NationStates Jolt Archive

I took a friend to the hospital a few weeks ago, to remove a chunk of wood that had broken off into his foot when it was impaled on a stake. It was a relatively quick outpatient thing. The doctor took out a packet from a cabinet that was stocked with them, which contained an alcohol swab, plastic-cased safety-scalpel, clamp, scissors, tweezers, gauze, little garbage bag and a couple towels.

Anyway, I do a fair amount of minor surgeries at home - I'd say I remove a mole or so each month, lance boils every couple weeks or so, stitch various wounds closed when the time comes, etc., especially after a car accident I was involved in last year - that was a doozy. I hate hospitals, so I'll do just about anything at home to avoid going in. Now, my amateur technique in digging out broken glass, moles or debris was basically the same as the doctor's, I noticed with some satisfaction ;) - small deliberate incisions, using first the tip of the blade to form a sort of "rut" and then the edge to gradually deepen it, etc. The only difference was that he was much quicker at it and more precise, of course. :p

So, naturally, I appropriated a few of those surgical "packets" from the cabinet after the guy left the room, for my own use. However, what I found recently was that the scalpel was a bit *too* fine and sharp for mole removal, and that I kept slicing too deep, causing excess bleeding and obscuring the mole's perimeter. I kept having to stop to clean the wound, and ended up only getting about 90% of the mole and causing more scarring than usual. I've since returned to using my old x-acto knife. My question (part one) is - has anyone else noticed this? It seems that I get the best results using a knife that has some "bite" to it; that is, one that sort of tears through the skin rather than slicing through it like it was butter.

Aside from that, I'm interested in others' experiences with this sort of thing - what kind of equipment you use, whether you use topical anesthetic (I tried it, but didn't like it) or other painkillers, etc. What's the most complicated or serious kind of surgery you've ever had to perform on yourself? What were your results?

Okay, no more rambling from me. :p

Just, uhm, stop doing this, OK. The level of stupid in what you describe is... monumental. The risks you run... significant.

Oh, and no, I won't give you any tips geared at facilitating this. Just, stop. Stop before you cause a phlegmon or an erysipelas or something worse.

I would just like to point out that I'm so glad that I live in a country that has universal health care right now.

The most I'll ever do is remove splinters or ingrown hairs with a needle if tweezers don't cut it.

you remove your moles...erm thats strange

I know mostly about plants to use and such (well I kind of have to) so I guess that makes me a medicine man, as for actually surgery I'd rather not thanks but I guess I could sort out quite allot of injuries, once I get over the ZOMG I've never done this for real part...though after I've had a few chops at you the hospital would be a good idea :D

Seconded.

You will hurt yourself. Not if - will

And stop stealing from doctors!

:eek:

Just, uhm, stop doing this, OK. The level of stupid you describe is... monumental. The risks you run... significant.

Oh, and no, I won't give you any tips geared at facilitating this. Just, stop. Stop before you cause a phlegmone or an erysipelas or something worse.

I'm not sure what that means, but I use 3% hydrogen peroxide and alcohol to disinfect, and I have a cabinet full of anti-inflammatories and antibiotics in case any infections happen. The number of moles I get is just terrible, there's not much I can do unless I want to see a dermatologist once per week. :(

Moles aren't bad things, why would you go about removing them if there's nothing wrong with them?

Also, the fact that you aren't removing them properly is probably why you keep having to repeat your "operations" since moles can and do grow back.

I once had to remove a friend's decaying tooth; unfortunately, because I lacked adequate anaesthetics, I had to resort to other means of dulling the pain. My friend was first knocked unconscious and then a wrench and knife were used to extract the tooth. Although it might sound brutal, it proceeded smoothly and with minimal side-effects. It was quite a bargain, too.

Did it every occur to you that the scalpel wasn't yours to take? Steal from convient stores not from a hospital, how much lower can you get?

I would just like to point out that I'm so glad that I live in a country that has universal health care right now.

The most I'll ever do is remove splinters or ingrown hairs with a needle if tweezers don't cut it.

I pay $5 to see a doctor. ;) I just hate (hate, hate, hate) going. My mother subjected me to unnecessary surgeries when I was a kid, and worse, I was a chubby kid who phlebotomists had terrible trouble with. No hospitals for me.

Anyway, my hospital, even if it were totally free to visit, is about 25 miles from here and terrible for traffic. Does your NHS reimburse you for the gas you burn to get there? At $3.20/gal, it costs me more than the co-pay. Sucks to live here.

Just, uhm, stop doing this, OK. The level of stupid in what you describe is... monumental. The risks you run... significant.

Oh, and no, I won't give you any tips geared at facilitating this. Just, stop. Stop before you cause a phlegmon or an erysipelas or something worse.

darn skippy. do you know what kind of freaky infections you can get?

The number of moles I get is just terrible, there's not much I can do unless I want to see a dermatologist once per week. :(

self operating is never a good idea, at least have a friend do it :p

Does your NHS reimburse you for the gas you burn to get there?

depends on your income...

I pay $5 to see a doctor. ;) I just hate (hate, hate, hate) going. My mother subjected me to unnecessary surgeries when I was a kid, and worse, I was a chubby kid who phlebotomists had terrible trouble with. No hospitals for me.

Anyway, my hospital, even if it were totally free to visit, is about 25 miles from here and terrible for traffic. Does your NHS reimburse you for the gas you burn to get there? At $3.20/gal, it costs me more than the co-pay. Sucks to live here.
Umm... depending what I need to go to the doctor for, it's usually free. I also don't own a car so I bike or walk to the doctor if I need to see one. (well, or catch a bus)

I once had to remove a friend's decaying tooth; unfortunately, because I lacked adequate anaesthetics, I had to resort to other means of dulling the pain. My friend was first knocked unconscious and then a wrench and knife were used to extract the tooth. Although it might sound brutal, it proceeded smoothly and with minimal side-effects. It was quite a bargain, too.

Dentists are the worst. I have good dental coverage, and they still seem to screw me over. Luckly, I have naturally thick enamel on my teeth so I've avoided most problems. Thank God.

Moles aren't bad things, why would you go about removing them if there's nothing wrong with them?

Also, the fact that you aren't removing them properly is probably why you keep having to repeat your "operations" since moles can and do grow back.

*A* mole isn't a bad thing. *A few* moles aren't a bad thing. When they start popping up on you in odd places, all the time, and grow rapidly, you might think otherwise. I'd rather have a little scarring now, than cancer later.

Also, I only have maybe 1 in 10 moles grow back. I'm not that amateurish at it. ;)

I'm not sure what that means,

Precisely.

but I use 3% hydrogen peroxide and alcohol to disinfect,

Surgical tools need to be "disinfected" much more rigorously than that, and for some reason I doubt your "x-acto knife" (whatever that is) could repeatedly survive the conditions in something like an autoclave, even if you owned one.

and I have a cabinet full of anti-inflammatories and antibiotics in case any infections happen.

