What compels people to share all the gory details of injuries/surguries?

I suppose after you’ve had to go through the pain, you at least want other people to be impressed by it.

Misery loves company.

I have no idea. I have not had anyone tell me the details of injury or surgery lately though I know it happens.

~But that reminds me, did I tell you about of the last time I had stitches?

I know exactly what you are talking about. One girl in my class even took it as far as telling me the dosage the doctor has her on for one her post surgical medications.

I wonder if the increase in gore on tv ( CSI, etc) has anything to do with this.

If you are not well or have recently suffered some surgical or injury-related trauma and have worn out your loved ones with your angst-ridden stories, I can easily see how an innocent elevator bystander could look like a fresh audience until one has resolution to the trauma.

I have to admit to being guilty of this after an injury (which I could describe for you in elaborate detail but won’t) and a surgery (almost worse than the original injury) that followed. I absolutely had no idea that pain could be so intense or all-consuming. I actually think that I felt somewhat better with pain management by sharing the gory details. I only did this while the pain was extreme, so I am going with that explanation for now.

It is therapeutic to release a traumatic event vocally.

@SuperMouse > Good question. Now let me tell you about my operation.

And, why do they show strangers their scars? I was somewhere with my nephew and this lady in line started telling me about her gall blader surgery and lifted her shirt to show me the scar. We were both traumatized.

I don’t know if I’ve ever noticed it. I’ve never had surgery, but that time I fell off my bike I do tend to detail the description of that when the subject comes up.

Interesting. I always wonder why people don’t share more details about injuries and surgeries.

One of the blogs I subscribe to on Google Reader is Briefcase Full of Guts and sometimes I wish even that would go into more detail.

Remember LBJ and his gall bladder scar?

For those of you with short memories and birth dates after 1975:

“When Lyndon Johnson, recuperating from gall bladder surgery, raised his shirt to show his scar to assembled reporters, he was just trying to show he was all right… . authors .Indeed, a letter to the New York Times about the resulting picture stated, “god forbid he should have a hemorrhoidectomy!” Johnson was a gross man, given to earthy language and deeds. He regularly received junior staff and reporters while sitting on the toilet.

He had a monumental ego and while he was known in the Congress as a conciliator and compromiser, his ego sometimes got in the way. He was also given to violent mood swings; one might even say he was manic-depressive. He had an inferiority complex about the Harvard and eastern liberal establishment.”

I don’t know, but I kind of enjoy it! There was a thread on here once about your worst injuries or scars, and it got a lot of action. I suppose we are morbid? ;-)

@augustlan There’s always my hemorroid thread if someone wants to discuss it further.

@Zen: We didn’t want to hear it about Lyndon Johnson and we surely don’t want to hear it about you. (hemorrhoid)

@gailcalled You know you love ‘em.