Some doctors have the kinds of specialties that might make others cringe - but those doctors who specialize in reproductive and excretory systems are literal life savers! That doesn't mean they're immune to the sorts of embarrassing moments that happen to us all.
For them, though, a lot of those moments are totally commonplace. What could be the most humiliating medical moment of your life is just "Tuesday morning" for them - and in a way, that makes them even bigger heroes in our eyes.
One Reddit user asked:
Surprisingly, not a lot of actual medical professionals spoke up at first. We suppose they're so used to not talking about a patient's personal issues with anyone but them (thank you HIPPA!) that it took a while to get things going. Having said that, plenty of patients were willing to talk about their own mortifying experiences.
So the responses you're about to read are a mixed bag, some from medical professionals, some from patients, some from family members - all awkward.
I Remember When...
GiphyI'm a male nurse. I was working a rehab unit one time and had to give a younger gentleman a suppository due to no bowel movement for 4 days. I saw him a couple years later in a public place and he shouts out to me "Hey dude remember when your finger was in my butt!"
I wasn't sure what to say, it was a little awkward. So I just did this snapping finger gun back to him. That ended up being just as awkward. If not more.
The First Dad Joke
When my wife was giving birth our Gyno told her to give a big push. She did and proceeded to pee all over the doctors face (she was wearing a protective mask for just such an occasion so no harm no foul). Being terrified as I was that my wife was in the process of delivering our firstborn, I helpfully offered up "Don't worry, some people pay good money for that." I still hate myself for it.
- hasentj
Going The Distance
Surgical tech, I was in the OR prepping the patient for a bladder sling. Patient wasn't all the way under and while I was helping the surgeon, we heard coughing and what sounded like water falling. We turned and every time the patient coughed, urine shot out about two feet. We measured it, she had good distance. It wasn't awkward as much as interesting.
Talking About The Weather
In nursing school they taught us about how to insert a urinary catheter in men. There's this lidocaine lube that helps make an otherwise uncomfortable procedure considerably less uncomfortable. The catch is the you have to insert a syringe (not a needle) into the tip of the penis and inject lidocaine lube into the urethra and then hold the penis with your thumb over the urethra for five minutes. So like just hang out, holding a penis talking about the weather for five minutes.
- Laederol
Caw! Caw!
GiphyAcquaintance was a 17-year-old male getting a physical from a female doctor. She was checking for a hernia, so grabbed his testicles and asked him to cough. In his nervousness, he misheard. He turned his head and did his best crow imitation: "Caw! Caw!"
The Knot
Urology nurse here-
We had a teenager come in with his mother (we were not a pediatric urology office but saw teens on special occasions with a doctors OK)...
.. kid was masturbating with a cell phone charger and got it stuck in his bladder. We went in with cystoscopy to take a look and potentially remove it in office with no sedation. We enter his bladder and there is a huge KNOT in the cord. Kids acting like this is an everyday NBD kinda thing. Moms just sitting there horrified. Obviously he had to go to the OR due to the giant knot tied in the cord.
That was the weirdest.
Hand Delivery And Google
Yes!!! This is going to get buried, but I worked in a urologist's office for a long time. It's pretty wild and I have lots of stories (my poor boyfriend), but here are two of my favorites:
- Patients have to bring in semen samples post vasectomy to make sure there was no issue with the procedure so we can declare them sterile. We give them two sterile cups, paper bags, and instructions. One patient called a took the "just bring it in, hand deliver it!" directions too literally and tried to shove a handful of semen through the office window. I still have so many questions.
- Teenager comes in, thinks he might be sterile. We tell him to go home and bring us back a sample. He doesn't understand. I explain to him, professionally, that he should ejaculate into the cup we provided. He asks how. I think he's messing with me and just answer "masturbation." He asks what that is, and if his mom can help him. I don't know to this day if he was messing with me, but I'm pretty sure I just told him to Google it.
Squats
While getting a prostate exam for a physical, I asked if he could tell I'd been doing squats.
Without missing a beat he said yes.
