posted
...and it's worrying me! For over a month now i've been seeing this kind of fuzzy black dot out of the side of my eye...there's nothing *on* my eye, but when i look at a pale or white surface I can clearly see this little black THING just to the side of my central vision. I can't focus on it, because if i try to look straight at it it just moves to the side...if that makes any sense. It's in my peripheral vision, basically. I told a friend of the family about it roughly a week after it surfaced and they said that the eye heals amazingly quickly and that I should be fine again in about a week. Three weeks later, and it's still there. Hasn't gotten worse, but hasn't gotten any better, either. I have no clue what it could possibly be, nor any inclination as to whether it's dangerous or not.
Has anyone experienced anything similar to this, or heard of this rather odd phenomenon? I'm making an appointment with my doctor tomorrow but it would put my mind at ease to know beforehand if there's anything to worry about.
posted
Could be a floater, although I don't know for sure. The part about seeing it better against a white background, and not being able to look directly at it make it sound like a floater.
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I think it depends on how big the dot is, what shape it is,and its consistency. I have these "floaters" in my field of vision every now and then, but they're often squiggly lines and tiny dots. There was a little article about it at the ophthalmologist's office that said it was perfectly normal...
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posted
I've seen clear "floaters" before, which usually start at the top of your field of vision and "float" down essentially. This is not all clear, and it's always in the same location, just to the right and down of my central area of vision.
Posts: 3516 | Registered: Sep 2002
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quote:Well, luckily I've been using *his* blondeness to pull the wool over his eyes for quite some time now.
*whispers* he still thinks we're dating! *whispers*
Jesus. Really?
Okay, Strider, get the idea. There is nothing going on between Kira and myself, not anymore. I had to break it off, she was wanting sex all the time, and I had to get deez hos to back the hell up off me. I said, baby, I need some time alone, and she's like, but baby, I need you, I need you now, and I'm back the **** up baby, and she's like c'mon baby come back to bed, and I just had to kick her the hell outta my crib cuz a gangsta just can't have needy bitches, ya know what I mean?
So, yeah, dude. It's so over between us. These white girls, they just can't handle the Mexican burrito of love. They just want to eat Mexican food nonstop after a first taste. And Eddie, he has limited reserves of hot sauce, ya know what I mean?
posted
It's probably nothing, but the problem is I can think of something which needs immediate care. PLEASE make SURE that you see an opthamologist TODAY.
posted
I just got back from my appointment, and can barely see the screen in focus because they dialated my pupils....Doc Eyeball says there's nothing to worry about unless i start seeing light flashes, or it doesn't go away in 3 to 4 months. Otherwise, it's natural, although he doesn't know exactly what caused it. he kept asking me if i'd had any trauma to my head or eye in the last few months. I didn't think he needed to know about Strider repeatedly smacking me with his baseball bat. They're just love blows, anyhow.
oh, and rivka, i'm just pretending to date him for the bling bling. The money. (that's what bling bling is, right?....wow. i need to not ever use ghetto slang...)
Posts: 3516 | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
I have something like this, one in each eye. The second one did appear after I fainted and banged my head on the bathroom floor. In my case, the doctor said they were "vitreal detachments." They cause me to have very minor light flashes, but only in the dark - I did get scared at the time, cause I knew the warning signs of retinal detachment, and I am high risk due to my extreme myopia. My doctor told me to watch for light flashes that I could see in daylight, and I get regular check-ups.
posted
I have a sharp-edged black spot in the peripheral field of vision of my left eye. If I look at a blank screen about 1 foot in front of my nose, it would be down about 2", and 2" over to the left from my focal point (fovea). It is much darker and sharper than any floater, but it usually has floaters associated with it. Floaters also tend to shift slightly in your field of vision as you move your eye. This stays completely fixed (in my field of vision) as my eye moves. (It moves exactly along with my eye movements, in other words, and never has any slight relative motion the way a floater can.) My understanding is that floaters are strings of blood cells floating in the fluid of the eyeball. The ones that are very near to the retina become visible as their interference fringes can be seen. (They are out of focus, of course, since they are not in the same plane as the retina. The ones that are farther from the retina are so far out of focus as to be completely invisible.)
