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Speaker: Medical Journal, Chapter V

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  • jessica scott, in reply to BenWilson,

    The procedure is, in theory, reversible isn't it?

    Wellington • Since Mar 2010 • 20 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to jessica scott,

    Not when vas deferens are yanked out-

    #2 midwife sisters (who are also extremely experienced general nurses, with additional degrees & all that. And several husbands/partners. And kids. Goodness, the things asexuals learn despite themselves!))

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler, in reply to Danielle,

    I’m glad (in a way) to hear that it actually *is* hugely fucking painful. Uh, woo.

    And this is the best answer I can think of to the question upthread as to the use of pain-pissing-competitions (although in the context of kidney stones, that metaphor takes on a slightly different meaning...).

    Namely, we are reassured knowing that what we thought was exceptional was, in fact, exceptional, and that we are right to feel as awesome as we do for having been through it and coped. With the help of morphine.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    A side -and possibly totally irrelevant- comment: I'd like to put in a good word for 'people-movers.'

    I have driven a 1997 Mitsubishi Delica Spacegear Jasper van/people-mover from 2001 until now. It has power steering & extremely comfortable seats, and handles excellently. I've driven it through heavy rainstorms; ice & snow, and excessive wind conditions (the catabatic winds in the lower bits of Porters Pass have knocked *trucks* off the road.)

    It is a dream of a vehicle to drive - immediately responsive. Best vehicle I've ever used (and yes, this does include the vehicle I learned to drive on, a 1956 Humber Super Snipe.)

    Do not mock the capabilities of people movers! Mine has travelled over 100,000km for me, and has never let me down-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • B Jones, in reply to jessica scott,

    Theoretically reversible. There was a couple on one of those telly shows a while back where a man into his second marriage changed his mind and tried to have the snip reversed, only to find that the scarring from the first time round made it impossible. The end of the show suggested that the couple later had a baby somehow - I'm not sure if that meant the doctors could retrieve the little swimmers from upstream, as it were, or someone else contributed.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 976 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    we are reassured knowing that what we thought was exceptional was, in fact, exceptional, and that we are right to feel as awesome as we do for having been through it and coped.

    Exactly. I just got something diagnostic done for something painful*, and while it was disappointing to see what I feared, I somehow felt much better for knowing that my unpleasant sensations were justified by something tangible and known by everyone to be a legit source of pain.

    Is it all about our puritanical moral wotsit with respect to pain? I mean, you feel what you feel. How is it that some pain is more respectable than other pain? I’ve gradually come to the conclusion that I’m not that sensitive to many kinds of pain, and I know for a fact it’s not the product of moral virtue. And to the extent that I don’t notice that I’ve hurt myself in time, it’s a damned nuisance.

    *nothing serious, thanks for asking, I have a torn meniscus in my knee, worse things happen at sea, at least I can still walk and ride a bike.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    You can definitely extract the sperms afterward. Just not the fun way. It's an ouch way. It's probably cheaper than a sperm bank.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    I agree with Jackie that it might be best to leave this discussion to the men, but a question. If you do want more children, why not be a relief carer for a disabled child, or a foster father for a child without one? Or does it have to be your biological child?

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Stephen Judd - a very interesting set of questions.
    In common with a number of whanau, I have osteoarthritis. It's kind of reguarded as a risible condition that only wrinklies get.

    Except, with us (and a huge number of other Scots-descended people) it starts kicking in when you are 50 or so.

    My late Nanna called it 'the wearisome disease'- and it certainly is that. Nothing much to be done about it, much to be endured, and it continually erodes- not only bones, but patience, endurance, and life-loving.

    But - as Stephen noted-'worse things happen at sea'...and much much worse things can happen to anyone-

    and we can all, without any effort, commiserate & be supportive of fellow animals, other humans included, in pain of any kind- kia kaha- kia manawanui - kia ora tatou katoa-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    You’re talking to someone who once woke in hospital and was surprised – nay, alarmed – to find that a plastic tube has been inserted in his penis. I am hearing you.

    I refuse to believe that this is physically possible. A tube would never go up there. It's a conspiracy that Russell has joined of even greater scale than Santa Claus.

    (actually I was watching Deadwood the other day, the scene where the doctor shoves what basically amounts to a small crowbar up a guy's penis to push around the stones in the bladder. A tube would be fucking luxury compared to how that felt through the TV)

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    You ever read Pepys' description of his operation for 'the stone'?