Wheely Stool
At a gyno appointment when I was 19, I was all situated on the table with my legs up, fully exposed. The doctor was adjusting her wheely stool, it slipped, she lost her balance and went headfirst into my spread eagle crotch. Reflexively, I pulled my knees together, essentially putting her in a headlock with my thighs. It all happened in about 3 seconds but felt like an eternity of unending embarrassment and shock.
A Third Ball
I was getting snipped and they had me on some valium. Had a great conversation with the doc. We talked about vacations, homebrew, cars, etc. When he was done he said, "I've had such a nice chat with you I almost wish you had a third ball." Kinda made me tear up a bit.
- Dugdstew
"Man, This One's A Stinker!"
Last time I was at the gyno, my doctor was getting ready to start the exam while her assistant was opening one of the disposable tools. The assistant was having some issues and as soon as I got in the stirrups, the assistant said loudly, 'Man, this one's a stinker!'. I looked at her with my jaw dropped and it clicked a few seconds later that she was talking about the difficulty of opening the tool, and not my vagina. It was the most fun I've ever had at the lady doctor.
Almost Sad
Patient here; For my first gyno visit I was pretty anxious and clumsy about the whole deal. After the nurse sat me down on the chair and made me spread my legs eagle style, my doctor walked in with 4 students in row, around same age as me.
So, eventually there was 6 people in the room, looking at my vagina in interest. At one point my doctor even said "Damn I wanted to show you some lumps or tumors today but looks like she is okay... I'm almost sad.'
- purinnie
Zero Jollies
GiphyI'm primary care. Older man teasing me after his prostate exam that I "took his anal virginity".
These both really offend me. I am NOT doing anything that is supposed to be pleasurable or having sex or taking anyone's virginity during exams. I am a doctor doing my job. I get ZERO jollies from it. If you think I did, you should report me. These jokes make me feel abused as the doctor quite frankly. I wish I had told the patients at the time that these comments are not appreciated.
- Parents Describe The Most Embarrassing Thing Their Kid Has Ever Done In Public - George Takei ›
- People Explain Their Most Horrifying Penis Horror Stories - George Takei ›
- People Confess The Details Of Their Most Embarrassing Trip To The Doctor - George Takei ›
- Medical Professionals Describe What It's Like When They Go In For A Doctor's Appointment - George Takei ›
- The Most Disgusting Work Stories As Told By Employees - George Takei ›
Experiencing death is a fascinating and frightening idea.
Who doesn't want to know what is waiting for us on the other side?
But so many of us want to know and then come back and live a little longer.
It would be so great to be sure there is something else.
But the whole dying part is not that great, so we'll have to rely on other people's accounts.
Redditor AlaskaStiletto wanted to hear from everyone who has returned to life, so they asked:
"Redditors who have 'died' and come back to life, what did you see?"
Sensations
Happy Good Vibes GIF by Major League SoccerGiphy"My dad's heart stopped when he had a heart attack and he had to be brought back to life. He kept the paper copy of the heart monitor which shows he flatlined. He said he felt an overwhelming sensation of peace, like nothing he had felt before."
PeachesnPain
Recovery
"I had surgical complications in 2010 that caused a great deal of blood loss. As a result, I had extremely low blood pressure and could barely stay awake. I remember feeling like I was surrounded by loved ones who had passed. They were in a circle around me and I knew they were there to guide me onwards. I told them I was not ready to go because my kids needed me and I came back."
"My nurse later said she was afraid she’d find me dead every time she came into the room."
"It took months, and blood transfusions, but I recovered."
good_golly99
Take Me Back
"Overwhelming peace and happiness. A bright airy and floating feeling. I live a very stressful life. Imagine finding out the person you have had a crush on reveals they have the same feelings for you and then you win the lotto later that day - that was the feeling I had."