Yeah, treating infections with a random antibiotic - what a swell idea begging for development of resistance.

The number of moles I get is just terrible, there's not much I can do unless I want to see a dermatologist once per week. :(

You should get yourself checked out for that, if you haven't already. There are some diseases that can manifest themselves in this manner.

Umm... depending what I need to go to the doctor for, it's usually free. I also don't own a car so I bike or walk to the doctor if I need to see one. (well, or catch a bus)

I wish my doctor were close enough that I could do that. I couldn't do much without a car, here. It's a real annoyance.

Ooookay, who here wants to see someone performing a neurosurgery at home on themselves? :p

The only moles I would remove by myself are in the garden. :p

Surgical tools need to be "disinfected" much more rigorously than that, and for some reason I doubt your "x-acto knife" (whatever that is) could repeatedly survive the conditions in something like an autoclave, even if you owned one.

An x-acto knife is like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Acto_knife

I boil the blade (it's detachable) with water from my tea-kettle afterward.

Yeah, treating infections with a random antibiotic - what a swell idea begging for development of resistance.

I never even used an antibiotic until I was well past 20-years old, due to the nuttiness of my family. I paid for that stubbornness with chronic ear infections as a kid, but at least I'm probably not immune to any antibiotics. I have doxicillin and amoxicillin right now, I think. But I don't usually get infections.

You should get yourself checked out for that, if you haven't already. There are some diseases that can manifest themselves in this manner.

I had a drug test and hernia-check before starting my last job. The nurse didn't say anything about it. However, it's been at least 10 years since my last full physical, so I may take your advice if things get worse.

Anyway, this thread was not supposed to be about me, at all. But that's my fault. Back on topic: hopefully, we have some interesting stories and ideas. :)

Just, uhm, stop doing this, OK. The level of stupid in what you describe is... monumental. The risks you run... significant.

Oh, and no, I won't give you any tips geared at facilitating this. Just, stop. Stop before you cause a phlegmon or an erysipelas or something worse.


Shhhhhhhhhh lets get some natural selection.

darn skippy. do you know what kind of freaky infections you can get?

If he knew, I doubt he'd be up to this. Group A streptococcal fasciitis, anyone? :rolleyes:

The only moles I would remove by myself are in the garden. :p

But they're cute.

Shhhhhhhhhh lets get some natural selection.

In your dreams, perhaps. :p

*Remains strong, like bull* :)

If he knew, I doubt he'd be up to this. Group A streptococcal fasciitis, anyone? :rolleyes:

okay, that's even more scary than I was thinking about.....I mean basic cellulitis is easy to get when you are screwing around, I got it once accidentally, no freaking fun.

also, staph infections......no fun.

An x-acto knife is like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Acto_knife

I boil the blade (it's detachable) with water from my tea-kettle afterward.

I feel a headache coming on from this.

I never even used an antibiotic until I was well past 20-years old, due to the nuttiness of my family. I paid for that stubbornness with chronic ear infections as a kid, but at least I'm probably not immune to any antibiotics. I have doxicillin and amoxicillin right now, I think. But I don't usually get infections.

"I'm probably not immune to any antibiotics." You're trying to give me a headache on purpose, aren't you?

For a short jist on antibiotic resistance: you don't get "immune" - the bacteria evolve so the antibiotic doesn't work on them any more, and that happens faster when you expose them to a selection bias.

Please, stop what you are doing.

I had a drug test and hernia-check before starting my last job. The nurse didn't say anything about it. However, it's been at least 10 years since my last full physical, so I may take your advice if things get worse.

If you didn't tell her that you keep getting new "moles" over time - seemingly many at that - she probably wouldn't react, since she would assume that's what you've always looked like.

Anyway, this thread was not supposed to be about me, at all. But that's my fault. Back on topic: hopefully, we have some interesting stories and ideas. :)

Hopefully, the mods will lock this soon.

okay, that's even more scary than I was thinking about.....I mean basic cellulitis is easy to get when you are screwing around, I got it once accidentally, no freaking fun.

also, staph infections......no fun.

Infections, period, no fun. This is one just waiting to happen, and I dread to think what he used to suture the wounds before he stole from the hospital, let alone the technique...

In your dreams, perhaps. :p

*Remains strong, like bull* :)


You should listen more closely to Fass, otherwise it won't only be in my dreams.

Even someone like me, with such an aversion to dealing with the medical profession (don't ask, okay?) that I've only gone to a doctor once since about 1988, considers this thread insanity of the bad kind.

Hopefully, the mods will lock this soon.

I respect your opinion, which is obviously based on more expertise than mine. But everyone has to make their own medical decisions, and like I mentioned, I've had mostly success, and rarely ever even have to resort to using antibiotics.

Anyway, I didn't mean to dwell on my problems, and I'm certainly not advocating against doctors - if you have the means, the time and the energy to visit them for all minor ailments, then by all means, go ahead. I'm mostly interested in stories and anecdotes about instances where people have treated themselves. No need for moderaton, I think.

"I'm probably not immune to any antibiotics." You're trying to give me a headache on purpose, aren't you?

For a short jist on antibiotic resistance: you don't get "immune" - the bacteria evolve so the antibiotic doesn't work on them any more, and that happens faster when you expose them to a selection bias.

Please, stop what you are doing.


Not to mention that, unless I'm mistaken, he shouldn't even have any antibiotics just laying around. Those things aren't OTC, and iirc you're supposed to finish off the entire prescription for just that "avoiding drug resistance" purpose.

Even someone like me, with such an aversion to dealing with the medical profession (don't ask, okay?) that I've only gone to a doctor once since about 1988, considers this thread insanity of the bad kind.

Again, that's my fault and I apologize. I think we can share anecdotes without being "insane," however. ;)

Not to mention that, unless I'm mistaken, he shouldn't even have any antibiotics just laying around. Those things aren't OTC, and iirc you're supposed to finish off the entire prescription for just that "avoiding drug resistance" purpose.

Oh, don't get me started on patient compliance issues...

Again, that's my fault and I apologize. I think we can share anecdotes without being "insane," however. ;)

all of my anecdotes involve me waiting too long to get basic medical treatment for minor issues and then nearly dying because of my stupidity.

wanna hear those?

all of my anecdotes involve me waiting too long to get basic medical treatment for minor issues and then nearly dying because of my stupidity.

wanna hear those?
It would do him good.

Again, that's my fault and I apologize. I think we can share anecdotes without being "insane," however. ;)

What you're doing isn't only potentially harmful to yourself - which is your own affair, provided you have no dependents, but also potentially harmful to others. Thus the insanity.

