Countdown to medically insured torture

dammit, etc., life — Valerie on January 8, 2008 at 7:17 pm

So I have one of these:

398px-ganglion-cyst.jpg

Except mine is on my right hand. And mine is smaller. And I don’t have a man hand.

The technical term is “ganglion cyst” but I prefer the more colloquial “bible bump.” They call them “bible bumps” because the preferred method of removal was to smash it with a giant book. True story.

I’ve had it for a couple years and until recently, it didn’t hurt. I didn’t even realize what it was until Dr. Oz talked about it on Oprah - he even has one, too! They are harmless and actually pretty common in women. But, they can be painful and if so, they need to be removed.

So, early in the morning before work on February 13th, I will go to an orthopedic doctor who will INJECT A GIANT NEEDLE into this bump to make it go away. Because getting injected with giant needles always makes things better.

12 Comments »

  1. I get them all the time. Dr. Joel (Maria’s husband) diagnosed it, rather fittingly, during church. He offered to whack it with a Bible. I declined such an offer. Sometimes they hurt, but most often they just go away after a week or so. I haven’t had one in a long time.

    Love.

    Comment by robinitaface — January 8, 2008 @ 9:20 pm
  2. I wouldn’t go through with it if it weren’t for the fact that it’s been with me for so long.

    Comment by Valerie — January 8, 2008 @ 9:35 pm
  3. I had one for years and it really hurt. I did the giant needle thing (which was quite painful and left a bruise the size of my entire hand–sorry!), but it came back after a month or two. So I had it surgically removed, and I’ve had no problem since!

    I’ll be thinking of you on the 13th!

    Comment by Allison — January 8, 2008 @ 9:47 pm
  4. come on now, a needle? Many of them really do go away with a thump of something heavy like a book. Ever heard of the term “bible thumper”? I believe that’s where it came from . I have a friend who has self treated with that very same thing.

    Comment by dp — January 8, 2008 @ 9:52 pm
  5. ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

    Comment by stephanie — January 8, 2008 @ 10:55 pm
  6. Whether you get rid of it with the needle or smacking it with a bible, there’s a decent chance it will come back.

    As I’m someone who would definitely break my hand via the book route, I’ll take the medically supervised needle.

    Comment by Valerie — January 8, 2008 @ 10:57 pm
  7. Don’t know whether you remember, but I had one on my arm for some years, and one on my back — had ‘em both removed by the doc in Brandermill whose name I don’t recall - very simple, they never have come back. I do have a little scar from each, though, so maybe the needle thing is better.

    Dad

    Comment by Dad — January 9, 2008 @ 12:28 pm
  8. alysse had one of those. i think she had it needled but i’m not entirely sure.

    good luck with it!

    Comment by andrew hunter — January 9, 2008 @ 6:41 pm
  9. As I told a coworker today, I’m quite uncomfortable with the fact that my only options to get rid of this thing are to smash it, stick a needle in it, or cut it out of my hand. Hasn’t medicine advanced beyond that by now?

    Also, this same coworker let me know that the size needle they use is smaller than the one they use when you give blood. I can take it.

    Comment by Valerie — January 9, 2008 @ 6:59 pm
  10. [...] my impending doom is the subject of much commentary on this here Internets, I thought I’d clarify [...]

    Pingback by Made in Richmond » On the subject of pain — January 9, 2008 @ 7:29 pm
  11. [...] no! February 13th got here so fast! I have never been so nervous about a medical appointment in my life! I have also [...]

    Pingback by Made in Richmond » The doom! It happens tomorrow! — February 12, 2008 @ 9:49 pm
  12. [...] back in February when I voluntarily had a giant needle stuck in my wrist to get rid of that bump? And then it went away and everything was [...]

    Pingback by Made in Richmond » The bump is back — July 12, 2008 @ 7:55 am

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