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From: weemba@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Matthew P. Wiener)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Appendicitis - how common is it?
Message-ID: <12543@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Fri, 21-Mar-86 22:29:15 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.12543
Posted: Fri Mar 21 22:29:15 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Mar-86 23:06:38 EST
References: <1933@brl-smoke.ARPA>
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Reply-To: weemba@brahms.UUCP (Matthew P. Wiener)
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In article <1933@brl-smoke.ARPA> wmartin@brl-smoke.ARPA (Will Martin ) writes:
>Is it so common that I should think of it every time I have some
>discomfort or pain in my right side?
>
>I don't know anyone who has had appendicitis (unless someone I know
>slightly had it once, and never had occasion to mention the fact in my
>hearing). So I have no "handle" or "feel" on how rare or common a
>condition it is.

I had appendicitis when I was about 13.  I woke up with it, and oh, did
it ever hurt.  I knew exactly what it was too, even though no one I knew,
not even on a TV med show, had ever had it.  Within an hour I was at the
doctors, who then called the hospital to prepare for me.

Don't worry about every little ache you get as to whether it's appendicitis.
The odds don't matter either.  If it strikes, you'll KNOW.  And even if you
don't, it will be so awful a pain you will seek help anyway.

(Of course, the little aches could be something else.)

ucbvax!brahms!weemba	Matthew P Wiener/UCB Math Dept/Berkeley CA 94720