Let's hear them.

all of my anecdotes involve me waiting too long to get basic medical treatment for minor issues and then nearly dying because of my stupidity.

wanna hear those?

Sure, why not? I mean, I'd prefer examples where you were successful, but reminders of where the pitfalls might be can never hurt. :)

all of my anecdotes involve me waiting too long to get basic medical treatment for minor issues and then nearly dying because of my stupidity.

...

*A* mole isn't a bad thing. *A few* moles aren't a bad thing. When they start popping up on you in odd places, all the time, and grow rapidly, you might think otherwise. I'd rather have a little scarring now, than cancer later.

Also, I only have maybe 1 in 10 moles grow back. I'm not that amateurish at it. ;)

_________

Still no comment on that whole 'stealing medical supplies from a doctor' malarky?

Tip: take your medication.

...

Still no comment on that whole 'stealing medical supplies from a doctor' malarky?

Probably a bad idea, but I was in serious need. I wouldn't do it again and don't recommend it. Also, that stuff is long gone (as in, a month ago), if you're looking to make a federal case out of $2 worth of stainless steel. Ancient history.

I've done wart removal, but that was after using a special cream that killed them and the surrounding skin, so cutting it off was painless. That is, until you get past the dead bit.

Regarding your incidence with the scalpel, I've only used one for dissection of a fetal pig in high school, and that one wasn't particularly sharp. My mother, who assists in surgery, also tells me that the scalpels in the hospital are made of cheap steel and dull quickly and are thrown out.

Don't cut off moles, it's a lot of pain and they grow right back.

Sure, why not? I mean, I'd prefer examples where you were successful, but reminders of where the pitfalls might be can never hurt. :)

hmmm.......there was the time that I had this itch on my hand, and then like 3 days later I passed out at the grocery store, and it turns out I had cellulitis and it had caused an infection that spread throughout my body and nearly killed me...I say nearly killed me but really I was just horribly sick and they said I might die.

then there was the time that I tripped on my daughter's toy and thought I broke my toe, which really wouldn't cause much of a stir, only after about 2 days of mild pain my whole foot turned blue/black so I went to the doctor and found out that not only had I shattered my toe but I was walking around on a broken foot and had pinched off a blood vessel so there wasn't any circulation in my foot.... and I got a fever of like 105 and had a seizure and was unconscious for like 4 hours.

and the time that I fell down and twisted my knee and after like 3 weeks I finally went into the doctor and found out that it was broken and they had to go in a do surgery on it and I quit breathing on the table twice (if I had gone to the doctor the day I hurt it, they probably wouldn't have had to do surgery and could have just set it and let me go......however because I didn't want to pay for an emergency bill, I ended up getting surgery and a blood transfusion because I bled out on the table)

then there are the times that I let myself get so run down and dehydrated that they have had to surgically put in IV lines to rehydrate me

or the time I got so tired that I started having hallucinations and seeing spots and ended up having a seizure and got checked into the hospital where I got a staph infection (freak thing, they tell me) and my arm was all swollen and gross and smelly and painful......and yeah.

if you are sick/injured, you should go to the doctor.

hmmm.......there was the time that I had this itch on my hand, and then like 3 days later I passed out at the grocery store, and it turns out I had cellulitis and it had caused an infection that spread throughout my body and nearly killed me...I say nearly killed me but really I was just horribly sick and they said I might die.

Wow, it was just an itch? No visual signs of trouble? That sounds terrible. Glad you got over that.

then there was the time that I tripped on my daughter's toy and thought I broke my toe, which really wouldn't cause much of a stir, only after about 2 days of mild pain my whole foot turned blue/black so I went to the doctor and found out that not only had I shattered my toe but I was walking around on a broken foot and had pinched off a blood vessel so there wasn't any circulation in my foot.... and I got a fever of like 105 and had a seizure and was unconscious for like 4 hours.

That's pretty bad. I've had friends break toes and never get them mended - they just kind of heal a bit crooked. My little toe on one foot is like that. I'd be in a hurry to get it looked at myself, if it got black and blue.

and the time that I fell down and twisted my knee and after like 3 weeks I finally went into the doctor and found out that it was broken and they had to go in a do surgery on it and I quit breathing on the table twice (if I had gone to the doctor the day I hurt it, they probably wouldn't have had to do surgery and could have just set it and let me go......however because I didn't want to pay for an emergency bill, I ended up getting surgery and a blood transfusion because I bled out on the table) .

Sounds terrifying, especially as I remember you having a family. I don't know how I'd handle being told I'd needed an emergency transfusion.

then there are the times that I let myself get so run down and dehydrated that they have had to surgically put in IV lines to rehydrate me.

Been there a few times, minus the IVs. Ex-distance runner. :) Hypo-nautremia they told me it was. When your old coach told you to take salt tablets, he wasn't joking, it seems!

or the time I got so tired that I started having hallucinations and seeing spots and ended up having a seizure and got checked into the hospital where I got a staph infection (freak thing, they tell me) and my arm was all swollen and gross and smelly and painful......and yeah.

if you are sick/injured, you should go to the doctor.

I get hallucinations from insomnia all the time. Did they find out what caused the infection?

Wow, it was just an itch? No visual signs of trouble? That sounds terrible. Glad you got over that.
it was a little bit red....cellulitis is a really easy infection to get, and it goes bad really fast.



That's pretty bad. I've had friends break toes and never get them mended - they just kind of heal a bit crooked. My little toe on one foot is like that. I'd be in a hurry to get it looked at myself, if it got black and blue.
by the time it was black and blue it was almost too late to get it looked at, if it were just my toe broken it wouldn't have been a problem, but without the proper medical equipment to determine that I had no way of knowing until it was too late, which is why you should go do the doctor, they have all this stuff to check you out with.


Sounds terrifying, especially as I remember you having a family. I don't know how I'd handle being told I'd needed an emergency transfusion.

they didn't tell me until they were done.....I was asleep.


Been there a few times, minus the IVs. Ex-distance runner. :) Hypo-nautremia they told me it was. When your old coach told you to take salt tablets, he wasn't joking, it seems!
it's really frequent that I get dehydrated, probably because I don't do all the stuff I am supposed to in preventing it.


I get hallucinations from insomnia all the time. Did they find out what caused the infection?
something at the hospital.....just think, if I can get a severe infection from being in a "clean" hospital, how bad you could get one being in your "unclean" residence.

they didn't tell me until they were done.....I was asleep.

Thank God for that. I'd probably have gone into a panic, myself.

something at the hospital.....just think, if I can get a severe infection from being in a "clean" hospital, how bad you could get one being in your "unclean" residence.

It seems like this is happening more and more - you go to the hospital for minor thing, and end up with something worse, that you contracted there. My dad's in terrible pain with a slipped disc in his spine from being moved from bed to bed at the hospital, when all he went in for was a minor heart fluctuation because of his blood pressure. He couldn't even walk until they proscribed a sterioid, which helped. It's strange how things like that happen.

