Bien Logo

"Accidentally Sat on a Door Handle" – Doctors, What’s Your Most Shocking 'Accident' Story?

Szőke Angéla4 min read
Share:
"Accidentally Sat on a Door Handle" – Doctors, What’s Your Most Shocking 'Accident' Story? — Health
In this article

Honeymoon Phase

Honeymoon Phase
A young foreign couple was waiting in the clinic. We didn’t share a common language, so the woman took my hand and placed it on her husband’s pelvis, which was vibrating. People hum with vibrations sometimes. It turned out that a still-on prosthetic penis had slipped into his rectum. (And it was huge.)

A Sticky Situation

A Sticky Situation
A man was missing skin on his penis, exposing only muscle, and I couldn’t imagine how this happened. It turned out he had untreated severe diabetes, and during oral sex, his girlfriend’s tooth caused a wound that wouldn’t heal. We saved his manhood, but it was touch and go.

Confusion?

Confusion?
At the dermatology and STD clinic, where I spend my days checking rashes and moles, a 55-year-old woman came in with what looked like half her face affected by cancer. I’d never seen such a severe and neglected basal cell carcinoma. When I asked how she ignored it for so long, she said it started as a small spot on her nose and she “didn’t want to bother anyone.” What could have been fixed with a small cut turned into a major surgery removing half her face, eye socket bone, and one eye. Yet, she still didn’t want to be a bother…

Lost and Found

Lost and Found
An elderly gentleman “lost” a sizable potato in his rectum that we had to surgically remove.

Doorway to the ER

Doorway to the ER
Two young men were in the waiting room, one carrying a door on his back. He held it with both hands and said he couldn’t put it down. We had to find a room with a wide entrance because the door wouldn’t fit anywhere. It turned out he had “accidentally” sat on the door handle with his rectum and couldn’t pull it out. Without a screwdriver, his friend took the door off its hinges, and that’s how they walked into the clinic.

Leaves

Leaves
A woman called saying “leaves are growing from her vagina.” When I asked what kind of leaves, she said green leaves. I had to bring her in. My colleague and I confirmed that real green leaves—not fake plants—were growing inside her. When we asked how this happened, she realized it was a sprouted potato slice she had inserted as a pessary a few months earlier. I thought I’d heard it all, but a potato slice as birth control definitely surprised me.

Here We Go Again

Here We Go Again
A man came into the ER—where I was on my first day—with a bloody towel wrapped around his head. The receptionist asked what happened. “The axe got stuck in my head again.” She calmly answered the phone: “Hi, Ábel here. Yes, the axe again. Okay, I’m sending help.”

When It Rains, It Pours

When It Rains, It Pours
A young man was brought in with a tree branch sticking out of his eye. (CT showed it had almost reached the back of his skull and brain.) He was alert and spoke clearly. He explained that his parachute got tangled, and he crashed into a forest at high speed.

An Unusual Hobby

An Unusual Hobby
A young woman was admitted with urosepsis, a serious urinary tract infection. After treatment, she kept coming back with minor infections, so we used a small camera to check her bladder. To our surprise, we found four small birthday candles inside—she had inserted them through her urethra.

Feeling Unwell

Feeling Unwell
The patient complained of “general malaise.” It turned out he had sepsis caused by a toilet brush handle broken off inside his rectum. He said he came home drunk one night and woke up on the bathroom floor, sure he had “fallen on the brush without noticing.”

Photos: istockphoto.com
HealthLifestyle

Related reads

"I was in the hospital for a week and not one friend checked on me." Misfortunes people are secretly grateful for — Health

"I was in the hospital for a week and not one friend checked on me." Misfortunes people are secretly grateful for

A job loss, a cheating fiancé, a workplace accident — sometimes the worst things that happen to us turn out to be the best. Real stories inside.

Szőke Angéla•
"I Couldn't Even Feed My Own Baby" — Real Women Share Their Postpartum Depression Stories — Health

"I Couldn't Even Feed My Own Baby" — Real Women Share Their Postpartum Depression Stories

Postpartum depression affects far more women than most people realize. These raw, honest stories reveal just how dark — and how real — it can get.

Szőke Angéla•
"My Mom Announced My First Period on Facebook" — Period Horror Stories We'll Never Forget — Health

"My Mom Announced My First Period on Facebook" — Period Horror Stories We'll Never Forget

From tampon mishaps to fainting boyfriends, these real period horror stories are equal parts mortifying and relatable — and proof that we've all been there.

Szőke Angéla•
5 Everyday Habits from the World's Longest-Lived People That Could Change Your Life — Health

5 Everyday Habits from the World's Longest-Lived People That Could Change Your Life

People in the world's Blue Zones regularly live past 100 — and their secrets aren't what you'd expect. Here are 5 simple daily habits that could add years to your life.

Fehér Dia•
This Handful of Oily Seeds Does More for Wrinkles Than the Most Expensive Anti-Aging Cream — Health

This Handful of Oily Seeds Does More for Wrinkles Than the Most Expensive Anti-Aging Cream

Before reaching for another pricey serum, check your pantry. A handful of nuts or seeds may do more for your skin than anything in your bathroom cabinet.

Kende Kíra•
Are You Smarter Than Average? These 9 Surprising Signs Might Reveal the Truth — Health

Are You Smarter Than Average? These 9 Surprising Signs Might Reveal the Truth

Intelligence doesn't always show up where you'd expect. These 9 unexpected traits are linked to higher cognitive ability — how many sound like you?

Nyul Debóra•