Did you keep the scraps??

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Slim Johnson

Slim Johnson

Joined
Oct 3, 2011
Messages
307
I am going to be having surgery in the near future, and I really don't want to give my body parts to the hospital. I am curious if any of you have been able to keep your bits and pieces from your operations?

I plan on insisting that they give me mine. Since they are MINE, I don't see it as too much of a problem. Although I am unsure that the staff will be so delighted..:shifty: A friend of mine fractured his skull in a scooter accident, and was left losing a large piece of his skull. The hospital let him keep it, and now he has something of a twisted trophy.

I want to keep my bits as a reminder of the literal sacrifice that I will be making. I also want to have something to show people when they ask "What is Crohn's Disease?" Finally, I have a morbid fascination with things like this, and I want to see exactly what this curse did to my body.

Yes, I am a little strange...:wink:
 
I asked my GI before surgery if I could keep anything they took out and he said no. I don't remember why. No harm in asking of course.
 
Wouldn't all of it end up at pathology to be sliced and diced?

Taking out a piece of skull or a gallstone etc is different.

Dusty. :)
 
They might send it to get tested. I made them take some pictures of mine.. I showed everyone like it was a prize.. I think it was because I had so much medication in me.:eek:
 
IDK Dusty. Since it's my personal property, I would think that if I insisted, they would have to oblige me. I don't really want it to go to pathology, because I don't think it's fair to be charged so much money for a surgery, just for them to steal my bodyparts... If they were to pay market value, I would reconsider.. ;)
 
Hmmm, well we don't pay for here, unless you go private.

Whatever floats ya boat Slim, :) , I actually enjoy reading path reports but we did get the pics from the surgeon too...:ybiggrin:
 
Slim Johnson said:
IDK Dusty. Since it's my personal property, I would think that if I insisted, they would have to oblige me. I don't really want it to go to pathology, because I don't think it's fair to be charged so much money for a surgery, just for them to steal my bodyparts... If they were to pay market value, I would reconsider.. ;)
Click to expand...

Haha. If they're cutting 'em out I think it's because they're not worth market value at this juncture!
 
They won't let you keep it. Probably because of that silly biohazard and liability issue. But I'm sure they'll give you a picture. When I had my tonsils removed 20 or so years ago, they would not let me take them home. But they did show them to me. My nephew also was not allowed to take home his liver after his transplant. Go figure.
 
I had pins put in my elbow as a child, they let me keep those when they took them out. But, they would not let me keep my appendix when they took that because of the infection risk. They also wouldn't let me keep the bone removed when they operated on my foot (accessory navicular). They did show me my tonsils when I woke up from that surgery (I had them out late in life, at 26) :) in a cup on the way to be tossed, or pathologied or whatever

I doubt they would let you keep the tissue bc it's diseased & they would say it's a biohazard. Maybe if it was healthy tissue like bone fragments from an accident... but I imagine they want to slice your Crohns guts up for pathology & then dispose of it bc it's likely full of creepy-crawlies at the cellular level, which is why they removed it in the first place.
 
The gastros in Geelong have a meeting every Wednesday morning and the large chunks that the surgeon removed from my nether regions were so rotten that they were one of the central displays (in a jar, of course) on the next Wednesday. :yfaint:
 
maria said:
They might send it to get tested. I made them take some pictures of mine.. I showed everyone like it was a prize.. I think it was because I had so much medication in me.:eek:
Click to expand...

Good idea! I was too scared shitless at the time to think of that. Ill bring my camera next time..But hopefully there won't be a next time!:shifty:
 
:arghmatey_ani:If they have to take it out because it does not work well they can have it, I don't want to keep substandard merchandise.:dance:
 
Thanks for the posts.. I think it's bs that they will do all sorts of tests at our expense, without compensation.... Criminal even, after all we pay for everything done, here in the US... Whatever.

I am thinking it's unlikely that they will let me keep my bits. I am going to push some religious belief bs, to see if it helps. I understand the biohazard idea, although I don't buy it.. CD isn't contagious. I am sure it's a semantic thing.

