Episode 02 Popcorn for Life
You remove your stethoscope from your patient’s back – this gentleman has inflammation and scarring in his small airways and you get to break the bad news. He has been experiencing shortness of breath for about three months now. His medical history provides few clues as to the cause, and you’re stumped. During a break you discuss this patient with some of the nurses at the nursing station. When you mention that he works at the nearby popcorn plant, the head nurse’s eyes light up. She remembers three other patients within the last year or two who had a similar progressive, obstructive lung diseases – and all three worked at the popcorn plant. They seem like exact matches. You and the head nurse decide to investigate further. Four hours later you have a list of NINE patients who presented with the same obstructive lung disease, who also worked at the popcorn plant. You call the hospital’s occupational physician and start asking questions. Two weeks later, you find yourself being inte