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FACTCHECKME
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Articles Posted: 55; Links Seeded: 448
Member Since: 8/2008
Member Since: 8/2008
12 Votes
30 Comments
A New Way to Be Mad - Healthy People Seeking Unnecessary Amputations
News Type: Event — Seeded on Fri Nov 6, 2009 10:11 AM EST
Article Source: The Atlanticadvertisement
Healthy people seeking amputations are nowhere near as rare as one might think. In May of 1998 a seventy-nine-year-old man from New York traveled to Mexico and paid $10,000 for a black-market leg amputation; he died of gangrene in a motel. In October of 1999 a mentally competent man in Milwaukee severed his arm with a homemade guillotine, and then threatened to sever it again if surgeons reattached it.
That same month a legal investigator for the California state bar, after being refused a hospital amputation, tied off her legs with tourniquets and began to pack them in ice, hoping that gangrene would set in, necessitating an amputation. She passed out and ultimately gave up. Now she says she will probably have to lie under a train, or shoot her legs off with a shotgun. For the first time that I am aware of, we are seeing clusters of people seeking voluntary amputations of healthy limbs and performing amputations on themselves. The cases I have identified are merely those that have made the newspapers. On the Internet there are enough people interested in becoming amputees to support a minor industry. One discussion listserv has 1,400 subscribers.
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{"commentId":10519122,"authorDomain":"factcheckme"}
this is an older article (2000) but it made me nauseous. so i thought, hey, the viners would like this!
{"commentId":10519122,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"factcheckme"}
- 1 vote
#1 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 10:13 AM EST{"commentId":10519663,"authorDomain":"jimmyjamm93442"}
I think I have Apotemnophobia - fear of being an amputee... this is way weird. is about all I can say.. or wtf. thanks, Factcheckme, I appreciate it for sure, wouldn't say I like it.. lol...
{"commentId":10519663,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"jimmyjamm93442"}
- 1 vote
#2 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 10:32 AM EST{"commentId":10520122,"authorDomain":"Z-Manbear"}
How can someone who made a home made guillotine to sever their own arm be considered "with it"????
Or someone who tied their legs off to hope gangrene would set in????
These people are not "with it" taking their money for amputations is just sick!!! Obviously they need far more mental help than surgical.
{"commentId":10520122,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"Z-Manbear"}
- 2 votes
#3 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 10:49 AM EST{"commentId":10520233,"authorDomain":"factcheckme"}
i too thought that charaterizing these people as "sane" was problematic, for obvious reasons. i think part of that (or all of it) is pandering to the wannabe transsexuals (and post-op ones) who have some political power through the GLBT community, and who would protest vigorously at being labeled mentally ill. even though thats what this aricle strongly implies about all pre-surgical "wannabes" who fantasize about mutilating their bodies so that they conform to the way they "have always seen themselves."
{"commentId":10520233,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"factcheckme"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":10520874,"authorDomain":"Z-Manbear"}
If there was no money to be made via surgery all of these people would be deemed insane and a danger to themselves. The Hippocratic Oath is pretty clear about not harming a healthy being. Humans are wastes of the flesh we are given.
{"commentId":10520874,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"Z-Manbear"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":10522392,"authorDomain":"factcheckme"}
yes, theres a ton of money to be made here. in other parts of the world, where you would literally die from gangrene for example, i doubt we have people tying off their own limbs hoping that gangrene will set in. (wouldnt the same behaviors be called "suicidal ideation" or suicides in those cases?)
and in places where there simply is no constant, continuous access to medical care, transsexualism doesnt exist, because you cant be tied to the medical establishment forever, getting hormones, neovaginal dilations etc. this is very much a first-world disease, which makes it highly suspect.
{"commentId":10522392,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"factcheckme"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":10521469,"authorDomain":"kperodin"}
Healthy people seeking amputations are nowhere near as rare as one might think.
Ask some uncircumcised friends. They will concur.
{"commentId":10521469,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"kperodin"}
- 3 votes
#4 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 11:35 AM EST{"commentId":10521603,"authorDomain":"J-Mac"}
WTF...
