Medical Record Quotes

The following quotes were taken from actual medical records dictated by physicians. They appeared in a column written by Richard Lederer, Ph.D., for the Journal of Court Reporting.

• By the time he was admitted, his rapid heart had stopped, and he was feeling better.
• Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.
• The patient states there is a burning pain in his penis which goes to his feet.
• On the second day the knee was better and on the third day it had completely disappeared.
• She has had no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night.
• The patient has been depressed ever since she began seeing me in 1983.
• I will be happy to go into her GI system; she seems ready and anxious.
• Patient was released to outpatient department without dressing. I have suggested that he loosen his pants before standing, and then, when he stands with the help of his wife, they should fall to the floor.
• The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.
• Discharge status: Alive but without permission. The patient will need disposition, and therefore we will get Dr. Blank to dispose of him.
• Healthy appearing decrepit 69 year-old male, mentally alert but forgetful.
• The patient refused an autopsy.
• The patient has no past history of suicides.
• The patient expired on the floor uneventfully.
• Patient has left his white blood cells at another hospital.
• Patient was becoming more demented with urinary frequency.
• The patient's past medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40 pound weight gain in the past three days.
• She slipped on the ice and apparently her legs went in separate directions in early December.
• The patient experienced sudden onset of severe shortness of breath with a picture of acute pulmonary edema at home while having sex which gradually deteriorated in the emergency room.
• The patient left the hospital feeling much better except for her original complaints.

Answered Prayers

The Pastor asked if anyone in the congregation would like to express Praise for answered prayers. A lady stood and walked to the podium. She said, "I have a Praise. Two months ago, my husband, Phil had a terrible bicycle wreck and his scrotum was completely crushed. The pain was excruciating and the doctors didn't know if they could help him.."
You could hear a muffled gasp from the men in the congregation as they imagined the pain that poor Phil must have experienced.
"Phil was unable to hold me or the children," she went on, "and every move caused him terrible pain. We prayed as the doctors performed a delicate operation, and it turned out they were able to piece together the crushed remnants of Phil's scrotum and wrap wire around it to hold it in place...."
Again, the men in the congregation were unnerved and squirmed uncomfortably as they imagined the horrible surgery performed on Phil.
"Now," she announced in a quavering voice, "thank the Lord, Phil is out of the hospital and the doctors say that with time, his scrotum should recover completely." All the men sighed with relief. The Pastor rose and tentatively asked if anyone else had something to say. A man stood up and walked slowly to the podium. He said, "I'm Phil."
The entire congregation held its breath.......
"I just want to tell my wife that the word is sternum.

Actual Court Testimonial

30 things people actually said in court:
1. Q: What is your date of birth?  A: July 15th  
Q: What year?  A: Every year.
2. Q: What gear were you in the moment of impact?  A: Gucci sweets and Reeboks.
3. Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory  A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?  A: I forget.
Q: You forget. Can you give us an example of something that you have forgotten?
4. Q: How old is your son, the one living with you?  A: 38 or 35, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you? A: 45 years.
5. Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke that morning?  A: He said "Where am I, Cathy?"
Q: And why did that upset you? A:  My name is Susan.
6. Q: And where was the location of the accident?  A: Approximately milepost 499.
Q: And where is milepost 499? A: Probably between milepost 498 and 500.
7. Q: Sir, What is your IQ? A: Well, I can see pretty well, I think.
8. Q: Did you blow your horn or anything? A: After the accident?
Q: Before the accident. A: Sure, I played for ten years. I even went to school for it.
9. Q: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo or the occult? A: We both do.
Q: Voodoo? A: We do.
Q: You do? A: Yes, Voodoo.
10. Q: Trooper, when you stopped the defendant, were you red and blue lights flashing?  A: Yes
Q: Did the defendant say anything when she got out of her car? A: Yes sir
Q: What did she say? A: What disco am I at?
11. Q: Now doctor, isnt it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesnt know about it until the next morning?
12. Q: The youngest son, the 22 year old, how old is he?
13. Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?
14. Q: Was it you or your younger brother who was killed in the war?
15. Q: Did he kill you?
16. Q: How far apart were the vehicles at the time of collision?
17. Q: You were there until the time you left, is that true?
18. Q: How many times have you committed suicide?
19. Q: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
A: Yes. Q: What were you doing at the time?
20. Q: She had three children right? A: Yes.
Q: How many were boys? A: none.
Q: Were there any girls?
21. Q: You say the stairs went down to the basement? A: yes
Q: And these stairs, did they go up also?
22. Q: Mr. Slatery, you went on a rather eleborate honeymoon, didnt you? A: I went to Europe, Sir.
Q: And you took your new wife?
23. Q: How was your first marriage terminated? A: By death.
Q: And by whose death was it terminated?
24. Q: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney? A: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
25. Q: Can you describe the individual? A: He was about medium height and had a beard.
Q: Was this a male or female?
26. Q: Doctor how many autopsies have you performed on dead people? A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
27. Q: All your responses must be oral, OK,? What school did you go to? A: Oral
28. Q: Do you recall the time you examined the body? A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time? A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.
29. Q: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
30. Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse? A: No.
Q: Did you check for blood pressure? A: No.
Q: Did you check for breathing? A: No.
Q: So it was possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy? A: No.
Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor? A: Because his brains was sitting on my desk in a jar.
Q: But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless? A: It is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law somewhere.