Don't tell me... Have these home surgeries left you really "Thumbless"
Real Doctors don't resort to amputation as often as you may think.

The most I've ever done was rip out my own baby teeth.

For the most part I'm very healthy, If not a bit overweight, Okay, poster child for borderline obese. never needed to see a doctor though.

Aside from that, I'm interested in others' experiences with this sort of thing - what kind of equipment you use, whether you use topical anesthetic (I tried it, but didn't like it) or other painkillers, etc. What's the most complicated or serious kind of surgery you've ever had to perform on yourself? What were your results?

Okay, no more rambling from me. :p

So you are a future candidate for the Darwin Awards? http://www.darwinawards.com/

Don't tell me... Have these home surgeries left you really "Thumbless"
Real Doctors don't resort to amputation as often as you may think.

The most I've ever done was rip out my own baby teeth.

For the most part I'm very healthy, If not a bit overweight, Okay, poster child for borderline obese. never needed to see a doctor though.

No, sir. Not literally thumbless - that's a combination of my being "all thumbs," hence the old name "Pete Thumbs," and my more recent moniker "thumbless" owing to the lack of a functioning space-bar on my computer. :p While the space-bar has been replaced, it still doesn't work well - I have to put in some effort toavoidsentenceslikethisone. ;)

Edit: though, I'm aware that was a fragment - don't tell me! :p

So you are a future candidate for the Darwin Awards? http://www.darwinawards.com/

Again, I don't think so. I'm careful and don't particularly wish to die. ;)

Has anyone other than me noticed some delicious irony with this guy? He claims to hate doctors and performs surgery on himself, but when it comes to COMPUTER infections and viruses and whatnot, he's so uptight and secure he's a technochondriac, almost.

Again, I don't think so. I'm careful and don't particularly wish to die. ;)

So, you get your antibiotics from...the mold in the bathroom, the mold in the refrigerator, or the mold on the blue cheese? :confused:

Thumbless Pete Crabbe, you're a hero among men.

So, you get your antibiotics from...the mold in the bathroom, the mold in the refrigerator, or the mold on the blue cheese? :confused:

Don't be silly. :p The mold on the walls in my basement, of course. It's radon-enriched, after all. ;) Seriously though, regular stuff.

Thumbless Pete Crabbe, you're a hero among men.

I have no idea where that came from, but thanks just the same. :) Better than people childishly hoping I kill myself.

Doesnt the doctor just freeze warts off these days anyway? Why bother cutting them off?

Doesnt the doctor just freeze warts off these days anyway? Why bother cutting them off?

The man said 'moles'.

Doesnt the doctor just freeze warts off these days anyway? Why bother cutting them off?

I think that's what they do for warts, yes. I have an insidious combination of boils and moles, for the most part - not warts.

Edit: If you were asking the person who earlier described freezing and *then* cutting off a wart, I think it's because you need to remove the dead tissue.

I have an insidious combination of boils and moles, for the most part - not warts.Go get tested for skin cancer, and quit seeking advice for your damnably stupid actions here.

Seriously.

Go get tested for skin cancer, and quit seeking advice for your damnably stupid actions here.

Seriously.

Sorry. It wasn't supposed to be confined to my problems.

I think that's what they do for warts, yes. I have an insidious combination of boils and moles, for the most part - not warts.

Edit: If you were asking the person who earlier described freezing and *then* cutting off a wart, I think it's because you need to remove the dead tissue.

You know, you've probably given yourself this condition due to your stupidity when it comes to treating your own wounds. Go to a doctor, okay? Just trust us, and for the sake of your own health, trust Fass, who knows more than any of us the dangers of this sort of thing.

It's one thing to perform minor surgery on yourself when you have no other option--such as, say, while being stranded in the woods in the middle of Alaska or somewhere equally remote--but when you have the ability to go to a doctor and you refuse out of a sheerly pathetic reason--hating hospitals--then you ought not to do so.

It's one thing to perform minor surgery on yourself when you have no other option--such as, say, while being stranded in the woods in the middle of Alaska or somewhere equally remote-.

That's exactly the kind of thing I wanted to hear about. My story was and is just an anecdote. I don't see why everyone has to get intrusive about what I do and don't do, when my explicit purpose was to ask others for their stories.

That's exactly the kind of thing I wanted to hear about. My story was and is just an anecdote. I don't see why everyone has to get intrusive about what I do and don't do, when my explicit purpose was to ask others for their stories.


Well, many people here actually are looking out for the best interests of others.....I've come to learn that through NS. It's a very welcoming place and you can make many great friends here if you allow yourself to do so.


As for home remedies…. The only home remedies I do are those procedures that I am trained to do and can do without difficulty. The only time I do that is when I can afford to do, meaning it is not potentially life threatening or of immediate concern. I already have horrendous doctor bills I'm paying, so the only time I treat myself is when I can and do not want to add to my already overwhelming hospital bills. (Don't have heart problems).


Now, speaking as a professional, I highly advise you to toss those antibiotics you have in numbers unless they were prescribed for something specific from a doctor and they are not expired. Over use of antibiotics is bad, especially for frivolous things. Secondly, you should not self prescribe antibiotics. That is my only request. Believe me MRSA and VRE are not pretty bacteria to have....and they result from antibiotic abuse.

Now if you want to perform your own surgeries, I won't argue. I trust if you screw up, you'll know precisely where to go and maybe get more tips on how not to screw up in the future. And if you should fail......we'll add you to the Darwin Awards.

And if you should fail......we'll add you to the Darwin Awards.

My only request is that he lets us know his real name so that if and when he does end up on the Darwin Awards, we'll be certain it's him and can have a good time regretting how he didn't listen to our sound, well-meant advice.

dude.. why are you getting boils so often? Not good.

dude.. why are you getting boils so often? Not good.

I'm not exactly sure. I used to get them occasionally, but it's been worse since I put on a few pounds recently. I have some bad stretch-marks from a growth spurt when I was young, and now some from gaining weight. The boils all pop up along those stretchmarks.

I am an example of what those in the medical community would call "one ugly S.O.B." as a result. :p

As for home remedies…. The only home remedies I do are those procedures that I am trained to do and can do without difficulty. The only time I do that is when I can afford to do, meaning it is not potentially life threatening or of immediate concern. I already have horrendous doctor bills I'm paying, so the only time I treat myself is when I can and do not want to add to my already overwhelming hospital bills. (Don't have heart problems).


What kind of training do you have? Just curious as to what kind of home remedies you do. I had to get CPR-certified and first-aid certified to pass my high school health class years ago, but beyond that I don't know much. I think community organizations should teach stuff that can be useful, but none in my area do, to my knowledge.

