After 5 years as an RN, finally just got REALLY grossed out

[Tallison]

On reconsideration, I really can't do that to you guys.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. And that was a visual I definitely didn't need.

Thank you for that.


:thumbsup:

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Magicians use the ones that come from goats.

Used in magic, they are. The Bezores.

I've never seen one, but they're made mention of in the first Harry Potter book, as well as elsewhere in many other places, of course.

Good old dark ages concept.

[Tallison]

9. The doc said it's literal translation is "hairball"

Don't know what the relation is to goats, but in humans they can take over a year to develop, and given our varied diets, let's just say I've never seen anything like that out of a cat.

[Midlodemocrat]

3. LOL.

Okay, but I was just playing with you. I didn't mean to offend you.

[Tallison]

4. Actually, I reconsidered within a second of hitting "submit"

New, gross stuff gets us so excited at work, I sometimes forget it's not fit for the general public. :D

[Midlodemocrat]

6. I hear ya.

I did some consulting work for a doctor friend for a few years and he used to dictate right in the hall outside my office.

When he described 'toenail guttering', I thought I would hurl.

[Rising Phoenix]

7. I'm dying to know what it was...

[Midlodemocrat]

8. Trust me on this, you don't want to know.

You would be revisiting your lunch.

[purr]

10. I cant find it!! i even googled it and came up with

only articles related to fungus??

[Tallison]

13. All right. You talked me into it. (warning: pics)

It's a bezoar

Definition: A bezoar is a ball of swallowed foreign material (usually hair or fiber) that collects in the stomach and fails to pass through the intestines.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors: Chewing on or eating hair or fuzzy materials (or indigestible materials such as plastic bags) can lead to the formation of a bezoar. The incidence is very low and the risk is greater among mentally retarded or emotionally disturbed children. Generally bezoars are seen in females (approximately 90%) aged 10 to 19.

Treatment: The bezoar may need to be surgically removed (especially trichobezoars which tend to be large). Sometimes small bezoars can be removed through scope placed through the mouth and into the stomach.

(One removed through an EGD scope was what I saw today)

Also, the following take a few years to develop, usually through chronic gastroparesis (decreased gastric motility):

[skygazer]

15. That's just amazing

All that stuff absolutely fascinates me - makes me wish I'd gotten into the medical field in some form. I'm always too interested and curious to get grossed out.

[Tallison]

18. Consider paramedics?

They see some of the worse/craziest.

The following story I am not making up: Picked up a guy once who had caught his penis in his pants zipper, lacerating it badly, was too embarassed to seek medical attention (it later required reconstructive surgery) until it was so badly infected with staph and enterococci (about 10 days later) he became septic and went into shock, causing his parents to call the rescue squad.

[purr]

20. OUCH!! I thought about paramedics

but I cant tolerate car crashes.. I cant even look at one and the sound of one sends me into an anxiety attack.

[Tallison]

21. They're the worst

There's a unique odor to the mixture of blood and engine fluids that haunts me to this day. :(

[skygazer]

22. Actually, in my youth, I leaned toward veterinary medicine

All the local vets knew that and always let me assist when they performed surgery on our many animals. They taught me how to administer meds and give injections - cool stuff. Lots of fun.

Of course, I ended up dropping out of high school so I work retail instead. My best friend became a vet, though and I worked for her for several years, used to do all her labwork and assist in large animal procedures. I've helped deliver calves, horses and sheep, helped deliver dead twin calves (we had to cut the poor things up inside the mom in the middle of the night in a freezing cold barn - what a job!), helped castrate many horses (I was the anesthesiologist), stitch jobs (I can suture pretty well) and a bunch of stuff. I really loved it.

Where's that time travel thread? If we figure it out (and if the minds in the DU Lounge can't, I don't know who can), maybe I'll go back in time and go to vet school.

[Tallison]

25. What horse anesthetic did you use?

And do you remember the dose? That does sound really interesting... :D

[skygazer]

27. I honestly don't remember

My friend just handed me the supplies and told me how much to use. We'd drop the horse, I'd sit on his head, she'd cut. If he started to come to, I'd give him a little more.

Funny story - one day, we cut a horse for an old farmer and his son who was about 30 or so. The young guy looked a little surprised to see two women, neither of whom were all that big, coming to work on this big work horse but the farmer was cool. They stood off a little ways while we got to work and we were like a well oiled machine by that time.

We dropped him on the grass and I plopped on his head while my friend got to work on her end. We were chatting about this and that as we worked and my friend popped the emasculator on the first testicle, waited the required time, then snipped. Still chatting, she casually picked up the testicle and tossed it over her shoulder where it landed with a soft splat near her bucket.

That sound was followed by a loud thud - the younger man had keeled right over. :rofl: I guess the casual way that we treated that horse's "jewels" just did him in. His dad thought it was a riot and I have a feeling he's probably never let his son forget it.

[purr]

17. Isnt that similar to a dermoid cyst?

Nifty images tho!

[Tallison]

19. Actually, no

though they kind of appear similar. The material of which these masses consist is entirely foreign and primarily made of hair, which is practically indigestible. That's why they're so rare; you typically only see them in people who have the dual issues of hair-eating and gastroparesis. :shrug:

[Dave Reynolds]

28. In the pathology business, we call that one

a "keeper".

[RebelOne]

29. Sort of like hair balls in cats. n/t

[Tallison]

30. But bigger, with longer hair

and a wider variety of cud, you might say.

[Tallison]

32. Here 'ya go...see above

(you sick kids!)

[Shell Beau]

5. It takes tough stomach and a special person to do what

you do!! :applause: Could never ever do it myself. I am way too queasy!!

[Tallison]

11. Awww, thanks

Wish some of the MDs I work with thought so. It's still something I'd do all over again. :hug:

[redqueen]

12. Aww come on!

You can't do THIS! PM please?

[Tallison]

14. See response to Purr above

Geez, you guys should become doctors and nurses.

[redqueen]

16. hehe ... actually I am thinking of becoming a nurse

Already a nursing assistant. Not sure if I want to pursue that or teaching, though. My whole family is mostly nurses, so they're really pushing for that. :)

[Lex]

23. So girls really shouldn't chew on their hair

like some do as a nervous habit.

[Tallison]

24. Guess not, if they're diabetic

which is apparently what causes the digestive track slow-down.

:shrug:

Even our department's medical director came over to see it; he'd never heard of such a thing, either.

My stomach's growling, but every time I go to the fridge I just keep thinking of the damn thing.

[flamingyouth]

26. My mom worked in a doctor's office before I was born.

She once told me this awful story... I still get somewhat ill when I think of it today. Ugh. Your tale reminds me somewhat of it. :scared:

[BreweryYardRat]

31. Wasn't there a Darwin Award about someone who died from a bezoar?

Too lazy to look it up, but anyone who's interested can go over to the site and check.