Melaena
I've longed for the smell of melaena.Noooo, although melaena can sometimes have a bit of a feminine colour and it sounds like a perfume, it certainly doesn't have the smell of a one. But then i wouldn't really know. cos i'd never smelt it =(
melaena's basically bleeding from the bowels, usually from higher up. the blood gets magically (chemicall) changed on the way, so that when it's reached the Southern exit it's turned dark, tarry, shiny, sticky...you get the picture. but it's also notorious for it's smell.which is described to be foul, distinct and unique.
i was called to see a patient last night who had a "large amount" of melaena. which according to the nurse had the typical smell of melaena. when i got there the melaena had already been removed. i did a PR (stuck a finger into her backside. for the non-medicos: don't ask) and saw some dark coloured fluid on my gloved finger. with the patient's back(side) towards me and after looking around quickly, i brought the same finger to 1 inch in front of my nose. I had to do it! how else was i going to learn!?! how else am i going to know it's melaena next time i see one!?! it was all for the sake of being a better doctor!! it was a sacrifice i had to make...and it smelt like ..... poo. just poo. nothing more. imagine my disappointment.
Addit:
Good news!!
No, i still haven't smelt a melaena yet. But, what i smelt yesterday wasn't melaena. the gut doctors came around and after detailed interrogation of the patient decided that what she passed was blood from the lower part of her gut. that's why it didn't smelt distinct! that's why it only smelt like poo. because it was just, well, poo (plus some normal blood). I shall continue to wait for a real melaena... with great patience...
posted by zhinger @ 12:01 pm
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