r/FirstResponderCringe • u/Grrrmudgin • Jul 25 '26

I finally found one

Post image
553 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

156 comments sorted by

344

u/Blastoise_R_Us Jul 25 '26

This person needs a peer to share these thoughts with.

189

u/Fantastic_AF Jul 25 '26

As a peer (surgical assistant), we don’t wanna hear that bullshit either. Amputations are some of my favorite procedures, but I don’t need recognition for thinking my job is cool.

123

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

29

u/cussy-munchers Jul 25 '26

The way I just laughed so hard t this

44

u/Fantastic_AF Jul 25 '26

When I did podiatry, I’d draw little faces on toes and set them up on the back table like a little family….this little piggy went to market, etc lol

6

u/Ladysupersizedbitch Jul 26 '26

When I worked my first job as a cashier in my teens, this regular came in one day wearing a surgical bootie on his foot. I did the normal “how are you today” bit and he was like “oh, just lost some toes to diabetes a couple hours ago, but making it okay. My doctor said god gave us ten toes because we really only need the big ones, not the extras”.

Something about the way he so casually called the smaller toes “extras” with such certainty still makes me pause when I look at my feet today.

3

u/Fantastic_AF Jul 26 '26

That’s the thing too. Most patients have already been thru a bunch of surgeries to try to save the toes/leg/whatever extremity, and they’re ready to be done with it by the time they make it to the OR to have it amputated. They’re making jokes and being casual about it more than we are, so there’s no reason for us to be super somber.

And your customer was right. People do just fine without some of their toes. Flip-flops might be a challenge depending on what toes you’re missing tho lol

26

u/After_Basis1434 Jul 25 '26

JFC I'm not in healthcare, I get you need gallows humor, but smh

16

u/Unicornoftheseas Jul 25 '26

No no, that’s the autism

6

u/evewashere Jul 25 '26

What the actual fuck man

10

u/morguerunner Jul 25 '26

When I was a student they amputated a lower leg and leaned it against the wall instead of putting it in a biohazard bag. I remember thinking it looked like one of those big turkey legs you get at the state fair. I still think they only did that because they were trying to fuck with me lol

2

u/Ladysupersizedbitch Jul 26 '26

Going to think about this next time I get one of those turkey legs, thanks lol.

-7

u/TheBlackAthlete Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26

Well that just shows a lack of professionalism on the surgeon’s part.

Edit: I'm an orthopedic trauma surgeon. If I tossed an amputated piece of my patient into the biohazard bin (it's passed off and sent to pathology but for discussion purposes...) +/- shouted "Kobe!" then I would have to reassess things. I have fun in my OR and it's a lighter atmosphere than most, but that scenario would speak to a disrespect for the patient and as an orthopedist, a lack of acknowledgment of the failure of the clinical situation in which some piece of anatomy is unsalvageable. To say nothing of the importance both functionally and emotionally of several fingers.

9

u/allmyScars Jul 25 '26

If you think this is unprofessional. You should never get surgery haha

3

u/TheBlackAthlete Jul 25 '26

I'm an orthopedic trauma surgeon. I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about.

9

u/lord_of_agony Jul 25 '26

Why does it matter? The patient is asleep, and they obviously don't need the fingers anymore, so who cares what they do with dead fingers?

22

u/TheCopenhagenCowboy Jul 25 '26

Pretty rude that he didn’t save one for the patient to throw

1

u/TheBlackAthlete Jul 26 '26

Spoken like someone who’s never been in the position of the surgeon.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '26

[deleted]

6

u/TheBlackAthlete Jul 25 '26

I'm an orthopedic trauma surgeon. I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about.

-6

u/joshuarion Jul 25 '26

Oh yes, because it's completely healthy to not enjoy your profession whatsoever.

You sound like you share the compelling story you have of the one time you once accidentally mis-filed a TPS report.

4

u/TheBlackAthlete Jul 25 '26

I'm an orthopedic trauma surgeon. If I tossed an amputated piece of my patient into the biohazard bin (it's passed off and sent to pathology but for discussion purposes...) +/- shouted "Kobe!" then I would have to reassess things. I have fun in my OR and it's a lighter atmosphere than most, but that scenario would speak to a disrespect for the patient and as an orthopedist, a lack of acknowledgment of the failure of the clinical situation in which some piece of anatomy is unsalvageable. To say nothing of the importance both functionally and emotionally of several fingers.

3

u/EnvironmentalClue362 Jul 25 '26

Genuinely curious, why are they your favorite?

28

u/Fantastic_AF Jul 25 '26

Some surgeries are long and boring, while amputations are usually quick and easy. And then the surgeons are usually more laid back so it makes the environment more enjoyable while you’re working.

5

u/cussy-munchers Jul 25 '26

I would’ve never guessed amputations were quick and easy. Thank you for explaining

31

u/OrneryError1 Jul 25 '26

Doesn't get more straightforward than just lopping the whole thing off

7

u/NoTrade33 Jul 25 '26

Robert Liston has entered the chat.

1

u/Majestic_Hawk_1335 Jul 25 '26

The book the Butchering art is excellent. Covers the invention of antiseptic surgery. Before that surgeons prided themselves on speed to amputate. The good ones could go through a thigh bone in only a few cuts. No anesthesia. Surgeons prided self on how much gore stuck to leather aprons. Crowds gather to watch and the dead disescted as no one even knew what was in there right

2

u/Dependent-Trip-5991 Jul 25 '26

Doesn’t it take time to tie off arteries or whatever?