I'm not exactly sure. I used to get them occasionally, but it's been worse since I put on a few pounds recently. I have some bad stretch-marks from a growth spurt when I was young, and now some from gaining weight. The boils all pop up along those stretchmarks.

I am an example of what those in the medical community would call "one ugly S.O.B." as a result. :p


Ahh ok, those aren't boils. I know what you are talking about though. They come up when that stretch mark is fixing to stretch some more or another mark is about to come up. I got stretch marks when I gained some weight real fast when I was like 17 and had the same bumps you are talking about. I still feel that if I had been drinking water and using lotion, or moisturizing body wash on my skin I could've prevented most if not all the stretch marks. Oh well.. I didn't know any better at the time.

BTW .... Quit picking at stuff! :)

Ahh ok, those aren't boils. I know what you are talking about though. They come up when that stretch mark is fixing to stretch some more or another mark is about to come up. I got stretch marks when I gained some weight real fast when I was like 17 and had the same bumps you are talking about. I still feel that if I had been drinking water and using lotion, or moisturizing body wash on my skin I could've prevented most if not all the stretch marks. Oh well.. I didn't know any better at the time.

BTW .... Quit picking at stuff! :)

I don't screw around too much with those - I just cut them and let the fluids drain out. They get about twice the size of a grape if I don't, and if they burst in my sleep they ruin my bedsheets with the blood/oil mixture that flows out. So those ones have to go. Those ones aren't too much trouble, but I make sure to be careful with them just the same.

I don't screw around too much with those - I just cut them and let the fluids drain out. They get about twice the size of a grape if I don't, and if they burst in my sleep they ruin my bedsheets with the blood/oil mixture that flows out. So those ones have to go. Those ones aren't too much trouble, but I make sure to be careful with them just the same.


Holy crap! Ok, those are not the same things I got. Guess you were right calling them boils.

Just, uhm, stop doing this, OK. The level of stupid in what you describe is... monumental. The risks you run... significant.

Oh, and no, I won't give you any tips geared at facilitating this. Just, stop. Stop before you cause a phlegmon or an erysipelas or something worse.

Ha. I actually agree with the Swedish person. Also, if you are lancing boils on a semi regular basis, go see a Doctor now.

I speculate here, but it is my impression that you drink far too much.

Holy crap! Ok, those are not the same things I got. Guess you were right calling them boils.

Yeah, they get big. And they sometimes come in strange places - the back of my knee, the shoulders, and sometimes around my collarbones. So it's not always along the stretchmarks, just most of the time. I had terrible acne as a kid - I think it's just more of that. I took a powerful medication to finally rid myself from the acne. I'm thinking it might have damaged my sabaceous glands, but that still doesn't explain the moles.

Ha. I actually agree with the Swedish person. Also, if you are lancing boils on a semi regular basis, go see a Doctor now.

I speculate here, but it is my impression that you drink far too much.

Haven't had a drop in years. Kinda wondering why you'd think so, though. ;)

What kind of training do you have? Just curious as to what kind of home remedies you do. I had to get CPR-certified and first-aid certified to pass my high school health class years ago, but beyond that I don't know much. I think community organizations should teach stuff that can be useful, but none in my area do, to my knowledge.
So why are you constantly performing surgery on yourself if you don't know much beyond basic first aid and CPR? You're being--and I say this kindly--a complete and total fuckwad about this.

And could you explain to me why you are so paranoid about computer security but refuse to act responsibly when it comes to your own health, which is far more important than the health of any personal computer you may own?

I pay $5 to see a doctor. ;) I just hate (hate, hate, hate) going. My mother subjected me to unnecessary surgeries when I was a kid, and worse, I was a chubby kid who phlebotomists had terrible trouble with. No hospitals for me.

Anyway, my hospital, even if it were totally free to visit, is about 25 miles from here and terrible for traffic. Does your NHS reimburse you for the gas you burn to get there? At $3.20/gal, it costs me more than the co-pay. Sucks to live here.

No but they will pay the cost of public transport if you are on a low income. Well you claim the cash at the hospital and then they claim it back from the government.

Yeah, they get big. And they sometimes come in strange places - the back of my knee, the shoulders, and sometimes around my collarbones. So it's not always along the stretchmarks, just most of the time. I had terrible acne as a kid - I think it's just more of that. I took a powerful medication to finally rid myself from the acne. I'm thinking it might have damaged my sabaceous glands, but that still doesn't explain the moles.

Well if it's acne related ... that's one thing.. but if it's not.. something is going on. Boils, cysts and sores etc. on the skin is a sign of something else going on inside the body. Unless you don't bathe or something. That can cause sores and stuff. Eating a shit load of junk food can too. Generally not taking care of your self I guess is what I'm saying. If you have good hygiene don't fill your body with junk you might have something going on that you need to get treatment for.

So why are you constantly performing surgery on yourself if you don't know much beyond basic first aid and CPR? You're being--and I say this kindly--a complete and total fuckwad about this.

And could you explain to me why you are so paranoid about computer security but refuse to act responsibly when it comes to your own health, which is far more important than the health of any personal computer you may own?

Not constantly - couple times a month. Because I don't like making an issue of it (which is why I'm beginning to regret this thread) or wasting my time dealing with doctors and hospitals when it's minor anyway.

As for computers, I don't really think my health and my computer are really analogous, do you? My computer is an expensive piece of machinery that I really don't need destroyed by some jerk interfering with a virus and wiping out all my important documents. My health isn't under attack by any kind of spyware, malware or viruses, and no one messes with it but me.

Anyway, have you ever had to patch yourself up after an accident? I'm interested in some good tales! :)

Well if it's acne related ... that's one thing.. but if it's not.. something is going on. Boils, cysts and sores etc. on the skin is a sign of something else going on inside the body. Unless you don't bathe or something. That can cause sores and stuff. Eating a shit load of junk food can too. Generally not taking care of your self I guess is what I'm saying. If you have good hygiene don't fill your body with junk you might have something going on that you need to get treatment for.

I bathe a few times a week at least - maybe five. I've been bathing like a duck recently - job interviews and all. :p Anyway, I know a guy who had the same problem with boils as I did when he was younger and he tells me it went away just fine. It's more the moles I'm worried about. If I ever see a doctor, it will be because of the car accident I was in, however - the chronic pain in my back and shoulder are getting to be too much, honestly.

Anyway, have you ever had to patch yourself up after an accident? I'm interested in some good tales! :)

Why, yes, yes I have. Back in 2000 when my family was moving from Ohio to California, we took the time to conduct a cross country road trip to see various sites, like the Grand Canyon or the Star Trek Experience in Las Vegas. (I was at first annoyed by the cross country trip since Dad and I had already crossed the country once with the moving van, and this trip would take longer since we would meander instead of going straight across.)

