How long after being cut will a doctor stitch a wound?
All the years I worked in the emergency room, I never ceased to be amazed at the number of young men who at the urging of their mother, their wife or girlfriend, came in the next morning to have a cut or wound attended to. Too late. Wound healing and the knitting of tissues has already started.Now the person will have a much worse appearing scar, perhaps for life. The other alternative is to have a cosmetic scar revision in the future. But that will be a much larger operation and a larger scar than it would have been if the original wound had prompt medical attention and was sutured up.An open (non sutured) wound must heal by “3rd intention”. That means that it must SLOWLY heal from the bottom most tissues upward to avoid sealing in any germs as would have been prevented by prompt suturing.
Has a doctor ever made a mistake on you during an important medical operation?
Four years ago I needed surgery to repair discs in my neck. I had an accident 13 years before and discs on 2 levels of my neck had herniated in different directions. I had 32 days in the hospital in Texas due to complications from DVT’s and PE’s. However, I recovered with reoccurring neck pain. It became much worse in 2014 and I sought out a neurologist in Oregon where we currently live. He recommended that he replace the two rods in my neck with one solid one going from C3 yo C7. I agreed to the surgery and it was performed. When I awoke from anesthesia, I had no use of my left arm. When I asked why, he stated that they had trouble opening the incision so they had placed a bar on my shoulder and pushed down until they could insert the rod. He said it would resolve in a few days. He also suggested rehab in a nursing home near us. I went there hoping they would be able to restore use of my left arm. After 3 weeks, I got to where I could walk with help, some feeling returned to my lower arm, but I did not have use of it. I worked with a physical therapist for 6 months and did get minimal use from my arm. I did go back to the doctor to see if anything else could be done. He denied that he had done any thing wrong. To this date, I have continual pain and limited use of my arm. Never was there any further communication from that doctor.
If natural child birth is so painful why do most women opt for it? Instead why not go for cesarean delivery? What are the benefits and costs of natural childbirth?
As a co-founder of International Cesarean Awareness Network, a cesarean mother, and a natural birth mother, I feel that I am qualified to answer this question. I have given birth five times. My first birth was, basically, an unattended hospital birth. The hospital staff didn't think I was in actual labor, so they never called my doctor. He finally called the hospital to see if I had come in. He arrived after I had birthed my daughter. I tore extensively due to poor nutrition and poor positioning. My second child was born by emergency cesarean, weighing one ounce more than her sibling. The surgery went well, and my recovery was uneventful. However, it was six months before I felt back to normal physically.My third child was a VBAC-Vaginal Birth After Cesarean-in a hospital with a family physician. The labor was intense, but I was able to sleep between contractions. My baby was born in one push, and weighed 2 1/2 pounds more than her sisters. I only needed one stitch, and I felt back to normal physically in a week and a half.My last two children were born at home, with midwives attending. Both births were calm and easy, despite my last baby birthing face up. Both home birth babes were 2 pounds bigger than my first two babes. Natural, unmedicated, unmanaged birth is the safest, easiest, least painful way to birth a baby for over 90% of all women. Unfortunately, doctors and hospitals in the USA do not understand this. Doctors want to manage birth, make it faster, more efficient, more convenient. These goals may be helpful to the doctor. They are not helpful to the mother. Birth, in most cases, should not even be considered a medical procedure. It is a natural process, but a delicate one. Mothers cannot labor and birth easily if they are feeling unsafe. Hospitals are inherently scary places filled with beeping machines, gowned and gloved strangers and super germs. No wonder so many labors end up stalling, or even stopping. Which would you prefer-eating a meal of your choosing at your own pace, or having a feeding tube shoved down your throat and proper nutrition pumped directly into your stomach? The tube is very efficient, and the nutrition is more than adequate. I think we would all want the meal, though. Woman would do best birthing in a place of their own choosing, birthing at their own pace.
Cheating Chest X-ray Results?
Having worked with x-ray technology I am very doubtful that is more than an old-wives tale. We used x-rays equivalent to the power of a dental x-ray for examination of hidden contraband inside closed cargo containers. That power was enough to go through about 8 inches of steel and count the bullets inside an AK47. I doubt that the calcium in milk would obscure any lesions. Besides after you drink the milk it is not ending up where your most of your lungs are, so even if it had been opaque it would not have helped.
What scar do you have that reminds you of an important turning point in your life?
Mere a 21 year old girl, completed graduation at her hometown, looking forward to work and earn. Being an Engineer from IT background and interest in writing codes, she wanted to work in an IT firm.But, how can an Indian father from a small town, send his only daughter far from himself to an unknown city for a job, when she was here at her home, infront of his eyes.She had never lived alone, never cooked food, never knew how to be responsible for even herself since her mom was with her to take care of everything. But she wanted to work at her dream company. And for that, she has to leave her home and her parents.She was scared to make that decision.One day after Diwali celebration at her place, she booked tickets and wanted to run away. Her mom got to know and wanted to support her, so she decided to go with her without telling anyone (specially her dad).They reached, her mom helped her find a room to stay and went back home. The girl stayed alone, studied, worked hard, went for interviews early morning everyday. Came back empty handed every evening, and tried calling home depressed. But her father wasn't even talking to her. Everyday she worked hard for a better tomorrow.Today, she is working in an MNC, and still working hard to get selected for her dream company. She gets up early, packs lunch for herself, pay bills, drives to work, got promoted for her working skills, and guides a dance team in the same company.This is the scar that will be there forever to remind her to fight, to get out of cocoon, to grow beautifully, to achieve her dreams, and to live as per her terms. A milestone of her life.Her dad is proud of her.
How long does it take to recover after having your appendix removed?
I had my appendix removed on Friday. Note that my appendix didn't burst, so my experiences weren't as bad as they could have been. I had my laparoscopic surgery on Friday morning. I left the hospital 15 hours after the surgery.The first 6-8 hours were horrible. I could barely walk. I was uncomfortable because I had to urinate, but was unable to.After 8 hours, I was able to get out of bed and walk, even though it was painful. Urinating was very painful, but slowly began to become easier.After 15 hours, I left the hospital. I could walk, but had to walk slowly. It was difficult to do anything that required strength from my abdomen, for example, leaning over, getting in and out a car, or sitting up while in bed. Urinating was still slightly painful.I've been taking acetaminophen hydrocodone (it was some other brand other than Vicodin) ever since I left the hospital and it helps a lot.About 2 days after the surgery, I was walking around pretty fine with mild pains. I was able to do non-strenuous activities. It was still slightly painful to do anything that requires strength from my abdomen.About 4 days after the surgery I returned to work and was pretty comfortable at work. I have a desk job though, so if my job required a bit of physical activity I would have waited a few more days.
How do you spell "sea-section" (obviously not the correct spelling)?
It's when the doctor cuts the mother so that the baby does not come out naturally; the doctors pull the baby out. I just don't know how to spell the word.