Woman Has Stomach Ache For 23 Years - Discovers Surgeons Left Scalpel In Her Stomach

[matcom]

<snip>

Rio de Janeiro - After a 23-year-long stomach ache, a Brazilian woman finally discovered the cause of her suffering - a scalpel had been left in her stomach.

Local media reports said on Monday that a knife had been found in Maria Abadia Dias' lower abdomen after doctors took an X-ray in the central Brazilian town of Goiania, in the state of Goias.

The five-centimetre-long scalpel was apparently left there by doctors in a public hospital in Campos Belos, Goias in 1984, when the woman, now 47, gave birth through a C-section.

The surgical instrument is to be removed sometime later this month. The woman has said she will sue the hospital in Campos Belos as soon as she is rid of the scalpel.

"Doctors always told me that I had nothing and that it was only a question of age," the woman said of her persistent stomach pain.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=29&art_id=iol1171315163672B216&set_id=1

[dropkickpa]

1. Showing us yet again

That when a woman goes to the doctor and says she is in pain, she's told it's nothing.

[Zuiderelle]

2. I go to women doctors.

Not only does that solve the problem of being treated disrespectfully, but it encourages more women into the profession. (I qualify this by saying that I don't think all male doctors are disrespectful, but I have experienced a fair enough number of them to know that, in general, a female doctor will treat me with more respect than a male.)

[dropkickpa]

4. My experience has been opposite

The second rudest and most dismissive doctor I ever had was a woman (first was a male dermatologist, who apparently, going by the rate my doc site, is an asshole to everyone regardless of gender). I've also had several other bad experiences with female doctors, and I'm a girl! Anymore, I generally only pick the residents at the practice I go to, because they are alloted longer appointment times and they actually listen to patients still. The doctor I have now is a full fledged doc, but he is very attentive and actually listens to me (though it is getting harder to get appointments because of his schedule, he is very in demand apparently).

[Zuiderelle]

5. I'm glad I've not had your experience.

I have a fabulous female doctor now, and I've had only good experiences with all the female doctors I've had in the past. It's been 50/50 with male doctors. :shrug:

[dropkickpa]

7. I think part of it is the fact that

I have tattoos, so they may think I am drug-seeking, though if they'd look at my chart, they'd see the only time I ever accepted pain meds was after surgery, wouldn't accept a Rx when I messed up my knee, and wouldn't in the month between diagnosis and surgery when I was having gallbladder attacks.

[Hugin]

3. She must not fly much...

:)

[riverdeep]

6. Seinfeld ep

Bet she wishes it was a thin mint.