1/
"No Day"
Me: “Okay, so the only thing left for us to do is your flu shot.”
You: *snorts* “Oh, you funny. And you think you slick.”
*laughter*
Me: “What?”
You: “You KNOW he told you I ain’t taking no flu shot.” *points at resident*
You were right. He had told me.
"No Day"
Me: “Okay, so the only thing left for us to do is your flu shot.”
You: *snorts* “Oh, you funny. And you think you slick.”
*laughter*
Me: “What?”
You: “You KNOW he told you I ain’t taking no flu shot.” *points at resident*
You were right. He had told me.
2/
I’d asked him why you didn’t want the flu shot. And the answer he gave was like ones I’d heard often—like:
"That shot gives you the flu."
"I never had the flu before."
"I don’t trust that shot."
"The one time I got that shot I got sick."
And so on.
I’d asked him why you didn’t want the flu shot. And the answer he gave was like ones I’d heard often—like:
"That shot gives you the flu."
"I never had the flu before."
"I don’t trust that shot."
"The one time I got that shot I got sick."
And so on.
3/
Before we went in your room, I probed.
Me: “She’s got advanced COPD and diabetes. Like, she needs a flu shot.”
Resident: “Um Dr. M? Hello. I KNOW that.”
Me: *twisting my mouth*
Him: “It’s a ‘no day’ for the flu shot, for real."
But still. I wanted you to get a flu shot.
Before we went in your room, I probed.
Me: “She’s got advanced COPD and diabetes. Like, she needs a flu shot.”
Resident: “Um Dr. M? Hello. I KNOW that.”
Me: *twisting my mouth*
Him: “It’s a ‘no day’ for the flu shot, for real."
But still. I wanted you to get a flu shot.
4/
You were right. I had tried to be slick. And you weren’t having it.
Nope.
Me: “So tell me--why no flu shot?”
You: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I been on this earth since 1941 and ain’t never had nobody’s flu. I ain’t had nobody’s flu SHOT neither.” *shaking your head*
You were right. I had tried to be slick. And you weren’t having it.
Nope.
Me: “So tell me--why no flu shot?”
You: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I been on this earth since 1941 and ain’t never had nobody’s flu. I ain’t had nobody’s flu SHOT neither.” *shaking your head*
5/
Me: “Hmm. Okay. But—“
You: *interrupting me* “Why y’all feel like y'all ALWAYS got to be doing stuff to people? That’s why folk stay so sick nowadays!”
You sucked your teeth.
You: “See? You can’t even deny it. Just ‘cause it’s on a checklist don’t mean I need it.”
Ooph.
Me: “Hmm. Okay. But—“
You: *interrupting me* “Why y’all feel like y'all ALWAYS got to be doing stuff to people? That’s why folk stay so sick nowadays!”
You sucked your teeth.
You: “See? You can’t even deny it. Just ‘cause it’s on a checklist don’t mean I need it.”
Ooph.
6/
You weren’t new to shutting down what you didn't want. We weren't either.
Especially on this—a “no day” for flu shots.
Nope.
The clinic was busy. You’d agreed to take insulin last year and even took a Pneumovax once. Maybe this wasn’t worth the fight.
Sigh.
You weren’t new to shutting down what you didn't want. We weren't either.
Especially on this—a “no day” for flu shots.
Nope.
The clinic was busy. You’d agreed to take insulin last year and even took a Pneumovax once. Maybe this wasn’t worth the fight.
Sigh.
7/
There are these days where I feel the weight of “no days” and the clinical inertia they create. The fight in me begins to wane. A learned helplessness sets in.
You say no.
I say ok.
All of it is modeled for the learners, too. How we fight for you. And how we don’t.
There are these days where I feel the weight of “no days” and the clinical inertia they create. The fight in me begins to wane. A learned helplessness sets in.
You say no.
I say ok.
All of it is modeled for the learners, too. How we fight for you. And how we don’t.
8/
I was out of ideas. The motivational interviewing only irritated you. The cultural alignment between us only amplified your comfort in telling me your feelings unfiltered.
“HELL to the NO!” you'd said. Which made us laugh.
Even though you skipping a flu shot wasn't funny.
I was out of ideas. The motivational interviewing only irritated you. The cultural alignment between us only amplified your comfort in telling me your feelings unfiltered.
“HELL to the NO!” you'd said. Which made us laugh.
Even though you skipping a flu shot wasn't funny.
9/
But the thing is—you had a point. You HAD been on this earth since 1941 which was significant. And the part that stung the most was the checklist reference.
Was it that? Just a box to check?
I decided to change the subject. I asked about the holidays and about your family.
But the thing is—you had a point. You HAD been on this earth since 1941 which was significant. And the part that stung the most was the checklist reference.
Was it that? Just a box to check?
I decided to change the subject. I asked about the holidays and about your family.
