Bloody Smile Man

I went into the room of a man about sixty-five years old. He was naked except for a disposable diaper. He was strapped down by leather restraints on all four of his extremities because he had been disruptive at the psychiatric home where he stays.

He had been sent in to the emergency department because he was on Coumadin, a medicine that decreases the blood’s ability to clot. He had been having some bleeding from his mouth that concerned his caretakers.

He was smiling a big, wide, toothy smile. There was fresh, red blood all over the visible parts of his mouth, teeth and lips. It was running down his chin, neck and into his right armpit. Along with the wild-eyed look on his face, it would have made a great scene for a horror show.

I opened with my usual: “Hello, I’m Dr. Tad. Welcome to The Medical Center.”

His eyes seemed to open even wider and he spit a little bit of blood with each consonant as he said, “Well, hello, Dr. Tad. Do you want to suck my dick?” I wish I could fully convey how bizarre, funny and sad it was at the same time. The nurse and I just lost it and I had to walk out of the room to get our composure.