I am going to give it my best. I have heard of people in the past being able to keep various parts. Maybe it comes down to the Dr., and hospital policy... Who knows...?
 
Hey Slim,

When I had my appendix out I asked if I could take it home in a jar...apparently this was a big no no. Health and safety or something....! x
 
Some women eat their placenta after giving birth... it's a cultural thing, though the placenta is actually full of very healthy nutrients.
Others take it home & bury it in some sort of religious ritual completing-the-cycle thing.
.... I don't think you'll convince a doc that eating your own rotten poop-chute is part of your religious practices, but maybe you can google the burial part and get somewhere. :)
 
I don't think you'll convince a doc that eating your own rotten poop-chute is part of your religious practices. Im sorry but thats f*$&in funny.
 
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I work for the Nhs in the uk so it may be different in the u.s but I think the only exception to the rule is certain religions where they have to keep all of there body parts so when they die it can be buried with them. I work in the pathology lab and have friends who work in histology. This is the only thing I know they have mentioned I could always see if I can find out more but I don't know if it is different in the states.
 
Before my first resection, I asked my doctor if he would keep mine for me. He apparently thought that I was kidding, and was quite surprised when it was one of the first things that I asked for following my surgery. Didn't get them....

I still think that it would have been nice to at least get a chance to see the offending pieces of bowel before they were incinerated.
 
Slim Johnson said:
I am going to be having surgery in the near future, and I really don't want to give my body parts to the hospital.
Click to expand...

I think you really have a point on this.
I've had two surgeries so far and I got nothing but scars on my tummy.
They didn't even let me see the resected parts.

I wonder what do they do with that. Do they study it?
I don't know. The only fact is there are lots of stray cats arround the Hospital and they look very chubby. Isn't that suspicious?
 
Slim Johnson said:
Thanks for the posts.. I think it's bs that they will do all sorts of tests at our expense, without compensation.... Criminal even, after all we pay for everything done, here in the US... Whatever.
Click to expand...

I can't tell if you're joking. You know they do the tests for *your* benefit, right? Like to find out what's wrong with you and why you needed surgery in the first place? If you don't want them to send it to pathology then they won't send it to pathology and if you tell them you don't want them doing tests they won't do tests. But it costs them money to do the tests and to dispose of biohazards properly.
 
Yeh the money isnt just for the procedure, its also paying for the technical knowledge (years of studying) the infrastrucure to make sure all the data is kept securely, and
given to the right people (although my scans are still missing from my last flexi grr). There is a lot of background stuff that does go on and costs money (maybe some is needless in my opinion)

What I do agree with is that its at your expense in the US. In the UK everyone gets the same treatment no matter how poor you are. I'd thought everyone would have agreed with this but I heard Obama tried to set this up and there was a shed load of opposition!!

Anyway if you can keep it, pickle it (not with your eggs) so it keeps :)
 
diesanduhr said:
I can't tell if you're joking. You know they do the tests for *your* benefit, right? Like to find out what's wrong with you and why you needed surgery in the first place? If you don't want them to send it to pathology then they won't send it to pathology and if you tell them you don't want them doing tests they won't do tests. But it costs them money to do the tests and to dispose of biohazards properly.
Click to expand...

I am absolutely serious. When my twins were born, they did several "pathologies" that I paid for, only to NOT hear one damn word about what they found. I was also billed every day for three doctors, and in the month that we were in NICU, I saw only ONE doctor for about 5 minutes.... To me it sounds like fraud. The bill was over 144,000$ for their stay, and I was treated like sh!t the whole time... Nor was I ever appraised of any testing, even though I asked every chance I had. My wife and I were there every day, from their birth, until their release. They rarely called me the father/husband, let alone showed me any respect.

There is no benefit to them doing pathology on the parts they have removed, except to line their pockets with money. NOTHING they test will benefit me, as it is being done after the fact. Moreover, every biopsy I have had has shown nothing out of the norm. So I seriously doubt the pathology will either. Pathology will only benefit the hospitals bottom line....

