Stimulus

Conference this morning was on the topic of Fluids, Fluid Management, and Nutrition. An interesting topic for some, as evident by the 45 page chapter written about this subject in one my surgical texts, but not quite so much in concordance with my interests. Midway during the conference, as my attention span and my general state of alertness was wandering in and out, the lecturer called on me to name the source of aldosterone.

"The adrenal glands."

My reply was met with a disgusted and confused look, followed closely by "Where, did you say?"

I looked back, a bit confused myself. The lecturer looked very much perplexed by my answer. Wait... I began to doubt myself. Where IS aldosterone produced? If not the adrenals, then where? My mind raced, looking for the correct answer. All of a sudden, I couldn't even remember what the hell aldosterone was anymore. It became a nonsense word with four syllables.

"Uhh..." The room was silent. I looked around, hoping a fellow resident would offer a hint. None. Just a sea of blank faces looking at me to answer this crazy man's question.

I stuck with my original answer. "The adrenals?"

"Yes. That's correct."

"But that's what I said in the first place!"

"I thought you said, 'The renal glands.'"

"What's a renal gland?"

"Exactly."