can surprise you. My pig farmer was a sweetheart even if he had no regard for carpet. ;)

**chip anderson** · 08-30-2012, 10:48 AM

You could do what they do on all the cop shows when there is a dead body that has been lying in place for a few days.
Light up a cigar!

**Diane** · 08-30-2012, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

You could do what they do on all the cop shows when there is a dead body that has been lying in place for a few days.
Light up a cigar!

For a non-smoker, who detests smoke, this could probably make me smoke one. :)

Diane

**CCGREEN** · 08-30-2012, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Diane

Had a patient who walked the streets in our town, pulling a wheeled cart. Her hair was never combed, her clothes were filthy (an understatement), and she was stooped over mostly looking at the sidewalk. Nobody gave her much thought. She came in for an appointment and I made it for the last of the day the next afternoon, well after the last patient, which would keep us a bit late. I discussed it with the doc. He had a heart for human beings, just like I do. She showed up, and she smelled of urine and whatever...it was truly bad, but I sat down right next to her to talk with her. It turned out she was really intelligent. She knew nobody wanted to be around her, but then nobody gave her the time of day. The doc examined her, I ordered glasses for her (really high cyl) and she came back a few days later...late in the day to pick them up. It reminded me of why I do what I do. Not to judge my patients, but just to try to make their lives a little better by helping them see better.

Diane

OptiBoard need's a "Like" button

**CoolOptician** · 09-04-2012, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by CCGREEN

OptiBoard need's a "Like" button

Lolol! Agreed! A *like* button for Diane's story! And a *Crack Up Laughing* button for NCSpecs......'that was pretty special' was classic!

**TNFrazier** · 09-07-2012, 04:58 PM

I had a patient come in one time smeling like they haven't bathed for a weeks. I am usually a very kind and sweet/pleasant person, but that day my "face" showed exactly how I was feeling and what I was smelling. Two cans of air freshener and disinfectants later the stinch left with the office was just as strong as ever.

**TNFrazier** · 09-07-2012, 05:12 PM

I love this story. I feel the same way but due to my week stomach in these severe cases I would'nt have been able to sit with her for such a long period.