I have this strange compulsion to have my parts with me when I am cremated. I want to leave this world with everything I came into it with.:)
 
I guess my advice would be either tell them you don't want them running any tests or don't have the surgery.
 
Seriously??? Well, how about you drink some drano, and get back to me about how you feel.... If I had a choice I WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN SICK IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

How about you go troll in another thread??
 
Whoa, I know you are in a bad place right now Slim but step back mate.

No one is questioning your pain or suffering and I mean no offence but I think you are getting angry at the wrong people.

Dusty. xxx
 
diesanduhr; said:
412631.... or don't have the surgery.
Click to expand...

Okay, well, what sort of idiotic statement is this?? As if I have a choice???

Comments like this are entirely out of line, and very offensive.
 
Here is a summary of my last barium series:

IMPRESSION:

1. There is an abnormal appearance of the distal small bowel. There is extensive nodularity in the distal small bowel. There is a high-grade stricture of the terminal ileum. I suspect several other strictures are identified in the small bowel in the pelvis. There is premature filling of the rectum, therefore I believe there has to be at least one, possibly more fistula between the distal ileum and the rectum. The overall appearance of the small bowel in the pelvis is worse than in comparison in 2007.

This poster HAS NO IDEA WHAT I AM DEALING WITH, SO SHE CAN KEEP HER OBTUSE COMMENTS TO HERSELF.
 
I hear you Slim and I will tell you honestly how this thread comes across to me.

You are angry at the system you find yourself and to be honest I don't blame you. After many of the stories of I read on here, yours included, I would fear that my own children were ever in a system like that. :(

The thing is you seem pretty adamant that you want what ever parts are removed from you and I don't know if that is allowed. I can't speak for Nic but I read it as her saying it exactly like it is, if they won't allow you to keep your parts and you want them, then literally the only way to prevent it is not to have surgery. If you don't want them to go to pathology then they are not to test them.

I know you need surgery Slim so you are going to have to get your head around the system and compromise somewhere along the line for the sake of your health.

Dusty. xxx
 
Surgery is happening regardless of whether or not I get to keep the leftovers. Pathology is irrelevant. It won't help me with anything except lightening my wallet. I don't live in a country with free healthcare, so I pay for EVERYTHING that is done. If I thought having pathology was going to be useful, then I would do it, however as in my previous post. I paid for pathology that was never disclosed to me... What's the point?

I know what's wrong with me. I know what needs to be done. I am going to handle my business, regardless of whether I get to keep the scraps, or not. It makes no difference. It is just something I would like, to have my pieces as a testimony of what I am living with. And to appease my morbid fascination with anatomy.

My past experience with the medical industry has no bearing on my need for surgery, nor am I going to tuck and run just because a particular hospital won't give me what is legally, and rightfully mine. It is becoming a matter of life or death. Plain and simple.
 
Hello Slim,
It is good to hear that you agree to the surgery, could be a lifesaver.
I don't blame you for being angry at an iniquitous system, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Pathological studies to evaluate the tissue can be very important to rule out cancerous changes which can happen with Crohn's patients.
It is indeed remiss of your doctors not to have discussed previous tissue analysis and I would be asking for those results, they will be on record.
Hope everything goes well for you.
Feel better soon
Trysha
 
Slim Johnson said:
I have this strange compulsion to have my parts with me when I am cremated. I want to leave this world with everything I came into it with.:)
Click to expand...

I think I understand your worry. You can also consider this: There are some things that none can take to the grave, such as:

-Umbilical cord

-Reborner teeth, also known as baby teeth, temporary teeth and primary teeth.

-Nails and Hair. Think about how much you have lost sice your birth. Hopefully they keep growing.

-Hymen (womens only), with very VERY :) few exceptions.

So in the end we are never "complete".

I hope your surgery goes well and get some relief. In my personal experience I had difficult times during surgery at the hospital and also the first month at home. But then, after some time the surgery really make the difference. I hope you fell better.
 
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