While at the Grand Canyon, I went hiking off by myself and accidentely walked right off of a ledge onto a seven foot or so drop. I shattered my right foot, broke the right leg--with bone through skin and all--and broke my right arm. Luckily my left limbs got away with naught but a sprained left foot. Of course, there were several bruises and at least one laceration.

Fortunately, I had a small medical kit my parents insisted I carry around with me, so I was able to stop the bleeding on the laceration and patch it up. I couldn't do a damn thing about my leg, though...believe you me, that was extremely painful. I was fortunate my parents knew where I was heading, too, as it was not somewhere I would have been discovered otherwise. I had to be lifted out by a medevac helicopter and spent several days in the hospital after that. Not fun.

Why, yes, yes I have. Back in 2000 when my family was moving from Ohio to California, we took the time to conduct a cross country road trip to see various sites, like the Grand Canyon or the Star Trek Experience in Las Vegas. (I was at first annoyed by the cross country trip since Dad and I had already crossed the country once with the moving van, and this trip would take longer since we would meander instead of going straight across.)

While at the Grand Canyon, I went hiking off by myself and accidentely walked right off of a ledge onto a seven foot or so drop. I shattered my right foot, broke the right leg--with bone through skin and all--and broke my right arm. Luckily my left limbs got away with naught but a sprained left foot. Of course, there were several bruises and at least one laceration.

Fortunately, I had a small medical kit my parents insisted I carry around with me, so I was able to stop the bleeding on the laceration and patch it up. I couldn't do a damn thing about my leg, though...believe you me, that was extremely painful. I was fortunate my parents knew where I was heading, too, as it was not somewhere I would have been discovered otherwise. I had to be lifted out by a medevac helicopter and spent several days in the hospital after that. Not fun.

Wow. Not a great way to conclude a vacation, to say the least. Sounds pretty traumatic, with the helicopter and all. I've never even ridden in an ambulance, but I think I'd be pretty overwhelmed. Not a bad idea, having that first-aid kit around, it seems.

Wow. Not a great way to conclude a vacation, to say the least. Sounds pretty traumatic, with the helicopter and all. I've never even ridden in an ambulance, but I think I'd be pretty overwhelmed. Not a bad idea, having that first-aid kit around, it seems.

At the time I was injured, apart from the pain I was amazingly able to keep a sort of clinical detatchment. It's amazing because at that time I was still very much a thirteen year old with the emotional sensitivity of a five year old and I was extremely upset that we were moving from the one place I had known, even though no one at the school I went to liked me(though in later years I recognize this as being completely of my own fault rather than anyone else's as I so enjoyed to think then) and I should, thusly, have been a completely emotional wreck over the accident ruining the one fun part about moving, the vacation.

And yet, I wasn't. Maybe the pain was so intense I just isolated it from my mind or something. I did the same thing when watching the events of September 11th the following year, after all. :confused:

If you have large numbers of moles rapidly come up all over all the time - see a doctor. Now. That is not, in any way shape or form, the function of a healthy body. There are any number of causes to this - regular, prolonged, and intense exposure to strong sunlight (or other UV source) could be contributing, but you really need to consult a dermatologist.

Warts: you should never cut a wart away. The best treatment for a wart is to dip a swab in liquid nitrogen (not the easiest thing to get a hold of, but most clinics should have the occasional day when they have some on hand) and press it against the wart for a couple seconds. This might need to be done a second time on a particularly big one. You should probably get a small blister the next day. The liquid nitrogen will freeze the local tissues and kill it. The amount of dead tissue is very small so there should be no reason to cut it away - just leave it alone and it will disappear without scar.

Stretch marks are not harmful but you can minimize them with a good skin creme - I make a mixture of coconut oil and cocoa butter with a little bit of sweet almond oil, shea butter, and fortified with vitamin E. Find something like that at you local store that sells higher end lotions. If not, at the very least get a bottle of vit E gel capsules, prick it with a pin, and squeeze the stuff on the area - works wonders for helping reduce scars.

Saving surgery for last... you should not be doing this yourself, for a multitude of reasons. I would bet that you do not exactly work in a very sterile environment, with properly prepared equipment. There is also the slight problem of you not being able to get a good angle to do the best work on yourself - a steady-handed friend is best.

A slightly dull x-acto knife is a bad idea - you probably didnt like that scalpel because it sounds like it was from a cheap emergency kit (those are garbage as they are meant for quick triage and not for decent work). The sharper and thinner the blade, the better the cut will be. You want something that will separate the tissues with the least disturbance possible.

If you absolutely must do this at home and not go to a doctor then please follow these steps.

1. Make sure you are in a clean area - no dust floating around, not going to be touching any non-sterilized surfaces, etc. Contact with the table, a chair, a door, using hands to turn the water faucet off after scrubbing, whatever is to be avoided.
2. Thoroughly sterilize all equipment - preferably get it out of sealed sterile packs you can get from a medical supply store. Boiling it for a little bit in your tea kettle, and then probably setting it on a non-sterile surface until use, is not very reliable. You need to use an antiseptic at the least.
3. Sterilize yourself - the skin around the mole has lots of bacteria on it, just hoping it wont cause an infection is not good enough.
4. Have someone else do the cutting - using as sharp of a scalpel (or x-acto knife) as you can get and a pair of forceps. They can get better access and a better look at it than you can function on yourself.
5. If small enough, cut a circular area around it and use forceps to better hold it in place and then pull it away - most likely you should cut an eye shaped area around it so it can be cleanly closed.
6. close wound - preferably with a surgical staple, but you could use a suture if you prefer (do not use a normal needle and thread, even if you think you've sterilized it enough, it will still promote infection for as long as it is in there, not to mention the damage to the tissues when you put it in).
7. dress the wound in sterile gauze (apply some kind of antibiotic cream if you like).

Do not take antibiotics unless you are actually getting an infection - in which case you should see a doctor to get the appropriate type. Popping a few pills your friend has is dangerous for everybody - not only can it be the wrong type, and thus ineffective, but you are using your body as a breeding ground for the next wave of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Since you seem to do this a lot, I highly recommend you look up a local medical supply store (or online I suppose). Buy a box of benzalkonium chloride towelettes - those are the little wet wipes EMTs use to clean the injection site before sticking you with something. You can also pick up a few surgical staples and stapler for cheap.

At the time I was injured, apart from the pain I was amazingly able to keep a sort of clinical detatchment. It's amazing because at that time I was still very much a thirteen year old with the emotional sensitivity of a five year old and I was extremely upset that we were moving from the one place I had known, even though no one at the school I went to liked me(though in later years I recognize this as being completely of my own fault rather than anyone else's as I so enjoyed to think then) and I should, thusly, have been a completely emotional wreck over the accident ruining the one fun part about moving, the vacation.

