Hee. I'm sensing this Allyson-sans-smokes movie could go one of two ways, very existential and "without smokes I am bitter, and grumpy", or action adventure with semis barrelling down the highway, and one woman, who alone can face the danger....

Happy Birthday Jesse! And Theodosia!

I am not at work, though I knwo a few of my coworkers are. But I can't imagine getting in at 5AM the day after Christmas, like Shrift's coworkers. WTF?

It incenses me when people dismiss the amount of pain I report--I really don't start reporting until pretty late in the game.

yeah, I have that problem myself. Since I don't say anything until its damn near unbearable, people assume that it's not that bad, because they start complaining at the first twinge.

If I don't make it back, Kristen gets all my porn, and Paula gets the furniture.

Who gets Ruby?

But I can't imagine getting in at 5AM the day after Christmas, like Shrift's coworkers. WTF?

Dude, don't look at me. Personally I hope she's planning to leave early for vacation or something. I got here about 15 minutes early myself due to extreme lack of people on the bus. And when I stopped to get a mocha? Empty coffee shop. CRAZY.

When I was in college, a classmate of mine went to the hospital with a ruptured appendix. While waiting to be treated, she overheard a nurse saying, "She says she's in a lot of pain, but maybe she just has a low tolerance for pain."

About 8 or 9 years ago, my sister and her GF were in a car accident - their car left the highway and rolled over a few times. Shirley (my sister's GF) complained that her back hurt - the nurse at the local hospital told her essentially that she was just whining and she should just deal with the pain. Then, at Shirley's insistence, she was transferred to a hospital in Madison. There they discovered that she had a fractured vertebrae that the New London hospital had missed. In conclusion, never go to the hospital in New London, WI.

So, are people more likely to discount someone's pain if the person is a woman?

So, are people more likely to discount someone's pain if the person is a woman?

Yes. Women complain about every little thing, didn't you know? Unlike men, who are naturally inclined to handle even the most intense pain with dignified stoicism.

Who gets Ruby?

Ruby is an obligation to everyone but me. So it's less like gifting her and more like adding a poop machine to someone's life.

Who amongst you would take her?

Who amongst you would take her?

Well, I think Marie is becoming disturbed at being the only female in the house....

Unfortunately, there are distance factors to consider.

So, are people more likely to discount someone's pain if the person is a woman?

I think this has actually been proved with some studies. Pain management is an interesting subject in the medical world. From hanging around with medical students in my youth, I can vouch that a doctor's perspective on pain is a bit dismissive. Also, they have their own scale of what's really painful and most of us are unlikely to have an injury or condition or receive a treatment that's going to ping a doctor's top ten. I do remember my ex (one of the medical students) saying it was instructive to get an IV again and remember, "Oh yeah. Those are uncomfortable."

But I think things have gotten better. Certainly access to trigger morphine type devices have had a big impact.

So, are people more likely to discount someone's pain if the person is a woman?

Yeah, and I believe there have been studies about it. I mean, we can't even handle cramps without complaining, right? No matter how debilitating that pain actually is.

I usually wait until I'm in "feels like someone's stabbing me with a hot knife" pain, and I know it's partly because of all those patronizing doctors and dentists I've had over the years.

Yes. Women complain about every little thing, didn't you know? Unlike men, who are naturally inclined to handle even the most intense pain with dignified stoicism.

Its amazing how that notion survives since women, you know, give birth.