Anyway, this black spot has persisted for 20 years. I tried to ask a doctor about it once, but she dismissed it it as a floater. I asked her to look at my retina and see if it looked okay, and she said it did. She was annoyed at me for having this problem that wasn't in her books (or on her list of top 25 things people can have wrong with them, or whatever) so I wasn't able to describe the exact spot where it was and get her to look right there and tell me what she saw. (I was taking up her valuable time with my nonsense.) Anyway, since she said my retinas were okay overall, and since the problem hasn't seemed to progress over time, I just didn't worry about it. I would like to know what it is, though.
Some of my guesses are 1) diabetic retinopathy starting, though the fact that it hasn't seemed to progress argues against that. 2) My left eye has always tended to be a "lazy eye" since I was born. I don't pay attention to its signal as much, so the neural paths in my brain aren't as formed. My vision is not nearly as good on that side. Perhaps it has something to do with that. I first noticed this spot when I was about 25, though (I'm 45 now). So it would seem rather late for that to manifest itself. 3) An ulcer or broken blood vessel or something on my retina, that bleeds a tiny bit of blood into my eyeball. The strings of floaters that trail away from this black spot make me think that. But why would it persist so long and not heal? And why would the edge be so sharp and clearly visible? Things on your retina that never move are "disappeared" by your brain very quickly, I thought. (In a matter of minutes or hours, I believe.)
I'd like to know what Leonide's spots are, too, cause mine might be the same thing.
(edit: When I'm 1 foot from the monitor, if I look at the bold "as" above, the black spot is on the bold "it".)
[ December 16, 2003, 12:41 PM: Message edited by: ana kata ]
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posted
Wow ak. Have you gotten a second opinion? Specialist?? It sounds like it could be serious.
Tullaan, I thank that's what I thought of when I first read this thread. Macular Degeneration, right? My grandmother had it and it started with what seemed like a 'floater' in the center of her vision which slowly spread until she ONLY had peripheral.
I hear now that if caught early, it can be treated and helped, but it was too advanced when they finally figured out what was wrong with her.
I'm glad you got it checked out Leonide. Anything having to do with eyes, ears, nose, throat and heart should be treated with great caution. But don't let your doc treat you like ak's did. I'm all for second and third opinions. It's so important.
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posted
Anne Kate, go and see an opthomologist. I'm not saying that you've got a serious problem, but you deserve to have it checked out by someone who is going to listen to you and take you seriously.
Is this generally your doctor's attitude? If so, why are you still going to her?
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posted
Least alarming explanation possible is that it is your fovea centralis. I think it is the point where your optic nerve attaches to your retina. Your retina is covered with rods and cones. One does color and the other does B&W. Where the fovea is, there is only either rods or cones. I don't remember which. It is why, if you are dim light, you can see something better by not looking straight at it.
It is slightly off center, so the fact that we have two eyes going usually conceals it. But if you get obsessed with looking at it, it can become very easy to perceive constantly. At least, that is based on my belief that what we perceive is fairly plastic. I think if you can figure out a way to ignore it, it will go away. FWIW. You already saw a doctor, if it doesn't go away call him again.
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posted
I haven't found an eye doctor that's the least bit scientific. Most doctors don't care about stuff like this. <laughs> They have too many people who are spurting blood and stuff, I understand perfectly. I don't go to this particular doctor anymore, because she did get frustrated with me always bringing up my observations and trying to understand things in a technical way.
Joey, my endocrinologist, is just like me, and so he'll actually think hard about things, and wants to know all your observations. He's trying to understand diabetes and fix it, not just follow some recipe, I mean. So it's nice to be able to talk to him about stuff. My vet Dr. George is the same way.
Since it hasn't seemed to get worse in all this time, I don't think it's any sort of emergency or anything. I'm just curious about it, and would like to know if it's something that will likely progress over time or not. I thought our brilliant CT (who is another one like Joey), might be able to figure it out easily.
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posted
pooka, there are actually two different things that you may be referring to.
Your fovea, which is the part where you are looking, is densely packed with the color-sensing type of retinal sensor cells (cones?) and so it sees less well in dim light. Rods are much more sensitive to dim light levels. That's why when you're looking at a faint galaxy in the telescope, it's best to look slightly away. It's also why we don't see much color in the night sky, in starlight, though it's actually there. Stars are very red and green and orange and blue and stuff, as you can see in some color photographs of star trails put out by the observatories. But because they are so dim, we perceive them mostly with our rods, and so we don't notice the color much.
There is also the spot where the blood vessels come into the retina, the blind spot. I forget the scientific name for this. It's actually not light sensitive at all, and you can make something disappear from your view entirely if you are careful and position it right in your blind spot. It doesn't have sharp edges, though. You can't see it at all, even that it's not there. It's outboard of your fovea (in your field of view) which makes it inboard on the eyeball itself (since the image of the world is reversed inside the eye). So on your left eye, for instance, it would be directly to the left of your point of focus or attention. My black spot (sharp edged) is a little further to the left and down a good bit (from my pov) from my blind spot on that eye. Which would make it up and inboard on my actual retina. I would like to just look at that spot on my retina and see what is there, but I don't know any way I can do that.
[ December 16, 2003, 01:03 PM: Message edited by: ana kata ]
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posted
Macular degeneration would be a scary diagnosis. Macula means spot, so that part fits. (Edit: turns out the macula is the hi-res spot in the center of the field of view of the eye) This isn't right in my central field of view, but it's not that far away. It's not way off at the edge, I mean. Maybe I need to read about that. I remember reading an article in SciAm about it once. I can't remember if I ruled it out then or what.
There are two types, wet and dry. It's definitely not the dry type but could possibly be the start of the wet type. At least I haven't ruled it out yet from anything I've read.
[ December 16, 2003, 01:25 PM: Message edited by: ana kata ]
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posted
I, like many others here, think you need to go see an opthomalogist, aka. Although it may or may not be serious, you could finally find out what it is (after wondering for 20 years). Ask around and see if anyone you know has a particularly good opthomologist. Too bad you're not down here or I could recommend several...
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posted
As a layperson, it doesn't sound like macular degeneration to me. But I agree with ludosti, Noemon, and Narnia -- for your own peace of mind (and ours! we worry about you), please see an ophthalmologist and find out what it is.
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posted
Okay, from looking at the information online, for instance this test, I think it can't be that, or if it is, it's the very bare beginnings of it, and hasn't progressed in all this time. I test out just fine on all the tests. I think I won't make a doctor visit just for this. If CT or anyone has any guesses of other possibilities, though, I'm still curious. My guess is still a small broken blood vessel on my retina, but I don't know why it doesn't heal.
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posted
No, I don't have one, and my vision has been good enough that I've not undertaken the search yet. The last time I went to opthamologists, I was in college, and they kept prescribing me glasses which I would get but then they made me too sick, dizzy, and headachy to actually wear. I guess that's why I quit going to eye doctors. But I just read that all diabetics are recommended to have yearly eye exams. So I probably ought to find one. bleh
[ December 16, 2003, 01:51 PM: Message edited by: ana kata ]
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posted
Yeah, I was just about to point out that since you get a yearly eye exam you should be ok. I ASSUMED you were getting a yearly exam, anyway. Go find one. You need it for the retinal exam for your diabetes every single year.
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posted
Wow, anne kate. your black spot sounds exactly like my black spot...different locations -- mine is down and to the right of my field of vision --but the way you describe yours sounds identical.
i don't really have the inclination to go see anyone else about this -- i hate having my eyes checked worse than any medical visit there is. Give me the gynocologist any day. I have a inexplicable aversion to eye drops and things being really, really close to my eyes. Needless to say, the glaucoma test and then the three sets of eye drops that followed were unbelievably horrible. *shudders* if i never have to do that again, it'll be too soon.
Posts: 3516 | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
There are two things to be concerned about. Well, three things.
First; If your getting along in years and you have a spot in the center of your vision, it could be macular degeneration. Very rare in younger people.
Second; Another very urgent problem is called retinal detachment. If caught early it can be fixed. Typically a laser is used to "spot weld" back in place. Symptoms can be odd vision to total lack of vision.
Third; Very rare. Cancer. Yeah, I said the big C word. Very, very, very rare. I don't want to alarm any of you or scare you. You don't have it. Interestingly though; you know those red eyes you get in photographs with a flash? If for some reason only one of your eyes are red, that may be a problem. Of course there are a lot of variables like: were both eyes exactly focused on the same object, lighting, camera etc. Just something to look out for.
posted
ak, Leonide, I don't know. I can make guesses, but they would just be moderately informed guesses. I am concerned for both of you, because serious eye problems often have a window of time in which various treatments can be effective.
ak, yes, I agree with Theca -- with diabetes, you need to have yearly eye exams. Once it's gone, its gone. Think of all the beauty in the world. We need your eyes!