And yet, I wasn't. Maybe the pain was so intense I just isolated it from my mind or something. I did the same thing when watching the events of September 11th the following year, after all. :confused:

That's probably just your natural adrenaline response. I get the same thing. When I was in a bad car wreck, I simply got out of the car afterward, though terribly torn up, and stood there calmly, getting everyone's information and talking to the police like nothing happened. Of course, I've had chronic pain ever since, but at the time I was pretty detached. The mind plays interesting games with us sometimes, I think.

Ugh, what's with all the 'idiotic decisions relating to health' threads lately?

If you have large numbers of moles rapidly come up all over all the time - see a doctor. Now. That is not, in any way shape or form, the function of a healthy body. There are any number of causes to this - regular, prolonged, and intense exposure to strong sunlight (or other UV source) could be contributing, but you really need to consult a dermatologist.

Warts: you should never cut a wart away. The best treatment for a wart is to dip a swab in liquid nitrogen (not the easiest thing to get a hold of, but most clinics should have the occasional day when they have some on hand) and press it against the wart for a couple seconds. This might need to be done a second time on a particularly big one. You should probably get a small blister the next day. The liquid nitrogen will freeze the local tissues and kill it. The amount of dead tissue is very small so there should be no reason to cut it away - just leave it alone and it will disappear without scar.

Stretch marks are not harmful but you can minimize them with a good skin creme - I make a mixture of coconut oil and cocoa butter with a little bit of sweet almond oil, shea butter, and fortified with vitamin E. Find something like that at you local store that sells higher end lotions. If not, at the very least get a bottle of vit E gel capsules, prick it with a pin, and squeeze the stuff on the area - works wonders for helping reduce scars.

Saving surgery for last... you should not be doing this yourself, for a multitude of reasons. I would bet that you do not exactly work in a very sterile environment, with properly prepared equipment. There is also the slight problem of you not being able to get a good angle to do the best work on yourself - a steady-handed friend is best.

A slightly dull x-acto knife is a bad idea - you probably didnt like that scalpel because it sounds like it was from a cheap emergency kit (those are garbage as they are meant for quick triage and not for decent work). The sharper and thinner the blade, the better the cut will be. You want something that will separate the tissues with the least disturbance possible.

If you absolutely must do this at home and not go to a doctor then please follow these steps.

1. Make sure you are in a clean area - no dust floating around, not going to be touching any non-sterilized surfaces, etc. Contact with the table, a chair, a door, using hands to turn the water faucet off after scrubbing, whatever is to be avoided.
2. Thoroughly sterilize all equipment - preferably get it out of sealed sterile packs you can get from a medical supply store. Boiling it for a little bit in your tea kettle, and then probably setting it on a non-sterile surface until use, is not very reliable. You need to use an antiseptic at the least.
3. Sterilize yourself - the skin around the mole has lots of bacteria on it, just hoping it wont cause an infection is not good enough.
4. Have someone else do the cutting - using as sharp of a scalpel (or x-acto knife) as you can get and a pair of forceps. They can get better access and a better look at it than you can function on yourself.
5. If small enough, cut a circular area around it and use forceps to better hold it in place and then pull it away - most likely you should cut an eye shaped area around it so it can be cleanly closed.
6. close wound - preferably with a surgical staple, but you could use a suture if you prefer (do not use a normal needle and thread, even if you think you've sterilized it enough, it will still promote infection for as long as it is in there, not to mention the damage to the tissues when you put it in).
7. dress the wound in sterile gauze (apply some kind of antibiotic cream if you like).

Do not take antibiotics unless you are actually getting an infection - in which case you should see a doctor to get the appropriate type. Popping a few pills your friend has is dangerous for everybody - not only can it be the wrong type, and thus ineffective, but you are using your body as a breeding ground for the next wave of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Since you seem to do this a lot, I highly recommend you look up a local medical supply store (or online I suppose). Buy a box of benzalkonium chloride towelettes - those are the little wet wipes EMTs use to clean the injection site before sticking you with something. You can also pick up a few surgical staples and stapler for cheap.

Hey, thanks Entropic. I'm starting to pass out for lack of sleep, but I'll come back tomorrow and write this down. :)

Thanks to everyone today, and my apologies to those I may have offended/frustrated.

That's probably just your natural adrenaline response. I get the same thing. When I was in a bad car wreck, I simply got out of the car afterward, though terribly torn up, and stood there calmly, getting everyone's information and talking to the police like nothing happened. Of course, I've had chronic pain ever since, but at the time I was pretty detached. The mind plays interesting games with us sometimes, I think.

You may be correct...it does seem sensible.

The worst part about the accident was that this came not more than a year and a half after a previous accident while playing at the state championship game for my soccer league where I shattered my right leg and broke--without bone through skin--my left leg and spent a couple months in a wheel-chair.

The wheel-chair, while seemingly fun when you don't actually require it, is really not that fun when you do and is extremely annoying, especially for me since I lived on the third floor of our house in Ohio. (It was a small mini-mansion built for the president of the local paper company back in the 1880s.) It was an experience I had not wished to repeat, yet I was forced to do just that after my accident at the Grand Canyon, though for even longer since the new harm to my limbs wrecked most of the healing done from the previous accident. At least in California my room was on the first floor, albiet down a tiny staircase of two stairs. (We rigged a makeshift ramp for those first few months.)

The good thing is, I sit here now with fully functional legs and feet(and arm.) Though they may occasionally ache, there is no permenant damage. In all honesty, I was amazingly lucky, as one would have thought I might permenantly lose my right leg after both of those accidents combined.

" starts cutting into self, and gets light headed" oh i wasnt supposed to do that.

I've stubbed my left small toe on my driveway when I was like 10 years old.

At first I thought i just stubbed it, nothing to be whining about and such. After sitting down for a few minutes to inspect it, I noticed that the tip of my toe was hanging on by the skin, and that I could see that it had a chunk of flesh with it! I then told my mother, and wrapped it in guaze and medical tape after putting some H202 on it.

The flesh grew back into the toe after a little whille, no infection and no scar.

This thread makes me sick.

I think no matter what because of bacterial infection that home surgery is a terrible, terrible idea. Minor stuff may have to be done as a matter of "First aid" but that is why it is called "first aid", it is on the spot first response to something, then you get the more advanced medical aid if it requires any entrance into the skin or a big wound or major burn. Cutting into skin is not good.

Warts: you should never cut a wart away.

...mind you, I did get hospitalised because of a wart growing inside my nose, which was then cut away under general anaesthetic instead of being frozen.


EDIT: ie. the wart was cut away, not my nose. Wouldn't want to lose my rugged good looks now, would I?

I took a friend to the hospital a few weeks ago, to remove a chunk of wood that had broken off into his foot when it was impaled on a stake. It was a relatively quick outpatient thing. The doctor took out a packet from a cabinet that was stocked with them, which contained an alcohol swab, plastic-cased safety-scalpel, clamp, scissors, tweezers, gauze, little garbage bag and a couple towels.

