Thursday, April 06, 2006

The ganglion story

Was recently reminded of a humorous story that happened to one of our local pharmacists. (All names must be withheld to protect the innocent and my rear.) The pharmacist had developed a wrist ganglion (a cyst arising from a joint membrane or tendon sheath) and was planning a visit to his local family practitioner. I saw him in the pharmacy before his appointment and he was showing me the cyst. I told him that the old timers didn't usually go to the doctor with ganglions, but instead, gave them a good thump with the family bible. The blow would rupture the cyst and the body would absorb the fluid. He thought I was kidding, but for real, they used to do that. So I was thinking, wouldn't it be fun to alert his doctor to what I had said. A little "heads up" we would say today. Some days later I saw the family practitioner and he told me what had happened. After examining the pharmacist and assuring him it was, indeed, a ganglion, he paused a few moments reflecting on what he might do. Finally he excused himself and left the room. Minutes later he returned. You guessed it! He had the biggest old Holy Bible (KJV of course) in his hand and asked the patient to lay his wrist on the table. To which the patient exclaimed, "What are you going to do?" By this time the family doc could hold back no longer and spilled the beans. Can't remember if it happened around April 1st, but it would have made a great April Fool's prank!

5 Comments:

Blogger ashley said...

Thank you for the story! That was funny. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that one. :)

1:33 AM  
Blogger Aunt Eliz said...

That's too funny. Dave had a cyst on his wrist a few months ago, and my Aunt Norma told him the exact same thing. It eventually ruptured while he was doing some work around the house. He didn't even notice it until later that day. Good to know my Aunt Norma wasn't just yanking his chain. She's not much of a chain yanker anyway, but it's still good to know.

7:51 AM  
Blogger rebstar said...

this is GREAT!

thanks for the outloud laughs, as always!

i'm waiting on the edge of my seat (on MY rear) for the next one! :)

2:34 PM  
Blogger Troy said...

Did the doctor scream, "receive your healin'!" as they smashed the Bible on the cyst. I love that a dictionary wouldn't do. Your blog is tuning me into where Chuck got a lot of the impulses that got him in trouble with you and Pat in his youth.

5:21 AM  
Blogger Crystal said...

Too funny!
i'd have peed my pants if that doctor would have come in there with that bible...i got this aversion to popping anything blister-y. Something about liquid shooting me in my eye and blinding me for life. If I can't cure it with toothpaste, then I will just have to wait. I too wonder who this was (is).

10:43 AM  

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