Ever pull a splinter out of your toe with tweezers? How about draining a blister, pulling out a loose tooth, or squeezing a pimple? I would be shocked to hear you haven’t done any of those things in your lifetime. You could think about these activities as very light versions of
I've done some decently significant self surguries on myself... no bullets but certainly wounds that would have needed stiches. Thank goodness for superglue and the fact that chicks dig scars.
Nothing quite like this Soviet dude in Antartica...
Yeah, I deliberately avoided Rogozov because his story seems to be very well told, but what a remarkable set of circumstances.
I've certainly leaned heavily into superglue/newskin over the years! I probably *should* have seen a doc a few times when I didn't, too (and yes, I am feeling those injuries today).
Just a little PSA, you can soak a splinter in Epson salts and it’ll work itself out, or at least poke through so you can get a grip. Wish I would have known this long ago since somehow I’m a splinter magnet and always have been. I may have some traumatic splinter stories I’m not yet ready to discuss.
"He was able to administer a local anaesthetic to his abdominal wall but once he had cut through, removing the appendix would have to be done without further pain relief, in order to keep his head as clear as possible."
Still, Inés's story, which I haven't heard before, is incredibly badass.
I've never been put under general anesthesia but I've had a few surgeries with local anesthesia, and I'm very, very thankful for it.
Ines' story is compelling, so does the story of 27-year-old climber Aron Ralston, who severed his trapped arm using a knife, when a boulder dislodged itself and trapped his right arm to the wall.
I feel like I kind of live in that space! And yes, definitely, so long as I don't forget - I am super happy to have something to contribute to MM once again!
Sampson's case wasn't entirely unique- there were others like her. At around the same time, Dr. James Barry was serving a distinguished career as a surgeon in the British military. It wasn't until "he" died that it was discovered that "James" was a woman.
From what I know, Barry never did surgery on "himself", since "he" was one of the M.A.S.H. guys of that time and not a frontline soldier, so there was less risk of "him" being shot. So in the self-surgery case, Deborah Sampson for the win.
I might say both cases were unique. Do you know if the Kramer character from the TV show was an inversion of Barry's case? I haven't done much of a deep dive, but I feel like there are some really interesting threads to pull here.
The closest I’ve come to self surgery was when I dislocated my shoulder ice skating, the guy I was with at the time didn’t want to sit around the ER so he convinced me to let him put it back into place himself…. Which was just him bear hugging me and body slamming me into his truck.
It worked. It really hurt.
And I never went out with that guy again😅 I prefer medical professionals to whatever that was😂
It was not easy except it was on my little brother who probably deserved a little discomfort at the time (kidding). We did not have a sharp enough needle so it was a bit more brutal than planned despite the ice cube and potato. haha.
My wife was in the Peace Corps and has a book called "Where There Is No Doctor." I don't know if the Peace Corps gave it to her or if it was highly recommended but it gives step by step instructions on how to do an appendectomy and advice on how to do it on yourself if necessary.
Then there was that rock climber who cut off his own arm to save his life...😬
Oh wow. That book you mentioned made me think of "The Poor Man's James Bond", which (if I recall correctly) was like "The Anarchist's Cookbook" on steroids. There were all sorts of wild survival scenarios outlined.
I don't know if I have what it takes to sever my own limb. I think my programming almost like forbids it or something, you know?
I got nothin’ but occasional butterfly bandages and splinter removals. I almost fainted trying to get an earring post into a partially closed ear lobe piercing one time 😱😂
Wanna hear something kind of funny? I pierced my own eyebrow 3 times so I could put a safety pin in there (yes, I was that punk AND that dumb), but for the life of me, I couldn't make myself pierce my own earlobe.
The maximum I can handle is getting a splinter out of my toe or hand with tweezers. Blood and I do not go along well beyond a few drops. This happens a lot when I go for a yearly exam, and the nurse comes to draw the blood for testing; they will ask me if I am okay as I look in another direction than where all the action is happening. I always say I am as long as I am not looking at the blood coming out of my arm. It is not that I will faint as some people do, but I do not like seeing the syringe filling up with my blood. I tell them to draw as much as they need but do not ask me to look.
I've done some decently significant self surguries on myself... no bullets but certainly wounds that would have needed stiches. Thank goodness for superglue and the fact that chicks dig scars.
Nothing quite like this Soviet dude in Antartica...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonid_Rogozov
Yeah, I deliberately avoided Rogozov because his story seems to be very well told, but what a remarkable set of circumstances.
I've certainly leaned heavily into superglue/newskin over the years! I probably *should* have seen a doc a few times when I didn't, too (and yes, I am feeling those injuries today).
Just a little PSA, you can soak a splinter in Epson salts and it’ll work itself out, or at least poke through so you can get a grip. Wish I would have known this long ago since somehow I’m a splinter magnet and always have been. I may have some traumatic splinter stories I’m not yet ready to discuss.
I've had luck using peroxide on splinters, bubbles them right out, splinter magnet here too. 😐
Nice tip! It has been a long time for a splinter here (knock wood), but if it happens again, I'll try this.
I was convinced you'd be talking about Leonid Rogozin cutting out his own appendix in the Antarctic (EDIT - not Arctic).