(I wish I could be more help, but kids have relatively few eye problems. I don't have the training. But thanks for the vote of confidence, ak. It means a lot. )
posted
CT, if you have any guesses that we haven't already guessed, then by all means please guess them. I suppose I should start looking for an opthamologist to start getting yearly eye exams, but it may take many tries to find someone good and in the meantime any new guesses that can be checked out on the web would be quite helpful. It sounds like Leo is not planning to get hers checked out immediately either. But if it's something that might get worse, and if there's a way to prevent or slow the problem, then we probably should do something, huh? That's why a guess that seemed to fit would be helpful. It might spur us to do something about it, which otherwise we will probably not do.
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Leonide, this is the second time you've started a thread asking for help and then decided not to do anything about it. Just confusing. Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Excuse me, mack, but I believe I went to the doctor. If you are so unsure about the professional qualifications of every single person I go to for help, how bout you get on the phone and find a few "competant" doctors for me? I'm not an expert at this, the doctor said not to worry! What else do you want from me? Me not seeing ANOTHER doctor post was merely in jest, although I do have an aversion to eye drops...if I continue to see the dot after three or four months (LIKE MY DOCTOR SAID) or start seeing eye flashes (LIKE MY DOCTOR SAID) I'll get extra help.
You pretend to be helpful but you get condescending and down-right rude when people don't follow your advice to the letter. I went to the doctor. I asked him many many times if he was sure it was nothing serious. I'm sorry that's not good enough for you.
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posted
It was an observation. It just seemed from your post that you were blowing off the stuff that people said. I don't expect you to follow my advice.
posted
Okay, someone just explained that my terseness can come off as condescending.
It wasn't meant to be and I certainly don't look down on anybody.
Let me clarify.
I didn't mean to offend. If I did, I'm sorry. I was just trying to point out an observation that it seemed you asked for advice but if you didn't intend to use any of it, why ask? That's all. I mean, if you just want a vent and support and whatever, that's great.
It was just my observation. Not a judgement.
Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
Yes, you do expect me to follow your advice, because you got caustic when I didn't up and drop my "incompetant" psychologist back when I was at my worst. I asked for insight and advice and thoughts on my eye, and I got that. I don't see where you got the impression that I disregarded anyone's advice, since I actually went and did what everyone was advising. I went to the doctor.
I asked for insight and advice and thoughts on grenme about my episodes, and I got that, but I'm not obligated to follow anyone's advice to the letter, or even at all. I trust my psychologist, and I had no reason or desire to leave her. That wasn't an option for me. You don't know me, and I listen to everyone's advice with an open mind, but when something doesn't click for me I DON'T DO IT. I was looking for options, and I got them. I thanked everyone for their input, but i don't recall signing a contract that obligated me to do exactly what they told me. In fact, I didn't go to a psychiatrist, didn't get medication, didn't check myself into a hospital....and lookee there. I'm absolutely fine now. I did it myself. I calmed myself down and I did it myself. So, you weren't correct in your opinion of the situation, because it turned out I didn't need medication.
Ithink I just harbor a lot of resentment about how I was treated when I didn't rush out and commit myself, or how I'm treated when I don't followed the advice that I'm given. I don't have to, it's my perrogative, and I decided otherwise. And I fixed the problem myself. I'll just refrain from ever asking for thoughts or advice again, since it's interpreted by some as an invitation to dictate my life and get mad at me when I don't listen.
edit: i hardly ask for advice and then say to myself "but no matter what anybody says, I'll do what I want" I'll do what I feel makes the most sense, and feels right. I felt the dot could be a problem, and I went to see a doctor. I do not feel that getting a second and third opinion is necessary. I don't see how I was ignoring *anyone's* advice. Obviously I'm missing something here, since you're convinced I'm running amuck and won't listen to anyone....
posted
Well, perhaps I misinterpreted your grenme post...i don't remember the exact wording, but it was the one where you seemed annoyed that I wasn't listening to you....it was one sentence, and you said something along the lines of "well, not that I know what i'm talking about, anyway..."
