THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS

PEOPLE PEOPLE PEOPLE... WHY HAVE YOU STOPPED COMMENTING!? Please give me something to work with. Even if you just wanna say "stupid argument Alex"... I crave the attention. I'm sure most comics would rather be heckled than just have everything silent.

And now today's thought

As you may have heard, I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. When it's bad, it's quite uncomfortable. I've self-diagnosed myself with many types of cancer, various lung ailments, heart problems, blood clots. Anything's fair game. It made life rather unpleasant for Jen. Almost every day I had her check my pulse or feel some lump. Right now it's in remission. I still have days or hours where I worry though.

As I look back on the worst of times, I realize you can put every problem in perspective. It could always be worse. To the guy who lost his finger: at least you didn't lose a hand. To the guy who lost his hand: at least you didn't lose a head... In my case, at least I don't have Munchausen Syndrome. Oh, haven't heard of it? Good thing it's Thoughtful Thursdays! Let's get SAT for a minute. Munchausen: Hypochondria as Mushrooms: PCP, as Amaretto: Moonshine, as BB Gun: Bazooka. Munchausens don't merely think they have diseases, they convince doctors that they have diseases. Whereas a hypo gets needless tests, a Munchausen gets needless operations. They will sometimes inject parts of their bodies with infections so they can receive treatment. The most successful Muncahusen may only have one kidney, a pig's liver, or something equally extreme. They're addicted to positive diagnoses and the treatments that follow. I don't think it's that they want to have the diseases, they just want the attention, the emotional power a sick patient has over a helpless doctor.

Now if that's not sick enough, some people have it so bad that they transfer it to their kids. Not PASS it to their kids, in a hereditary sort of way. Maybe that too, but this is more direct. They'll convince doctors that their kids have all these diseases! They inject their kids with germs so infections will spread! They are so convinced that their children are sick, that they make them sick. As one site warns, these folks may be mentally ill, but it's still child abuse!

So for as bad as I have it, it could be much much worse. Think of your own problems and know someone has more extreme. Unless you have Munchausen Syndrome. Then I can't really offer you any advice.