Anyway, I do a fair amount of minor surgeries at home - I'd say I remove a mole or so each month, lance boils every couple weeks or so, stitch various wounds closed when the time comes, etc., especially after a car accident I was involved in last year - that was a doozy. I hate hospitals, so I'll do just about anything at home to avoid going in. Now, my amateur technique in digging out broken glass, moles or debris was basically the same as the doctor's, I noticed with some satisfaction ;) - small deliberate incisions, using first the tip of the blade to form a sort of "rut" and then the edge to gradually deepen it, etc. The only difference was that he was much quicker at it and more precise, of course. :p

So, naturally, I appropriated a few of those surgical "packets" from the cabinet after the guy left the room, for my own use. However, what I found recently was that the scalpel was a bit *too* fine and sharp for mole removal, and that I kept slicing too deep, causing excess bleeding and obscuring the mole's perimeter. I kept having to stop to clean the wound, and ended up only getting about 90% of the mole and causing more scarring than usual. I've since returned to using my old x-acto knife. My question (part one) is - has anyone else noticed this? It seems that I get the best results using a knife that has some "bite" to it; that is, one that sort of tears through the skin rather than slicing through it like it was butter.

Aside from that, I'm interested in others' experiences with this sort of thing - what kind of equipment you use, whether you use topical anesthetic (I tried it, but didn't like it) or other painkillers, etc. What's the most complicated or serious kind of surgery you've ever had to perform on yourself? What were your results?

Okay, no more rambling from me. :p

Well I happen to know that very precise dental surgery can be performed with a power drill and a #2 drill bit...

http://www.gearlive.com/blogimages/lasik_home.jpg

This is one of those things that you read about, do a double-take to make sure you read it right, then stare at in disbelief. Introducing the LASIK@Home corrective eye surgery kit. Designed to let you perform LASIK surgery on your own eyes, in the comfort of your own home. The kit comes complete with the Scal-Pal Hand-Operated Combination Femtosecond/Excimer Laser, a mild sedative (diazepam 4mg), No-Blink brand eye drops, a protective post-op sleep mask, detailed instructions and a QuickStart Guide.

If you’re not familiar with LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis), here’s a quick rundown courtesy of the FDA. “LASIK is a surgical procedure intended to reduce a person’s dependency on glasses or contact lenses. LASIK . . . permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A knife, called a microkeratome, is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middlesection of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced.”

The “Four Easy Steps” illustration provided on LASIK@Home’s website speaks volumes. Apparently drawn by someone with an aptitude for art equivalent to a pig’s ability to fly, it certainly does elicit a chuckle as well as a sad shake of the head for the ignorant individuals who will be duped into purchasing the product (assuming it really exists). A quick check of some of the information provided by LASIK@Home turns up little (as in zero) corroborating evidence. The Bennett Eye Care Institute in New York City must be in a parallel world as it seems to be missing from this one, as is the good Dr. Khadim. The “Walton Group Manufacturing” who purportedly “makes the the (sic) LASIK equipment used by more clinics nationwide”? Strangely enough, they don’t seem to exist either, and none of their lasers show up on the FDA’s approved laser list . . . imagine that.

The price for potentially ruining the only pair of eyes you have? A mere $99.95 USD. Should you choose to proceed down this road of self-mutilation, remember - ”Don’t blink!”.

Nice.

i popped a few pimples in high school..does that count?

Well I happen to know that very precise dental surgery can be performed with a power drill and a #2 drill bit...

No it bloody can't, not if you want it done properly!

i rarely go to the doctor and i have great health care to cover it if i have to go. i get "injured" frequently at work and most times i clean it up really good put a bandage over it and let my body do its work. i have a few scars but so far everything has healed just right. i rarely take any medication either. i tend to try and avoid becoming dependent on aspirin every time i have a little pain.

I'm trying to figure out:

1) Surgical Addiction
2) Self Harming
3) Natural Selection in action


I can't decide which of the three the OP qualifies as.

Sorry. It wasn't supposed to be confined to my problems.
Indeed - others may also take up your stupidity and themselves end up with problems. In that sense it isn't confined to your problems.

I'm trying to figure out:

1) Surgical Addiction
2) Self Harming
3) Natural Selection in action


I can't decide which of the three the OP qualifies as.

Was it necessary to bring this up yet again? I think Thumbless has had enough embarrassment.

Was it necessary to bring this up yet again?
Yes.

Yes.

Oh, well, that settles it, then.

Was it necessary to bring this up yet again? I think Thumbless has had enough embarrassment.

Pointing fingers serves a therapeutic purpose for some, it seems. It's a sad fact, but a fact just the same. So I say: if it warms your heart to inveigh against me (who harms no one), then continue - but know that any satisfaction you may receive will be hollow and in no wise curative of your own troubles.

Pointing fingers serves a therapeutic purpose for some, it seems. It's a sad fact, but a fact just the same. So I say: if it warms your heart to inveigh against me (who harms no one), then continue - but know that any satisfaction you may receive will be hollow and in no wise curative of your own troubles.

Harms no one? Have you even been paying attention to this thread? What you are doing kills people. Antibiotic resistance is fucking horrific.

Harms no one? Have you even been paying attention to this thread? What you are doing kills people. Antibiotic resistance is fucking horrific.

I mean to say that I as a person harm no one, not that all of my personal habits and choices are harmless. Can anyone say that? Can anyone even aspire to that? I don't believe so.

Pointing fingers serves a therapeutic purpose for some, it seems. It's a sad fact, but a fact just the same. So I say: if it warms your heart to inveigh against me (who harms no one), then continue - but know that any satisfaction you may receive will be hollow and in no wise curative of your own troubles.
I was neither defending you nor your actions. I simply don't see any point in continuing this thread as it is quite dangerous.

Harms no one? Have you even been paying attention to this thread? What you are doing kills people. Antibiotic resistance is fucking horrific.
True, but he's not going to listen, so constant promotion of the thread is something I urge against.

I bathe a few times a week at least - maybe five.
There are seven days in the week. Seven's a good minimum.

There are seven days in the week. Seven's a good minimum.

Thanks for the tip. :p I'm up to about 12/week with all these job interviews lately - my policy before was daily, before work, excepting weekends. ;)

Heh heh. Home surgery -> 'Thumbless'...

By the way, apparently the microwave is the best way of disinfecting a sponge (those crazy wavelengths), but if you have any love for your mircowave oven, or your home, I wouldn't stick an x-acto knife in there.

=
By the way, apparently the microwave is the best way of disinfecting a sponge (those crazy wavelengths),
Remember to wet it first, the 911 ops don't want to hear your calls about melting the microwave.