10/
You: “I got 16 grands. AND 2 great-grands! All spoiled! Everybody thank Big Mama s'posed to get 'em something, too. Lawd.”
*smiling*
Me: “A Big Mama is a blessing.”
You: “Sholl is. ‘Specially when you want a iPad.”
*more laughter*
You: “I got 16 grands. AND 2 great-grands! All spoiled! Everybody thank Big Mama s'posed to get 'em something, too. Lawd.”
*smiling*
Me: “A Big Mama is a blessing.”
You: “Sholl is. ‘Specially when you want a iPad.”
*more laughter*
11/
Me: “What’s the grandbabies' age range?”
You: “Got one that’s grown—like 20-something. And the littlest one ain’t but 6 months. That’s the one I keep while her mama at work.”
Me: “So the baby is with you?”
You: “More than she with anybody else seem like it.”
Hmmm.
Me: “What’s the grandbabies' age range?”
You: “Got one that’s grown—like 20-something. And the littlest one ain’t but 6 months. That’s the one I keep while her mama at work.”
Me: “So the baby is with you?”
You: “More than she with anybody else seem like it.”
Hmmm.
12/
Me: “Did the baby get a flu shot?”
You: “Lawd. Here you go.”
*laughter*
Me: “It’s kind of a big deal.”
You: “Only ‘cause y’all make it one.”
Me: "Maybe. But . . . can I show you something?”
You didn’t say no.
Even though it was the “no day.”
So I took that as yes.
Me: “Did the baby get a flu shot?”
You: “Lawd. Here you go.”
*laughter*
Me: “It’s kind of a big deal.”
You: “Only ‘cause y’all make it one.”
Me: "Maybe. But . . . can I show you something?”
You didn’t say no.
Even though it was the “no day.”
So I took that as yes.
13/
Me: “Okay, so my friend showed me this website. She’s an infection doctor and they follow this. Kind of like the weather for the flu.”
I opened FluView and clicked into it.
Me: “So this is Georgia.” *pointing* "See? The flu is no joke this year.”
You leaned in closer.
Me: “Okay, so my friend showed me this website. She’s an infection doctor and they follow this. Kind of like the weather for the flu.”
I opened FluView and clicked into it.
Me: “So this is Georgia.” *pointing* "See? The flu is no joke this year.”
You leaned in closer.
14/
You: “Did anybody die?”
Me: “From the flu?”
You: “No, from a papercut."
*laughter*
You: *studying the screen* "Yeah, the flu!”
Me: “Yes, ma’am. Every year.”
You: "Are they all sickly people?”
Me: “Not all. Some older people, kids. . . babies, too.”
Your eyes flung open.
You: “Did anybody die?”
Me: “From the flu?”
You: “No, from a papercut."
*laughter*
You: *studying the screen* "Yeah, the flu!”
Me: “Yes, ma’am. Every year.”
You: "Are they all sickly people?”
Me: “Not all. Some older people, kids. . . babies, too.”
Your eyes flung open.
15/
Me: “So like the hope is that if enough people get vaccinated, they won’t give to each other. Or get super sick themselves.”
You: *listening*
Me: “So like. . .since your grandbaby is always with you and you're up in age. . . that's why I want you to get a flu shot bad.”
Me: “So like the hope is that if enough people get vaccinated, they won’t give to each other. Or get super sick themselves.”
You: *listening*
Me: “So like. . .since your grandbaby is always with you and you're up in age. . . that's why I want you to get a flu shot bad.”
16/
You: "Did you just say I was 'up in age?'"
*laughter*
We talked some more and it was good. And I could tell that you had moved from “no day” to “I’ll think about it” day.
Yup.
And I know. The story would be so much better if it ended with a yes.
Alas, it did not.
You: "Did you just say I was 'up in age?'"
*laughter*
We talked some more and it was good. And I could tell that you had moved from “no day” to “I’ll think about it” day.
Yup.
And I know. The story would be so much better if it ended with a yes.
Alas, it did not.
17/
But.
It did end with a real, true maybe. And me recognizing that our patients DO have the capacity to have public health and evidence discussions for a better understanding of why we suggest these things for them.
Yup.
But.
It did end with a real, true maybe. And me recognizing that our patients DO have the capacity to have public health and evidence discussions for a better understanding of why we suggest these things for them.
Yup.
18/
You: “I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to that baby.”
Me: “I bet you those grandbabies want nothing to happen to Big Mama neither.”
*silence*
You: *eyes narrowed* “You think you slick.”
Me: “The slickest.”
*smiling*
Maybe next time will be "yes day."🤞🏾😊
You: “I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to that baby.”
Me: “I bet you those grandbabies want nothing to happen to Big Mama neither.”
*silence*
You: *eyes narrowed* “You think you slick.”
Me: “The slickest.”
*smiling*
Maybe next time will be "yes day."🤞🏾😊
