Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The day I went to work and met a real vampire

Archana Reddy Shrestha, MD
Conditions
October 15, 2015
2K Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

It all started out seeming like a pretty routine visit. My patient was in her early 30s and had come into the emergency department for weakness and was in no distress.

As I was talking with her about her symptoms she would flash the occasional smile. It was then I noticed that she had fangs. Not the kind that some people naturally have from misaligned teeth, but she had really long, sharp canine teeth.

She had some tattoos and a variety of piercings, so I just figured that the fangs were also a part of her look, perhaps a new trend that I’d never seen before.

She was coherent, articulate, had good hygiene and had no psychiatric history. Aside from the fangs, she seemed like a fairly average 30-year-old.

“Your blood work shows that you are anemic. Have you been having heavy menstrual periods?” I asked, as I reviewed her lab results. “Also your white blood cell count is elevated. Have you been sick lately?”

“I have always had abnormal blood counts my entire life, but not due to heavy periods or illness,” she said.

“What have your doctors told you it was due to in the past?” I asked.

“My doctors have never been able to tell me why,” she said and then hesitated. Flashing her fanged grin, she went on to say, “I am into some unique things.”

She was a little reluctant to open up but with a little encouragement she did. “I am a vampire. I drink human blood,” she told me.

I immediately had to put on my poker face as I was about to lose my professional, straight face.

It was one of the craziest things I had heard in a long time. I knew the movie Twilight was popular, but couldn’t believe that there were people who took their love of vampires to this level.

Immediately rushing through my head were thoughts of all the potential infectious diseases that she could possible have, like hepatitis or HIV.

“There are times when I crave a flesh meal. I am craving one now,” she continued to say.

My spine tingled as she said those words and for a split second I wondered if I was safe alone in the room with her. But she was so non-threatening and calm that I decided to continue.

I was intrigued and had to learn more about this. “So you drink other people’s blood? How do you get the blood? You could get hepatitis or HIV or other infections doing that,” I said.

She went on to tell me that she had one donor who gave her his blood. And that she had gone with him to the doctor to get tested for hepatitis and HIV and other blood-borne illnesses. He shared his results with her, and that is how she knew he didn’t have any infections.

“Wait, so there are people who want to donate blood to vampires? How did you find your donor?” I asked fascinated by what she was telling me.

“There are websites for real vampires to find donors. There is an entire community of vampires and donors out there, throughout the country and around the world,” she explained.

“Really!” I was very intrigued by all that she was saying. It was one of those moments where you hear about something completely new, and you just have to know more. “What about your fangs? How did you get those?” I asked.

“I had them filed that way. Many of us vampires have them done like this. Or you can get caps that go over the teeth,” she said pulling her lip up so that I could appreciate the full view of her fangs. She too was enjoying this conversation and my intrigue.

After we talked a little longer, and I had learned all about her vampirism, I told her that I was highly concerned about her habit of drinking blood. We talked about the various infectious diseases to which she may have been exposed. Next, we came up with a treatment and follow-up plan, and I told her it was imperative that she get tested for a variety of blood-borne diseases.

In researching for this blog post, I have learned more about real vampires, as they like to be called.

Contrary to the vampires of novels and Hollywood films, real vampires do not attack random people and bite into their necks, nor become bats at night or live for eternity.

They are real vampires in that they do believe they need blood or psychic energy from others in order to feel healthy and to overcome a perceived deficiency in energy.

Those who feed on aura or pranic energy are known as psychic vampires. And those who feed on blood (human blood is preferred) are called sanguinarian vampires.

They have willing donors who allow them to drink their blood. They follow certain rules about where to cut their donor and how much blood they can safely take from them.

Many of the donor/vampire relationships are well established and long-term. The donor is often treated well by the vampire so that the vampire does not lose the relationship.

There are also lifestyle vampires who like to dress like vampires but do not require blood or energy from others and are not considered real vampires.

In contrast real vampires, like my patient, believe they are born with this vampiric condition and that it is not something that they chose to have. Many believe their life would be easier without this condition.

It is hard to know how many real vampires there are throughout the U.S. or the world because many real vampires do not openly reveal their vampirism.

In many ways, they can seem pretty average, as my patient did, and may not stand out as vampires at all. They hold all sorts of jobs and may be single or married, and some are parents as well.

Vampires do indeed walk amongst us, and they may one day walk into your ER or office or grocery store. At least now you won’t be spooked when you meet one.