    Shuddery. And no proper anaesthetic-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to BenWilson,

    But I suspect that team would have no trouble filling a supertanker with jizz in no time.

    You don't think there'd be a high degree of impotence amongst that mob?

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to recordari,

    No really, that wouldn’t be nearly as much fun. Confessionals are much better when wimmins are involved.

    What did I just say

    The truth, brother. The alternative is ... the men's group. Sweet Jesus, no.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Che Tibby,

    My Dad had the big cut in the early seventies

    Mine too!

    But I didn't know about it until about two decades later. Back then, it was a hospital admission, and you didn't talk about it, at least not in Greymouth. My folks even invented a cover story about him going in to have something done for his bad back.

    Hard to believe, really.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    I have to admit I think that all us wimmins should be quiet and let the men talk about men things.

    Nah, you don't have to be quiet, but you probably need to stop fretting about us. I remember in Emma's penis thread you were all "oh, the men aren't acknowledging their feelings", when we were really just talking the way we felt like talking. We're fine, honest. Got any good willy jokes?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Yeah, frankly, the internet has enough of men and women not talking with each other, we can do without segregated discussions.

    Are there any good willy jokes?

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Yeah, frankly, the internet has enough of men and women not talking with each other, we can do without segregated discussions.

    Yeah, QFT. The women might hear me talking about my penis... (horror!).

    Are there any good willy jokes?

    I don't know, but this guy is certainly trying..

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart, in reply to Pat Hackett,

    Because I was under 30 at time, the Family Planning Clinic deemed that I required a counselling session first.

    Not to start the competition thing again, but I understand that the counselling for vasectomies is nothing compared to the hurdles faced by women wanting tubal ligation, because, you know, all women want babies. Always. Without exception.

    My mum was a nurse for many vasectomies, meaning I probably had the best understanding of what one entailed of any ten-year-old ever. Wellington being a small-ish place, she used to run into a lot of patients socially afterwards - perhaps luckily for everyone, the fact she wore a surgical mask meant they usually didn't recognise her. I bet any time they did was...interesting.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Lucy Stewart,

    Not to start the competition thing again, but I understand that the counselling for vasectomies is nothing compared to the hurdles faced by women wanting tubal ligation, because, you know, all women want babies. Always. Without exception.

    Try being gay and infertile - double baby-batter guilt trip! Can we just stipulate that it sucks for anyone to be told (however passive-aggressively) that their value lies in a viable reproductive system, and move on?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Islander,

    I have osteoarthritis.

    At 40 I discovered I have quite bad Osteoarthritis in my jaw. It makes masticating quite painful and I was warned against taking a serious knock to the chin. So I wear a full-face helmet on my scooter. Seems safer.

    The alternative is … the men’s group. Sweet Jesus, no.

    Actually, I've never really talked to men about this kind of thing, so this is kind of refreshing, but having women in the discussion just makes it feel more normal, and safer, somehow.

    Hilary, we have both foster children and adopted children in our immediate and extended family, so it is something I would consider.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Emma Hart,

    Oh, I ain't talking about segregation. I is talking about eavesdropping. One of my many skills is overhearing conversations.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Lucy Stewart,

    Indeed, Lucy. When a woman of my acquaintance ( I got told off for spreading the "family business all over that internet" in the weekend. So my mum shall hereby be referred to as an acquaintance. Which, sometimes, I wish she was. Anyway.) went to have her ladybits out, the doctor refused to carry out the operation unless my Dad's permission was secured. This was only 40 yrs ago - 1970, people. It wasn't that long ago.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Scrotum, testicles it’s easy to remember the difference:


    “Scrotum, scrotum, it’s my wrinkly, crinkly bag of skin
    Scrotum, scrotum, it’s the thing I keep my testes in”

    (possibly NSFW depending on your W)

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    Or does it have to be your biological child?

    as i can now speak as a father, biological children are pretty damn cool.

    but you have to have one as a loaner, so be it.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle, in reply to Russell Brown,

    The alternative is ... the men's group. Sweet Jesus, no.

    I now have a perverse desire for you all to gather in a circle in the bush somewhere and beat each other meaningfully with small handfuls of aromatic twigs.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

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