22 November 2010

You can't HANDLE the thirsty!

Further to my last post (see below). I felt the need to add and clarify a few points. I hope you read The Pioneer Woman's ever-so funny post. If you haven't go and read it, you won't understand this next bit.

The very next day after reading this, I was determined to try it out. When A whined that she was thirsty, I chuckled inwardly at the thought of belting out "You can't HANDLE the thirsty!"

I decided to try it out and it didn't go so well. For the record, I did NOT yell it out Jack Nicholson style, but A still looked at me as if I was going crazy and almost started crying.

I quickly told her I was just joking around (insert feeble hahaha here)and meekly got her some apple juice. Perhaps we have to wait until she's a little older to try it again.

Also, I quoted this:

"A subperiosteal dissection was carried out on both the buccal and medial aspects of the ramus."

And I said I didn't understand it. That's not quite true. As Greek as it might seem to most people, it's actually Latin and pretty easy to break it down. Let's do a little etymology, shall we?

First of all: subperiosteal. Sub means below so you could take this to mean below the periosteum. If that still doesn't help you, we take it further: Os is the Latin word/combining form for bone, peri means around or surrounding...

So periostem is a membrane that lines (i.e. surrounds) the outer surface of all bones. It goes on the say that Endosteum is a membrane that lines the inner surface of bones.

Buccal is cheek. The ramus is the posterior part of the mandible (jaw bone).

So the above sentence, which would take place in a jaw reconstruction surgery, (essentially) means: the doctor dissected or cut down to below the level of the membrane surrounding the posterior part of the jaw bone on the cheek side of the bone as well as the middle side of the bone.

To me, the first sentence sounds easier and more concise. If the second sentence still sounds like Greek or Latin to you, it is good that you are not the one transcribing important medical documents.

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