I can see where you're coming from, but while some people don't want to hear everything, some of us really really do - and it's the information medical staff rarely seem to think is important that in the short term we really want to know, like "in a few hours, we want to do this routine procedure, in which the following things happen" and "when you wake up, there will be this kind of dressing, which will be removed in ... hours, which will hurt, so if you are going to stop taking opiates, after that is the best time". These are the things that differentiate patient from piece of uniformly consenting meat. I appreciate most of your patients are in extreme life or death situations and various states of consciousness; my perspective is from being awake and terrified by a sudden barrage of assailants who could consult me about what they're doing but chose to pretend my mind was not really there. Also, I would like to be the judge of my emotional strength, rather than somebody who has known me for two hours.

I do regret coming on so strong with the "doctors are stupid" angle, I'm sorry, that was unfair. I have met some doctors who listen and think and are great, and some who seem to just follow an algorithm of what step comes next even when presented with some really important information.

I was under the impression you were in ICU all the time! Oops.