That sounded annoyed to me, sounded like you were displeased that I wasn't listening to you. I guess I'm wrong about my interpretation?
edit: i'm really sorry about all this, i've been in a really down mood all day, but i just can't stand it when people think less of me for unfair reasons, in my opinion. Both you and Bob the Lawyer have "pointed out" my penchant for not taking anyone's advice, and I really really feel that you're seeing the situation incorrectly. I'm not going to follow anyone's advice if it doesn't work for me, and i've never purposefully disregarded anyone's advice that i've seen the benefit in. I had talked to my parents about seeing a doctor to prescribe medication, but it turned out it wasn't necessary. I *did* do those things, I was trying to get help. I don't know how else to convince you that I was listening. But, you know, it's really up to you how you decide to view me and I'm just really sorry I come across so unswayable and immature in your eyes. I wish there was something I could do to remedy that. i'm just sorry
posted
I think I was annoyed that you dismissed psychologists and mental health, or something. Maybe I misread that as well and posted my first reaction of annoyance with that. I got defensive, apparently . See, this is where the face to face interaction is important. You can tell so much by body language, facial expression, and intonation.
I'm happy that you're better, btw. Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
AK, if you don't already have a regular eye doc that you know and trust, I actually have an odd bit of advice. Try the doc at your local Super Walmart. No, I'm not kidding.
I don't know if they're good everywhere, but this was what I experienced. I had my eyes checked a couple times back in college...I had at the time a slight astigmatism in the left eye. I found the eye exams I was receiving to be brief and cursory. The doctors didn't seem to want to spend any time with me, nor answer any questions I had. None asked me any questions outside the scope of the actual exam (can you read this line, etc). After a few such exams, and having received glasses that sometimes helped, but which were a huge pain trying to adjust to, I just stopped. Until a couple years ago, when I found that I was again having lots of trouble with headaches, and that the vision in the left eye seemed to be getting a little worse (I realized one night I had trouble reading road signs that I didn't know what to expect them to say). I went to a new doctor, had the same sort of experience, and got glasses that helped some with the headaches.
Now my mom has been wearing glasses since kindergarten, so she's has many eye exams in her life, by many doctors. I was discussing this subject with her earlier this year, explaining that my vision seemed to be getting quite worse suddenly, and that my glasses didn't actually even FIT me anymore (after losing nearly 100 lbs at that point, it's no wonder). She said, to my great surprise, that she'd just had the best eye exam she'd ever had. She said the doctor was polite, and thorough, and spent a lot of time asking her about her vision, when it bothered her, what kinds of trouble she had, etc. Knowing that the doctors in the town my folks live in tend to be quite below par, I asked where she'd gotten this great exam, expecting her to say she'd gone up to Salt Lake or something. No, she said she'd gone to the doctor at the local Walmart!
Well, by the middle of this summer, my old glasses were bothering so much I'd taken to just not ever wearing them. I was experiencing the WORST headaches, which I knew were partly from vision trouble, partly from working on the computer with vision trouble, and partly from the sinus infections and the crappy glasses' nose pieces pressing against the sinuses. Since I no longer have insurance to cover eye exams, I decided I'd try Walmart. Imagine my surprise when my experience was much like my mother's. It was a GREAT exam. The doctor did indeed spend quite a bit of time with me, and asked me lots of questions, starting with how much time did I spend every day on a computer. This is a question which no doctor has ever asked me, but which is obviously quite important when it comes to vision issues. She spent time discussing with me the weird visual problems I have that are related to the inner ear damage I've got. (Certain visual patterns trigger actual vertigo with me.) The exam itself uncovered that while formerly I had an astigmatism in the left eye only -- my Rx has always been for the left only, with no Rx for the right lense -- suddenly I have an astigmatism in both eyes, the right side actually being quite worse than the left. Well, that certainly explained the ghastly increase in the headaches! In the end she explained to me that since I work so many hours each day on a computer that, even though I am neither near- nor far-sighted, that she was going to give me a Rx that has the lowest possible correction for near-sightedness, in addition to the corrections for the astigmatisms. She explained that this would help my eyes relax while working on the computer, and help reduce eye strain. (See, not only did she ask me lots of questions, she explained everything to me. I loved her!) She said if I had any troubles to come right back. Well, after 3 or 4 weeks using these new glasses, I went back in and explained that, yes, they had completely fixed all the headache problems (6 months later I STILL haven't had a single eye-strain headache since getting these glasses), I was not adjusting to the near-sighted correction when it came to judging distances. I was having trouble judging where the ground was when walking, and flat out couldn't drive after dark at all, as I no longer had anything close to accurate depth perception. No problem, she said, let's just give you a second Rx without the near-sighted correction, to use when you're not at the computer. Problem solved!