{"commentId":10521603,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"J-Mac"}
- 2 votes
#5 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 11:39 AM EST{"commentId":10522162,"authorDomain":"greathoj"}
Exactly what I was thinking.
{"commentId":10522162,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"greathoj"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":10523207,"authorDomain":"skif47"}
Liberals, how do we blame this on conservatives?
Conservatives, how do we blame this on liberals?
{"commentId":10523207,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"skif47"}
- 2 votes
#6 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 12:33 PM EST{"commentId":10523275,"authorDomain":"beamerab3"}
LOL. (but it was a highly disturbed LOL)
{"commentId":10523275,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"beamerab3"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":10525012,"authorDomain":"h-kuehn"}
Bill-
ROFLOL.
{"commentId":10525012,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"h-kuehn"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":10541017,"authorDomain":"mrgeniussir"}
Liberals, how do we blame this on conservatives?
Conservatives, how do we blame this on liberals?
Ok, I'll give it a shot:
The rich have taken our money, our jobs, our very dignity. Greedy corporations control every aspect of our lives. Is it any wonder people are trying to gain some measure of control over their bodies in extreme ways?
This is what happens when you grow up in our liberal school system. The end result of the "me first" anything goes generation.
{"commentId":10541017,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"mrgeniussir"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":10541185,"authorDomain":"mrgeniussir"}
PS -just trying to see if I could do it. I don't actually believe either of those statements.
{"commentId":10541185,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"mrgeniussir"}
{"commentId":10524586,"authorDomain":"boneclinkz"}
If you search the Internet for "bme pain olympics" you will likely come across a somewhat legendary video montage of people just like this. Don't say I didn't warn you, because it is probably the most disturbing thing you could ever hope to see. But if you were ever curious about what it would look like to see somebody chisel off a fingertip, bisect his own penis, or castrate himself with a straight razor, this is the video for you.
{"commentId":10524586,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"boneclinkz"}
- 2 votes
#7 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 1:20 PM EST{"commentId":10525047,"authorDomain":"Z-Manbear"}
Thank you for the link? hahaha
{"commentId":10525047,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"Z-Manbear"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":10524945,"authorDomain":"h-kuehn"}
Pretty peculiar stuff! I wonder if Michael Jackson may have had some form of this disorder since he had so many surgeries done. Anyway, I hadn't heard of this before but I can imagine it is pure hell for those who have it. Here's a more recent article:
http://scienceblogs.com/neurophilosophy/2009/03/voluntary_amputation_extra_phantom_limbs.php
I see my husband having phantom pains from where he lost his fingers and it's just so hard to imagine someone wanting to do that!
{"commentId":10524945,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"h-kuehn"}
- 3 votes
#8 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 1:32 PM EST{"commentId":10525629,"authorDomain":"Jamesdevore"}
ooook this disturbed even me... I'm with Z-man how the hell are these people considered to still have the cheese on their crackers??
{"commentId":10525629,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"Jamesdevore"}
- 3 votes
#9 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 1:57 PM EST{"commentId":10540403,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
What's even more disturbing, is this so-called 'cheese fetish' I keep hearing about, lol
{"commentId":10540403,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":10533183,"authorDomain":"megidoloan"}
Although my initial reaction was, "WTF, are you people insane?!," I can relate somewhat. Not in wanting to lose a limb - there are few things that scare me more than the thought of losing any of my limbs - but I'd love to get rid of my uterus. It's kind of hard for people to understand, but just knowing that it's there and I have the capability of reproduction (though I'm most likely infertile and would die if I ever tried to carry a pregnancy to term) makes me physically ill. I feel like I won't be "complete," to use the words of some of the people in the article, until that horrid organ is out of me. I won't be at peace with my body unless everything related to reproduction is banished from it.
My disgust with reproduction (as it relates to me - I don't judge anyone else's views or choices) is a totally different issue that I don't want to derail the discussion with, but I can kinda understand what they feel like. Like your physical body and your identity don't really mesh.