"I never feared death afterward and am relieved when I hear of people dying after suffering from an illness."
rayrayrayray
Free
The Light Minnie GIF by (G)I-DLEGiphy"I had a heart surgery with near-death experience, for me at least (well the possibility that those effects are caused by morphine is also there) I just saw black and nothing else but it was warm and I had such inner peace, its weird as I sometimes still think about it and wish this feeling of being so light and free again."
TooReDTooHigh
This is why I hate surgery.
You just never know.
Shocked
Giphy"More of a near-death experience. I was electrocuted. I felt like I was in a deep hole looking straight up in the sky. My life flashed before me. Felt sad for my family, but I had a deep sense of peace."
Admirable_Buyer6528
The SOB
"Nursing in the ICU, we’ve had people try to die on us many times during the years, some successfully. One guy stood out to me. His heart stopped. We called a code, are working on him, and suddenly he comes to. We hadn’t vented him yet, so he was able to talk, and he started screaming, 'Don’t let them take me, don’t let them take me, they are coming,' he was scared and yelling."
"Then he yelled a little more, as we tried to calm him down, he screamed, 'No, No,' and gestured towards the end of the bed, and died again. We didn’t get him back. It was seriously creepy. We called his son to tell him the news, and the son said basically, 'Good, he was an SOB.'”
1-cupcake-at-a-time
Colors
"My sister died and said it was extremely peaceful. She said it was very loud like a train station and lots of talking and she was stuck in this area that was like a curtain with lots of beautiful colors (colors that you don’t see in real life according to her) a man told her 'He was sorry, but she had to go back as it wasn’t her time.'"
Hannah_LL7
"I had a really similar experience except I was in an endless garden with flowers that were colors I had never seen before. It was quiet and peaceful and a woman in a dress looked at me, shook her head, and just said 'Not yet.' As I was coming back, it was extremely loud, like everyone in the world was trying to talk all at once. It was all very disorienting but it changed my perspective on life!"
huntokarrr
The Fog
"I was in a gray fog with a girl who looked a lot like a young version of my grandmother (who was still alive) but dressed like a pioneer in the 1800s she didn't say anything but kept pulling me towards an opening in the wall. I kept refusing to go because I was so tired."
"I finally got tired of her nagging and went and that's when I came to. I had bled out during a c-section and my heart could not beat without blood. They had to deliver the baby and sew up the bleeders. refill me with blood before they could restart my heart so, like, at least 12 minutes gone."
Fluffy-Hotel-5184
Through the Walls
"My spouse was dead for a couple of minutes one miserable night. She maintains that she saw nothing, but only heard people talking about her like through a wall. The only thing she remembers for absolute certain was begging an ER nurse that she didn't want to die."
"She's quite alive and well today."
Hot-Refrigerator6583
Well let's all be happy to be alive.
It seems to be all we have.
Trying to lose weight is a struggle understood by many people regardless of size.
The goal of reaching a healthy weight may seem unattainable, but with diet and exercise, it can pay off through persistence and discipline.
Seeing the pounds gradually drop off can also be a great motivator and incentivize people to stay the course.
Those who've achieved their respective weight goals shared their experiences when Redditor apprenti8455 asked:
"People who lost a lot of weight, what surprises you the most now?"
Redditors didn't see these coming.
Shiver Me Timbers
"I’m always cold now!"
– Telrom_1
"I had a coworker lose over 130 pounds five or six years ago. I’ve never seen him without a jacket on since."
– r7ndom
"140 lbs lost here starting just before COVID, I feel like that little old lady that's always cold, damn this top comment was on point lmao."
– mr_remy
Drawing Concern
"I lost 100 pounds over a year and a half but since I’m old(70’s) it seems few people comment on it because (I think) they think I’m wasting away from some terminal illness."
– dee-fondy
"Congrats on the weight loss! It’s honestly a real accomplishment 🙂"
"Working in oncology, I can never comment on someone’s weight loss unless I specifically know it was on purpose, regardless of their age. I think it kind of ruffles feathers at times, but like I don’t want to congratulate someone for having cancer or something. It’s a weird place to be in."
