Common Sense: becoming extinct

Whew, it's been a long week! I don't know if it's something in the air...perhaps the coming change of season...but I have gotten way too many patients lately that seem to be 5 pennies short of a nickel. Example:

Me: So how are you today?

Patient: Well, my shoulder has been flared up since yesterday. I think the exercise you made me do irritated it.

Me: Well, it's been 3 days since I saw you last. Did you have pain after you left here?

Patient: No, actually I felt pretty good.

Me: Did you do anything else that could have irritated it, like housework?

Patient: No, but yesterday I did sand and paint 6 pieces of 4x6 ft plywood pieces, but that surely didn't do it, did it? I think it was what you did.

Silently to myself: "NO, you're just a freaking IDIOT lady!"


Just looking to place the blame onto anyone but herself.
Since when did society change from being hard-working, honest, decent people to idiots who don't OWN their own actions, who blame others for their problems, and SUE other people "to get justice"? I just don't understand it. Yes, I am on a soap box right now. I do consider myself to be a kind, understanding, PATIENT P.T., but it is becoming more and more difficult to want to help someone who could care less about helping themselves. It is my job day in and day out to educate people on what to do/what not to do to manage pain, increase mobility; what I cannot do is control whether or not the patient follows through. I probably spend 2 out of 8 daily work hours having conversations such as the one above. People don't get it.