It would be neat if we could take the amputated limbs from the "wannabes" and transfer them to amputees who want their limbs back, though. Then everyone would be happy.
{"commentId":10533183,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"megidoloan"}
- 1 vote
#10 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 7:19 PM EST{"commentId":10545646,"authorDomain":"makarovguy"}
{"commentId":10550663,"authorDomain":"megidoloan"}
Don't worry, you haven't offended me at all. And I can certainly understand a man not wanting to get rid of his penis! But of course, the penis has multiple purposes and isn't just for reproduction. And it's an external organ, so that could be problematic. *laughs*
Anyway, I'm not really sure how I got to not want my reproductive organs - I've just kind of always been like that. Hormones could have something to do with it since I also don't have any kind of desire to have sex or anything - again, it's something I've experienced since day one - it's not like I used to have desire then lost it...it was just never there to start with.
But honestly, I think it's mostly due to the attitude society (and doctors, as I've written in another comment in this thread) has about women needing to have children to have fulfilled lives. We don't. I can't stand being told by a medical "professional" that they will not perform a hysterectomy on me (or an endometrial ablation) to end my 365/24/7 heavy bleeding because "you might not want kids now, but you'll change your mind!" But if someone came in at my age wanting kids but unable to have them, the doctors would fall all over themselves helping that person reproduce. It sickens me.
I hope that answers your question. I'm not really sure how to put everything in words, you know?
{"commentId":10550663,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"megidoloan"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":10550789,"authorDomain":"makarovguy"}
{"commentId":10536371,"authorDomain":"hotlink"}
I don't even know where to begin with this, so I wont. Good read though.
{"commentId":10536371,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"hotlink"}
- 1 vote
#11 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 11:17 PM EST{"commentId":10539114,"authorDomain":"stinkweepete"}
I think this story just amputated my brain.
{"commentId":10539114,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"stinkweepete"}
- 4 votes
#12 - Sat Nov 7, 2009 8:32 AM EST{"commentId":10540420,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
My big toe just fell off
{"commentId":10540420,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":10539852,"authorDomain":"h-kuehn"}
there are few things that scare me more than the thought of losing any of my limbs - but I'd love to get rid of my uterus.
I had a hysterectomy in 2006. I haven't missed it at all, but I've had two children, was 37 at the time and was having a terrible time so none of the doctors even raised an eyebrow about it. Medical professionals might want you to have your tubes tied first depending on your age.
{"commentId":10539852,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"h-kuehn"}
- 1 vote
#13 - Sat Nov 7, 2009 9:44 AM EST{"commentId":10541024,"authorDomain":"megidoloan"}
I've had a good deal of problems with my reproductive system. I have a large ovarian cyst that can be quite painful, and without Depo- Provera, I bleed 365 days a year. Very heavily. I have never wanted children and at 28, still don't. I have repeatedly begged for a hysterectomy or at least an endometrial ablation to try to put an end to the bleeding (it's recommended that you not take Depo for more than two years because it causes bone loss). I would, however, keep my functioning ovary as to avoid taking hormones, which can aggravate other conditions I have. Sucks having to leave that in there, but I do need to stay healthy. I've accepted that part of it.
However, nobody will perform either procedure because "you'll change your mind!" This philosophy has greatly fueled my hatred and self-loathing of anything reproduction-related on my body. If someone my age came in wanting to have children but was unable to, they'd be falling all over themselves to help. It pisses me off.
{"commentId":10541024,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"megidoloan"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":10541155,"authorDomain":"boneclinkz"}
I have a large ovarian cyst that can be quite painful, and without Depo- Provera, I bleed 365 days a year. Very heavily.
Sweet jesus christ
{"commentId":10541155,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"boneclinkz"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":10541448,"authorDomain":"gwenny"}
However, nobody will perform either procedure because "you'll change your mind!"
I hate that doctors are like that. I hope they will relent once you hit 30.
{"commentId":10541448,"threadId":"718295","contentId":"3468304","authorDomain":"gwenny"}
- 1 vote
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