Stubbornness

Working in a neuroscience intensive care unit, I saw lots of crazy things.  But it never ceases to amaze me how long people will let things go until they finally get checked out by a doctor.  For instance, there was a gentleman I cared for who had lost his hearing in his right ear at the age of thirty.  Inexplicably.  Suddenly.  Perfect time to get a medical exam, right?  Naaaah, it wasn't *that* debilitating.  He continued to live his life, got married, had some children.  Then one day he's like, huh, the right side of my face is all numb and tingly.  Oh well, it's probably nothing.  And continues to live his life.  But soon he's finding the right side of his face is starting to get all droopy, complete with drooling and slurred speech.  His wife suggests going to the doctor, but no, "hesh jusht phine."  Shortly thereafter he can't chew or swallow, so he starts pureeing his food.  He is MASHING up his food because otherwise he'll choke, and he STILL won't go to the doctor.  His family ends up kidnapping him and taking him anyway.  No lie.  A head CT shows a large, slow-growing auditory tumor.  It was so large it not only had severed his auditory nerve, but had been putting pressure on his facial nerves causing the recent difficulties.  It was so large that after a 16 hour surgery they still hadn't gotten it all, so the surgeons had to stop and come back another time.  So please, the next time you find yourself severely altering your behavior to compensate for a physical ailment, go to the hospital.  I think I'm going to go get my hip checked out now...