So I know that not EVERY doctor at EVERY walmart can possibly be fabulous, but my mom and I both had just wonderful experiences there, in different states. It's not an expensive exam, but I think it's the by far the best $40 I've ever spent. I'll definitely be going back there for my next exam. So since you've already experienced bad exams, and don't have a current doc, it might be worth trying.
posted
I don't know anything about Walmart eye exams, but I was assuming they are all optometrists...AK definitely needs an ophthalmologist for her yearly exam. As does most anyone with concerns of retinal problems. Just a thought.
Posts: 1990 | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
Actually, optometrists (by which I mean a doctor of optometry with specialized training) are pretty good for screening of retinal problems - they dilate your eyes and do a thorough exam. A responsible optometrist who sees a problem or any reason for concern recommends follow-up with an ophthamologist, as ours did for my husband's elevated pressure (turns out he had glaucoma) and my vitreal detachement (which turned out to be nothing to worry about for now).
**Ela**
[ December 18, 2003, 11:19 AM: Message edited by: Ela ]
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posted
Lead, thanks for that info! I may well try that when I give in and decide I have to get glasses. I think I will go with an opthalmologist (spelled right this time?) for the retinas, though. I once gave in and went to an optometrist with conjunctivitis, because I couldn't get in to see any opthalmologist and I was in severe pain. And I knew that they were allowed to prescribe medicine now. The optometrist gave me half the normal dose of antibiotic, and my eyes just barely got better for a day or two, then got much worse again. The M.D. I went to afterward told me about the botched dose.
Optometrists can be great with mechanics of the eye, optics and so on, in fact, I've had one that was very smart and fixed my vision with exercises only. But for medical problems like infection or vascular things, or problems with tissue or growths or anything like that, I just think opthalmologists are better trained.
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posted
As a general rule you're right, Anne Kate, but of course it varies by the person. There can be exceptional, CT-like optometrists, and sub-par opthamologists. I was fortunate, growing up, that my parents happened onto a fantastically good optometrist, who I trust implicitly with my eyes. Too bad I now live hundreds of miles away from there--he's really good.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
I am eternally amused by hatrackers who get all worked up over medical stuff. The theatrics are more than comical. Seriously, you can't write this stuff.
To explain myself - before I get railed upon by some of you who are more... sensitive - I'd just like to point out some of my medical history and encounters I've had with hospital nuts. I come from a family that doesn't call the doctor when something gets funky. We just ride it out. I remember, I seriously sprained my ankle once. I hurt that sucker so bad that I had to be carried for about a mile to the nearest road (I was snowboarding) because I couldn't walk on it. Well, when I got home and my Dad took a good look at my grotesque, hugely swollen, multi-colored ankle, he just sniffed and said "walk on it- it'll heal faster." Well, I walked on it and endured the short-lived yet excrutiating pain and it healed. I know people who still suffer from sprains like I had (some not even nearly as bad) who thought it necessary to consult a doctor for a simple injury people have been getting for centuries. The doctor, being a person under constant fire from parents who just don't get it, said "oh, it's a sprain" and tossed a perscription for some crutches at them. They only did it to get Mom off their back. Give 'em what they want.
One of my ex-girlfriends' mother is the kind who calls the doctor everytime she stubs her freaking toe. She would even give her daughter prescription drugs (prescribed to the mother) for headaches and cramping and other common ailments. That aside, she has a problem. She has taken so many drugs for so many things over her life that they don't work anymore. She threw her back out a few years back while lifting a rather heavy TV set. The hospital ran her through every pain med they could legally lay their hands on and none of them worked. The last thing they tried was the maximum legal dosage of morphine and she was still in a lot of pain. I have every intent that, if I were to get in a situation where the removal of pain was a pure necessity, that I'd want those drugs to work their magic and work it well. I don't want to have to endure pain because I couldn't keep popping Tylenol everytime my head started to hurt a little.
I do believe in medicine. I also don't fear hospitals. I'm one of the few people I've met who'd have no problem working in a hospital at a non-medical job (and have done so.) I just think that most people get far too hysterical when it comes to their own health.
As a side, my roommate was originally going to be a Pediatrician. He soon changed his mind when he found out that insane mothers tend to call at four in the morning because their child's temperature jumped a few tenths of a percent. I don't really blame him.
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"Riding it out" may be your choice right now, but that doesn't mean you have to point out exactly how comically amusing the rest of us are.
Posts: 1990 | Registered: Feb 2001
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Isn't that, well, implied?
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. See, this is where the face to face interaction is important. You can tell so much by body language, facial expression, and intonation.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
