warning: gag-worthy post

I hear a lot of unsolicited disgusting tidbits: I've listened to Y talk about draining abscesses. I've heard accounts of getting hit in the face with placenta, I've heard about every color and texture of discharge you can imagine. I've accidentally touched dried blood spatters on Y's white coat. Hell, I have held a cadaver's testicle. I thought I was unbreakable(for a layperson).

But something has finally grossed me out to the point of gagging: a teratoma. It's, as far as my unscientific brain can understand, a tumor that contains "mature elements" such as teeth or hair. Or, in extremely rare cases, LIMBS.

Scholarly Ike says: I would probably eat most of the things you've mentioned thus far.

A tumor full of hair and teeth? I'm gagging as I write this. Because of my extensive knowledge of classical Greek, I know that the word teratoma means roughly "monstrous tumor". That sounds about right.

I'm interested to know: If you have a spouse, parent, sibling, best friend in the medical field - what story/condition/bodily fluid sent you over the edge?

P.S. Since I know at least one of you that reads this is a knitter... don't even think about this: http://www.theanticraft.com/archive/samhain06/teratoma.htm