➹MEDICAL HISTORY
[paper copy; viewable to anyone who wants to go through his bag]
Casefile
Patient: Robert Chase
DOB: 12.02.76
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 163lbs
CC: Patient is experiencing an ongoing, multisensory hallucination including paracusia (debatably inclusive of a persistent ticking), tactile and olfactory hallucination. While incapable of disengaging from the hallucination, patient remains at the questioning stage, suggesting some degree of mental clarity.
HOPI: No known history of mental disorder. No visions, voices or particularly lucid dreams. Patient has some experience with clinical hypnosis.
HPI:
Childhood illnesses : varicella, measles.
Ulna fracture: cast treament.
First case of anaphylaxia aged 12, second age 23. Treatment: epinephrine IM, dexamethasone, IV fluids. No biphasic reaction.
ROS: Beyond the four year long headache, nothing worth mentioning. Some fatigue, also explainable. No recent trauma.
DH: Post-exposure prophylaxis. Antiviral trizivir (HIV status: negative). Social alcohol. Echinacea. Vitamin C. Caffeine. NKDA.
FH:
Father: never ill a day in his life as far as I was aware. So who knows.
Death: small cell lung carcinoma
Age: 63
Mother: major depressive disorder, alcohol related (assumed) cognitive impairment [ delirium tremens, psychotic disorder, anxiety disorder], alcohol dementia, myopathy, liver cirrhosis.
Death: liver cirrhosis and pulmonary hypotension
Age: 42
SH: Not relevant.
Allergies: Strawberries [type 1 hypersensitivity allergic: anaphylaxia]
NKDA.
Immunisations: MMR. Tetanus. Hep B. Malaria. Influenza.
_____
DDX: Delirium Tremens (impact related): unlikely given the constant level of mental clarity and detail/length of hallucination. Which means Psychosis, most probably a brief psychotic disorder, which means I could wake up from this in a day or a week and regain all baseline functions. It would have to be stress triggered, but by what? Did I see something while I was on the phone? Was I hit?
I can give myself a month at most before I rule it out. A month gives enough time to straighten out any electrolyte disorders or deficiencies, sarcoidosis, tick-borne infection, minor tumors and neurosyphilis. More than a month and I have to start to consider something worse. Extensive lesions on the brain stem. An inoperable tumor. Acute subdural hematoma.
In other words, more than a month and I assume House is eating his Reuben sandwich off me while he watches Passions.