Local Endocrine fellow and brand-new father, Dr. Patrick Tumble, reports unadulterated joy at getting 3 am phone call regarding a high blood glucose. Dr.Tumble was asleep for the first time in “what felt like weeks” since becoming a new father to twin boys 2 weeks ago. His first night on call he received a phone call from a very concerned intern that the patient’s blood sugar was 201.
Her orders read to call if patient BG is >450 but she wanted to be extra cautious. The intern did not feel the oncall resident or nocturnist could handle this emergency and felt it was of upmost importance the fellow receive this information.
Dr. Tumble showed great enthusiasm when asked how he handled this news. “This is the stuff they prepare us for,” he said while wiping formula from his shirt. “To know what to do, even if we get a call in the middle of the night,” he added. The fellow quickly ordered an additional 3 units of lispro to the standing 10 units – an act that was well received by his attending.
Pat knows his stuff and hes exactly the guy you need in these types of emergencies, boasted Dr. Andrews, Chairmen of Endocrine at Methodist Hospital. Dr.Tumble plans to increase the patients nightly dose of Lantus and stay up tonight just in case the intern calls.
