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Why it takes you and an elephant the same amount of time to poop (2017)

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Re: Why it takes you and an elephant the same amount of time to poop (2017)

#51

I spent a lot of time in hospitals and got a lot of exposure to everything they do in my early adulthood, a few smells are permanently burnt into my brain including the smell of the GI wing. Fast forward a couple decades, and my dilemma right now is a coworker that I share a restroom with. It’s a low traffic restroom so I have seen and know it’s coming from him, but he has some serious GI issues. Likely he’s digestin…

There was a time when medicine put a lot of focus on the smell and consistency of bowel movements. There's probably something to it but we have better diagnostics now. That said, normal bowel movements can have a bit of an odor but it should not be strong or particularly foul-smelling. If it is, consider changing your diet or getting it checked out if that doesn't help. I found that just cutting out fast foods made t…

Doctors have better tools than smell and consistency. However you as a layman don't normally have/use those tools.

Re: Why it takes you and an elephant the same amount of time to poop (2017)

#52

I spent a lot of time in hospitals and got a lot of exposure to everything they do in my early adulthood, a few smells are permanently burnt into my brain including the smell of the GI wing. Fast forward a couple decades, and my dilemma right now is a coworker that I share a restroom with. It’s a low traffic restroom so I have seen and know it’s coming from him, but he has some serious GI issues. Likely he’s digestin…

Wait, hold on. Are you saying from lingering smell you're able to determine that there's pathology?

It's not difficult for many conditions. Digested blood has a metallic and vile odor. Ketosis and diabetes can cause acetone-smelling breath. Kidney disease can cause ammonia body odor. Liver disease can cause a fishy, musty smell. Unhealthy diets and GI issues can cause bad odors.

In the past, I have often wondered what is wrong with people given how badly they smelled in the locker room or after leaving a restroom. Truly unnatural odors.

Re: Why it takes you and an elephant the same amount of time to poop (2017)

#53

I spent a lot of time in hospitals and got a lot of exposure to everything they do in my early adulthood, a few smells are permanently burnt into my brain including the smell of the GI wing. Fast forward a couple decades, and my dilemma right now is a coworker that I share a restroom with. It’s a low traffic restroom so I have seen and know it’s coming from him, but he has some serious GI issues. Likely he’s digestin…

There was a time when medicine put a lot of focus on the smell and consistency of bowel movements. There's probably something to it but we have better diagnostics now. That said, normal bowel movements can have a bit of an odor but it should not be strong or particularly foul-smelling. If it is, consider changing your diet or getting it checked out if that doesn't help. I found that just cutting out fast foods made t…

No, poop is meant to smell repulsive. This is evolution's way to discourage you from doing anything unhealthy like touching it or eating it.

Re: Why it takes you and an elephant the same amount of time to poop (2017)

#55

I spent a lot of time in hospitals and got a lot of exposure to everything they do in my early adulthood, a few smells are permanently burnt into my brain including the smell of the GI wing. Fast forward a couple decades, and my dilemma right now is a coworker that I share a restroom with. It’s a low traffic restroom so I have seen and know it’s coming from him, but he has some serious GI issues. Likely he’s digestin…

Anonymous note maybe if you really don't feel like talking to them.

This is my top ranking option , he’s actually the building door man so he will be able to view the cameras if he wanted to track me down but I doubt he’d confront me out of similar awkwardness and my positive intent.

Think I will move forward with it and try to do my part to help the guy out.

Re: Why it takes you and an elephant the same amount of time to poop (2017)

#56

I spent a lot of time in hospitals and got a lot of exposure to everything they do in my early adulthood, a few smells are permanently burnt into my brain including the smell of the GI wing. Fast forward a couple decades, and my dilemma right now is a coworker that I share a restroom with. It’s a low traffic restroom so I have seen and know it’s coming from him, but he has some serious GI issues. Likely he’s digestin…

"Listen, I'm no doctor, but your shit stinks in a way that makes me think you need to see one," said while you're in the stall next to him, or any other time, couldn't hurt.

Re: Why it takes you and an elephant the same amount of time to poop (2017)

#58

I spent a lot of time in hospitals and got a lot of exposure to everything they do in my early adulthood, a few smells are permanently burnt into my brain including the smell of the GI wing. Fast forward a couple decades, and my dilemma right now is a coworker that I share a restroom with. It’s a low traffic restroom so I have seen and know it’s coming from him, but he has some serious GI issues. Likely he’s digestin…

Leave a note in the bathroom???

Re: Why it takes you and an elephant the same amount of time to poop (2017)

#59

I spent a lot of time in hospitals and got a lot of exposure to everything they do in my early adulthood, a few smells are permanently burnt into my brain including the smell of the GI wing. Fast forward a couple decades, and my dilemma right now is a coworker that I share a restroom with. It’s a low traffic restroom so I have seen and know it’s coming from him, but he has some serious GI issues. Likely he’s digestin…

Wait, hold on. Are you saying from lingering smell you're able to determine that there's pathology?

It’s sufficiently foul and is heavy in the air, as in you can smell it for an hour or more after he’s left. The foulness reminds me of the GI wing we had, were the hospital put all these cases in a single cluster so as to try and contain the smell. A “GI bleed” has a uniquely poopy smell, that is what I remember quite specifically. Hard to explain other than it is more than a smell, I have a strong stomach and never got sick myself, but it almost makes even me want to vomit.

FWIW, other smells that I recall quite well - child birth, or, more specifically the odor of women in labor (there’s a specific smell some women in labor produce, not all maybe half, that found it quite gross), gangrene and necrotic/rotting flesh, formalin, the morgue (it’s a weird mix of chemicals and rot), all come to mind.

Re: Why it takes you and an elephant the same amount of time to poop (2017)

#60

I spent a lot of time in hospitals and got a lot of exposure to everything they do in my early adulthood, a few smells are permanently burnt into my brain including the smell of the GI wing. Fast forward a couple decades, and my dilemma right now is a coworker that I share a restroom with. It’s a low traffic restroom so I have seen and know it’s coming from him, but he has some serious GI issues. Likely he’s digestin…

Reminds me of this story: fan spotted a mole on a hockey team's staff's neck - https://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriaforster/2022/01/03/hock...

I handled a lot of biopsy tissue back then, and oddly enough had a sexual encounter several years later where I implored her to go get a mammogram afterwards due to something I felt. She didn’t take it seriously and I hounded her about it. She finally went in and within a month had a double mastectomy and started chemo.

Somehow a random person’s poop feels more awkward to discuss.

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