zargof

That's a very personal question! This is a family forum, and I would thank you not to litter it with such filth!

Sally Redux

The Addams family.

paranoidandroid

Hey man... DFO.

SultanOfSwing

That's better.

redglade

And that person is your mother.

redglade

People shouldn't say
"I could care less" when they mean
"I could care fewer"

Pulaski

No, it's not (unless you are a minor), though in most cases she would run a close second. My guess that mothers would tend to be more reluctant to endorse surgery involving general anesthetic, and slightly more tolerant of pain (I think mothers would sooner have you around and under a little discomfort than run the risk of anesthetic) than the person them self.

paranoidandroid

Thanks for pointing it out, I was almost civil to zargof.

redglade

My point is that most adults indulge in some sort of risky or risk enhancing behaviour that their mothers don't or wouldn't approve of.

Pulaski

That is almost certainly true, but I was talking about medical procedures, and while my jay-walking is not a good idea, and my mother wouldn't approve, I can't see how it could be considered a medical procedure.

SultanOfSwing

It could become one, with the addition of a careless driver or two ...

Pulaski

Jay-walking as a sort of surgery prep technique!

redglade

Well, if we're just talking about medical procedures, then you may NOT be the best guardian of your own interests. A lot of people confuse what they want with what is best and ignore a lot of good advice for a "quick fix".

Pulaski

On a practical level I agree with you, but all external parties have reasons for possible bias, most obviously revenue maximisation or cost minimisation, but all manner of other motivations, such as kick-backs from pharmaceutical companies to wanting to go home rather than do a full examination of a patient, or rushing through a consultation to get to a patient deemed more important for whatever reason. The patient may be ignorant or ill informed, but unless suicidal, I believe the patient is the one person most likely to be motivated only to seek the best outcome for themselves. Whether they are equipped to find the best outcome, or would recognise it when they find it, is a whole other matter!

redglade

And this is why it has to end now: