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Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life

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Re: Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life

#11
post #2

I've always felt us removing things like tonsils and appendix without a high barrier was always premature. I remember kids wanting to have their tonsils removed to eat ice cream for a few weeks. lol. Even if we have legacy parts in out body, I'm fine just letting it fester in my body as long as it's not trying to kill me. Feels very similar to thinking farming just needs 3 nutrients. Turns out better farming requires…

I think we're getting better about non-surgical interventions when it's not necessary. Appendicitis can, and is, treated with antibiotics, but the timing has to be spot on otherwise it needs to come out. I had to have mine removed because by the time I was seen in the hospital it had already burst. I think the only time that people pre-emptively remove appendixes is when you can't risk the chance of a burst; like if you're the over-winter physician at Amunden Scott South Pole station

Re: Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life

#12
post #10
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Makes sense. I was very jealous of my friends at the time but I never took mine out. I just get mad tonsil stones now. lol

My grandmother had hers taken out in the 1940's. Now she has a small pocket/hole that food gets stuck in which can cause her to gag and/or sometimes throw up.

I have those even with tonsils. The gunk produced by it can STINK

Re: Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life

#13
post #5
post #2

I've always felt us removing things like tonsils and appendix without a high barrier was always premature. I remember kids wanting to have their tonsils removed to eat ice cream for a few weeks. lol. Even if we have legacy parts in out body, I'm fine just letting it fester in my body as long as it's not trying to kill me. Feels very similar to thinking farming just needs 3 nutrients. Turns out better farming requires…

The ice cream was to ease the pain. The cold calms the exposed nerves.

The ice cream was a lie.

After I had my tonsils removed, even the thought of solid food was out of the question. It was just too painful.

You can have as much ice cream as you want. What they don't tell you is you won't want any. :P

Re: Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life

#14
post #8
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The ice cream was to ease the pain. The cold calms the exposed nerves.

They did not express any indication that they didn’t understand why ice cream is often recommended, so you don’t need to be explaining it. The point of the comment is that kids don’t understand what’s going on, only hear about the ice cream thing, and then want the same procedure just so they can eat ice cream for a week.

Except they demonstrated interest in the response. Further, they are not the only person who reads the comments. Others may be interested to know the relationship between ice cream and tonsils.

Re: Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life

#15
post #5
post #2

I've always felt us removing things like tonsils and appendix without a high barrier was always premature. I remember kids wanting to have their tonsils removed to eat ice cream for a few weeks. lol. Even if we have legacy parts in out body, I'm fine just letting it fester in my body as long as it's not trying to kill me. Feels very similar to thinking farming just needs 3 nutrients. Turns out better farming requires…

The ice cream was to ease the pain. The cold calms the exposed nerves.

Wouldn't the exposed nerves make the pain of "brain freeze" more likely?

Anyway, the relationship of tonsils and ice cream was established by Richard Scarry in "What do people do all day?" [0]

0. https://books.google.com/books?id=tuqKDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA45

Re: Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life

#16
post #5
post #2

I've always felt us removing things like tonsils and appendix without a high barrier was always premature. I remember kids wanting to have their tonsils removed to eat ice cream for a few weeks. lol. Even if we have legacy parts in out body, I'm fine just letting it fester in my body as long as it's not trying to kill me. Feels very similar to thinking farming just needs 3 nutrients. Turns out better farming requires…

The ice cream was to ease the pain. The cold calms the exposed nerves.

I encourage you to read the book “Madeline” for more information on this phenomenon.

Re: Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life

#17
post #2

I've always felt us removing things like tonsils and appendix without a high barrier was always premature. I remember kids wanting to have their tonsils removed to eat ice cream for a few weeks. lol. Even if we have legacy parts in out body, I'm fine just letting it fester in my body as long as it's not trying to kill me. Feels very similar to thinking farming just needs 3 nutrients. Turns out better farming requires…

I think we're getting better about non-surgical interventions when it's not necessary. Appendicitis can, and is, treated with antibiotics, but the timing has to be spot on otherwise it needs to come out. I had to have mine removed because by the time I was seen in the hospital it had already burst. I think the only time that people pre-emptively remove appendixes is when you can't risk the chance of a burst; like if…

> Appendicitis can, and is, treated with antibiotics

Yeah, kids don’t get tonsils removed anymore either. Just antibiotics.

Re: Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life

#18
post #2

I've always felt us removing things like tonsils and appendix without a high barrier was always premature. I remember kids wanting to have their tonsils removed to eat ice cream for a few weeks. lol. Even if we have legacy parts in out body, I'm fine just letting it fester in my body as long as it's not trying to kill me. Feels very similar to thinking farming just needs 3 nutrients. Turns out better farming requires…

I had my tonsils out for what at the time we thought was legitimate reasons, but well after they started phasing out the practice.

I recall when I woke up my throat didn't hurt (possibly due to painkillers), and when they brought ice cream and popsicles to sooth my pain I felt like a fraud. But the experience up to that point was traumatic to put it lightly, so you're damned right I was going to get all of the treats I could wrangle.

Re: Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life

#20
What are the chances that I'd see two things about the thymus in a week? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVoxfABoHh4&t=2s

This covers a paper that, while small in sample size, shows a reduction in age of 6 years. One of the major impacts of the drug cocktail is that it removes much of the fat that accumulates in the thymus as one ages.

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