Archana Reddy is an emergency physician who blogs at Emergency Care for You. She can be reached on Twitter @AReddyMD.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Tips for patients to help ensure an accurate diagnosis

October 14, 2015 Kevin 114
…
Next

The NIH meets Kickstarter: DreamRCT is back for 2015

October 15, 2015 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Emergency Medicine

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Tips for patients to help ensure an accurate diagnosis
Next Post >
The NIH meets Kickstarter: DreamRCT is back for 2015

More by Archana Reddy Shrestha, MD

  • What Kamala Harris means for women doctors

    Archana Reddy Shrestha, MD
  • How to talk with your kids about exercise

    Archana Reddy Shrestha, MD
  • You have no idea what it’s like working in the ER as a pregnant physician

    Archana Reddy Shrestha, MD

Related Posts

  • Why social media may be causing real emotional harm

    Edwin Leap, MD
  • The first day of medical training during a pandemic

    Elizabeth D. Patton
  • 7 ideas for an alternative Match Day

    Melanie Sulistio, MD
  • A real-life example of irrational health care spending

    Taylor J. Christensen, MD
  • Who are the real superheroes of medicine?

    Batoul Harissa
  • Taking off the training wheels and becoming a real doctor

    Nathaniel Fleming

More in Conditions

  • The surprising medical mystery of a “good” Hitler: How a rescued kitten revealed a rare movement disorder

    Teresella Gondolo, MD
  • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

    Kim Downey, PT
  • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

    Althea Halchuck, EJD
  • An obstetrician-gynecologist reveals the truth about reproductive planning and how to navigate society’s expectations

    Yuliya Malayev, DO, MPH
  • Nose-brain connection: The surprising link between allergies and mental health revealed

    Kara Wada, MD
  • Is the rise in mental illness due to greater awareness or a true increase in incidence?

    Zahid Awan, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • How chronic illness and disability are portrayed in media and the importance of daily choices for improved quality of life

      Juliet Morgan and Meghan Jobson | Physician
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • A patient’s perspective on the diminishing relationship between doctors and patients

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Emulating Michael Jordan’s winning mindset: a path to success for health care professionals and entrepreneurs

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The growing threat to transgender health care: implications for patients, providers, and trainees

      Carson Hartlage | Policy
    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • A family physician’s journey on the OIG list and the struggle to return to practice [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Heartwarming stories of cancer patients teaching us about life and the human spirit

      Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH | Physician
    • We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

      Jeffrey A. Singer, MD | Physician
    • The meaning of death in medicine: the role of compassionate care in end-of-life patient care

      Ton La, Jr., MD, JD | Physician
    • From skydiving to saving lives: a surgeon’s journey on adversity, passion, and perseverance [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How can there be joy in medicine if there is no joy in Mudville?

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 2 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Myocardial Infarction Tied to Faster Cognitive Decline
  • Overuse of Some Disinfectants Can Do More Harm Than Good
  • Are Health Outcomes Any Different With MDs vs DOs?
  • COVID Outbreak at CDC Meeting Grows; 14 Cancer Drugs in Shortage; Human Organ Sales
  • 'Medically Relevant to Saving the Life of Your Patient': What We Heard This Week

Meeting Coverage

  • No Access to Routine Healthcare Biggest Barrier to HPV Vaccination
  • Trial Results Spark Talk of Curing More Metastatic Cervical Cancers
  • Cross-Border Collaboration Improves Survival in Pediatric Leukemia Patients
  • Monoclonal Antibody Reduced Need For Transfusions in Low-Risk MDS
  • Less-Invasive Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer Proves Safe, Effective
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • How chronic illness and disability are portrayed in media and the importance of daily choices for improved quality of life

      Juliet Morgan and Meghan Jobson | Physician
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • A patient’s perspective on the diminishing relationship between doctors and patients

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Emulating Michael Jordan’s winning mindset: a path to success for health care professionals and entrepreneurs

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The growing threat to transgender health care: implications for patients, providers, and trainees

      Carson Hartlage | Policy
    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • A family physician’s journey on the OIG list and the struggle to return to practice [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Heartwarming stories of cancer patients teaching us about life and the human spirit

      Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH | Physician
    • We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

      Jeffrey A. Singer, MD | Physician
    • The meaning of death in medicine: the role of compassionate care in end-of-life patient care

      Ton La, Jr., MD, JD | Physician
    • From skydiving to saving lives: a surgeon’s journey on adversity, passion, and perseverance [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How can there be joy in medicine if there is no joy in Mudville?

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

The day I went to work and met a real vampire
2 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...