This passage from the BBC article about him (https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32481442) is a fun read:
"He was able to administer a local anaesthetic to his abdominal wall but once he had cut through, removing the appendix would have to be done without further pain relief, in order to keep his head as clear as possible."
Still, Inés's story, which I haven't heard before, is incredibly badass.
I've never been put under general anesthesia but I've had a few surgeries with local anesthesia, and I'm very, very thankful for it.
Just saw this after posting my comment. I was fully expecting Lonid too.
"God bless fentanyl" isn't really something I ever thought I'd say, but I might have come close after my colonoscopy.
I actually don't like them to put me under for a colonoscopy. Fentanyl, yes... but if I'm getting Fentanyl, I want to be awake to enjoy the high.
From what I remember, that first second was pretty nice.
Ines' story is compelling, so does the story of 27-year-old climber Aron Ralston, who severed his trapped arm using a knife, when a boulder dislodged itself and trapped his right arm to the wall.
Remarkable. I would guess amputations are among the more common types of self-surgery, and probably the oldest.
Another PSA: don’t go climbing alone 🥶😶🌫️
VERY good advice!
😳
i hope you'll put this up for macabre monday. it is somehow simultaneously uplifting and nightmarish.
I feel like I kind of live in that space! And yes, definitely, so long as I don't forget - I am super happy to have something to contribute to MM once again!
Sampson's case wasn't entirely unique- there were others like her. At around the same time, Dr. James Barry was serving a distinguished career as a surgeon in the British military. It wasn't until "he" died that it was discovered that "James" was a woman.
Did James Barry do surgery on himself? If not, then I'm gonna go ahead and say Sampson's case was, in fact, entirely unique. It was one of a kind.
From what I know, Barry never did surgery on "himself", since "he" was one of the M.A.S.H. guys of that time and not a frontline soldier, so there was less risk of "him" being shot. So in the self-surgery case, Deborah Sampson for the win.
I might say both cases were unique. Do you know if the Kramer character from the TV show was an inversion of Barry's case? I haven't done much of a deep dive, but I feel like there are some really interesting threads to pull here.
I've never thought of Kramer as anything but a man.
The closest I’ve come to self surgery was when I dislocated my shoulder ice skating, the guy I was with at the time didn’t want to sit around the ER so he convinced me to let him put it back into place himself…. Which was just him bear hugging me and body slamming me into his truck.
It worked. It really hurt.
And I never went out with that guy again😅 I prefer medical professionals to whatever that was😂
Yikes! Glad it didn't end up damaging your shoulder way worse... or maybe you'll feel that at some delightful point in the future. Yay?
I have seen this a lot of times in person with fingers and toes, too. It's generally not that good of an idea for DIY.
Yeah, I was super lucky. It was almost 20 years ago and so far I haven’t had any issues. 🤞
Besides a few splinters and a fish hook, I have left the surgery to the pros. I did pierce my brother's ear when we were teens.
Was it easy to do the ear piercing? I tried and failed.
It was not easy except it was on my little brother who probably deserved a little discomfort at the time (kidding). We did not have a sharp enough needle so it was a bit more brutal than planned despite the ice cube and potato. haha.
I never knew the ice cube/potato trick! I tried with a safety pin. Doh!
Urp! Brought back some memories. I need to watch a Doris Day movie now to clear them out.
I had zero idea she only died five years ago!
Fascinating. Thanks for putting this up. My kind of nonfiction!
Thanks, Ken! I had a great time doing the research for this one.
My wife was in the Peace Corps and has a book called "Where There Is No Doctor." I don't know if the Peace Corps gave it to her or if it was highly recommended but it gives step by step instructions on how to do an appendectomy and advice on how to do it on yourself if necessary.
Then there was that rock climber who cut off his own arm to save his life...😬
Oh wow. That book you mentioned made me think of "The Poor Man's James Bond", which (if I recall correctly) was like "The Anarchist's Cookbook" on steroids. There were all sorts of wild survival scenarios outlined.
I don't know if I have what it takes to sever my own limb. I think my programming almost like forbids it or something, you know?
Yup, don’t think i could either!
I got nothin’ but occasional butterfly bandages and splinter removals. I almost fainted trying to get an earring post into a partially closed ear lobe piercing one time 😱😂
Wanna hear something kind of funny? I pierced my own eyebrow 3 times so I could put a safety pin in there (yes, I was that punk AND that dumb), but for the life of me, I couldn't make myself pierce my own earlobe.
😂 that had to hurt worse than an ear lobe! My daughter wanted multiple ear piercings so badly she did it to herself at age 15 💀
I will testify in a court of law that piercing your own eyebrow is WAY easier than piercing your own ears.
🤔surprised!
The maximum I can handle is getting a splinter out of my toe or hand with tweezers. Blood and I do not go along well beyond a few drops. This happens a lot when I go for a yearly exam, and the nurse comes to draw the blood for testing; they will ask me if I am okay as I look in another direction than where all the action is happening. I always say I am as long as I am not looking at the blood coming out of my arm. It is not that I will faint as some people do, but I do not like seeing the syringe filling up with my blood. I tell them to draw as much as they need but do not ask me to look.
I like to look away too! It's usually okay for me to see the blood filling up, but the stab of the jab is a bit tougher.
Exactly my take.