– LizardofDeath
Unleashing Insults
"I remember when I lost the first big chunk of weight (around 50 lbs) it was like it gave some people license to talk sh*t about the 'old' me. Old coworkers, friends, made a lot of not just negative, but harsh comments about what I used to look like. One person I met after the big loss saw a picture of me prior and said, 'Wow, we wouldn’t even be friends!'”
"It wasn’t extremely common, but I was a little alarmed by some of the attention. My weight has been up and down since then, but every time I gain a little it gets me a little down thinking about those things people said."
– alanamablamaspama
Not Everything Goes After Losing Weight
"The loose skin is a bit unexpected."
– KeltarCentauri
"I haven’t experienced it myself, but surgery to remove skin takes a long time to recover. Longer than bariatric surgery and usually isn’t covered by insurance unless you have both."
– KatMagic1977
"It definitely does take a long time to recover. My Dad dropped a little over 200 pounds a few years back and decided to go through with skin removal surgery to deal with the excess. His procedure was extensive, as in he had skin taken from just about every part of his body excluding his head, and he went through hell for weeks in recovery, and he was bedridden for a lot of it."
– Jaew96
These Redditors shared their pleasantly surprising experiences.
Shopping
"I can buy clothes in any store I want."
– WaySavvyD
"When I lost weight I was dying to go find cute, smaller clothes and I really struggled. As someone who had always been restricted to one or two stores that catered to plus-sized clothing, a full mall of shops with items in my size was daunting. Too many options and not enough knowledge of brands that were good vs cheap. I usually went home pretty frustrated."
– ganache98012
No More Symptoms
"Lost about 80 pounds in the past year and a half, biggest thing that I’ve noticed that I haven’t seen mentioned on here yet is my acid reflux and heartburn are basically gone. I used to be popping tums every couple hours and now they just sit in the medicine cabinet collecting dust."
– colleennicole93
Expanding Capabilities
"I'm all for not judging people by their appearance and I recognise that there are unhealthy, unachievable beauty standards, but one thing that is undeniable is that I can just do stuff now. Just stamina and flexibility alone are worth it, appearance is tertiary at best."
– Ramblonius
People Change Their Tune
"How much nicer people are to you."
"My feet weren't 'wide' they were 'fat.'"
– LiZZygsu
"Have to agree. Lost 220 lbs, people make eye contact and hold open doors and stuff"
"And on the foot thing, I also lost a full shoe size numerically and also wear regular width now 😅"
– awholedamngarden
It's gonna take some getting used to.
Bones Everywhere
"Having bones. Collarbones, wrist bones, knee bones, hip bones, ribs. I have so many bones sticking out everywhere and it’s weird as hell."
– Princess-Pancake-97
"I noticed the shadow of my ribs the other day and it threw me, there’s a whole skeleton in here."
– bekastrange
Knee Pillow
"Right?! And they’re so … pointy! Now I get why people sleep with pillows between their legs - the knee bones laying on top of each other (side sleeper here) is weird and jarring."
– snic2030
"I lost only 40 pounds within the last year or so. I’m struggling to relate to most of these comments as I feel like I just 'slimmed down' rather than dropped a ton. But wow, the pillow between the knees at night. YES! I can relate to this. I think a lot of my weight was in my thighs. I never needed to do this up until recently."
– Strongbad23
More Mobility
"I’ve lost 100 lbs since 2020. It’s a collection of little things that surprise me. For at least 10 years I couldn’t put on socks, or tie my shoes. I couldn’t bend over and pick something up. I couldn’t climb a ladder to fix something. Simple things like that I can do now that fascinate me."
"Edit: Some additional little things are sitting in a chair with arms, sitting in a booth in a restaurant, being able to shop in a normal store AND not needing to buy the biggest size there, being able to easily wipe my butt, and looking down and being able to see my penis."
– dma1965
People making significant changes, whether for mental or physical health, can surely find a newfound perspective on life.
But they can also discover different issues they never saw coming.
That being said, overcoming any challenge in life is laudable, especially if it leads to gaining confidence and ditching insecurities.