The Excuses

"I don't like taking my medicine."

"I don't like the side effects of my medicine--you know, it's, uh, a personal thing, uh, a sexual thing."

"I don't like being dependent on a medicine."

"What if I can't stop taking it?"

"I don't want to have to take a medicine to be normal."

"Taking an antidepressant makes me a weak person--I should be able to deal with my own problems."

The next time one of these phrases comes out of a patient's mouth, I should be reminded how many times they've entered my mind as an excuse for not taking my medicine. Which I did not bring on this trip to my dad's house. I feel fine for now, but I'm about to start my OB rotation and will need all the help I can get.