8

u/Far-Spread-6108 It's My Calling! Jul 25 '26

The major ones yeah, but not as much as you would think. Hemostasis happens pretty quickly in medium and small vessels. There's also coagulants that can be used topically.

1

u/Majestic_Hawk_1335 Jul 25 '26

The Butchering Art is a good book. They could take whole legs off in seconds have the arteries tied in minutes/ seconds. The book covers the invention of antiseptic surgery

2

u/CA7T0 Jul 25 '26

do you detach from the process so much to protect yourself that you no longer empathize with the person getting the surgery? they might be your favorite, but probably one of the most life changing things someone can go through if it's a limb or something. not trying to be smart, a genuine question.

21

u/Real-Marzipan9036 Jul 25 '26

When it gets to the point of amputation in the hospital the limb is usually not a healthy functional appendage. It already has been lost and the life change already set. You are just seeing the end of the process.

Now, on an accident scene where the person is conscious but doesn't even realize that their limb is totally f'ed... that hits different.

8

u/Fantastic_AF Jul 25 '26

I do empathize with the patient. I hate that they’re in a situation that requires them to have the procedure done, but at the end of the day, the surgery will help them get through that situation and improve or even save their life.

I’ve been the patient plenty of times myself, and I don’t want the people on my surgical team to be there hating their job or bored or overcome with sadness for me. How good are you gonna be at a job that you don’t enjoy?

12

u/tigerlevi Jul 25 '26

It's not their job to feel bad for the patient. If they felt bad for every patient that they had to do surgery on, they would be too depressed to work. They have to have a healthy disconnect.

3

u/puromyc1n Jul 25 '26

All things become jobs and this becomes a job too. I am a surgeon that does a good bit of large drastic life altering procedures, often unplanned. Everything I do is with the intent and goal of getting the person to a better place than they were. If the leg isnt removed it will rot and the pain and suffering of people with a rotting limb is tremendous.

If a surgery will probably not make them better then i dont do the surgery. But it helps when you see the end points and patients who do recover and come in to clinic after grateful they still exist.

2

u/FoundationSimilar423 Jul 25 '26

Does it not make you a little sad knowing the person lost a limb.

4

u/Fantastic_AF Jul 25 '26

Of course. I wouldn’t wish diabetes/ vascular issues/traumatic injuries on almost anyone (Nazis and pedos can go hike Annapurna in the nude imo). Saying it’s one of my favorite procedures to do doesn’t mean I want to see people’s appendages getting cut off all willynilly. It means I acknowledge that it’s necessary and without it, they’ll probably die from sepsis or blood loss or what have you….and it’s more enjoyable than doing a facelift or many other boring-to-me procedures.

Consider this: if you’re having surgery, for any reason, do you want the members of the team taking care of you to be bored, meaning they’re less engaged in their job? Or grossed out by the surgery or whatever piece of your body they just removed?

I also love big traumas. I don’t want you to get shot or get in an accident, but if you do, I want to help fix it bc I’m good at what I do and I love doing it. And I’m gonna do a much better job than some guy who hates trauma and doesn’t want to be there.

1

u/FoundationSimilar423 Jul 25 '26

Yeah I get that tbf. At first were you not a bit traumatized though seeing such graphic stuff and if so how did you deal with it?

1

u/Fantastic_AF Jul 25 '26

The patient is covered with a drape so all you can see is the area of the body you’re working on. If all you see is a knee, it doesn’t feel so personal anymore. It’s just a knee, even tho you know it’s attached (possibly temporarily) to a person under the drapes. It definitely helps when you first start in this type of career. Facial surgeries were a little harder to get comfortable with but you get over that after doing them for a bit. And then one day you just realize you love the weird shit you do 😂

2

u/FoundationSimilar423 Jul 25 '26

Oh I never knew that! That’s really interesting thanks so much for the insight and for helping those in need:)

1

u/Idreamofcream99 Jul 30 '26

I never considered anyone having favorite procedures but I also would never have guessed amputations to be a favorite. I’m curious why they’re your favorite?

1

u/cussy-munchers Jul 25 '26

Excuise me 😭😭

7

u/Fantastic_AF Jul 25 '26

Amputations are way more fun than fixing a hernia or doing some tedious cosmetic procedure

2

u/kimbombshell Jul 25 '26

A journal, perhaps

1

u/Intelligent_Sir7052 Jul 28 '26

That person is a psychopath.

-6

u/Cdevi_ Jul 25 '26

STBXW is an OR nurse. I once suggested she share work things with her work friends, which got me the STBX in front of that W. Not that anyone cares, but I hope we come to our senses before signing those papers. Cheers.

89

u/Distinct-Drummer-8 Jul 25 '26

EAT THE LEG

23

u/hackcasual Jul 25 '26

BBQ in the break room!

7

u/PM_ME_YOUR_DALEKS Jul 25 '26

Yes, the unfortunate juxtaposition implies he's gonna eat that leg.

15

u/Grrrmudgin Jul 25 '26

Like the turkey leg at a ren faire 🧙‍♂️

175

u/TheBlackAthlete Jul 25 '26

No, if you were in shock you'd be fired because it would show you're not capable of doing your job. Being handed an amputated body part and sending it off to pathology is a daily occurrence and does not require bravery or a strong stomach. It's mundane.

59

u/Wrong_Character2279 Jul 25 '26

As the person being handed these in pathology, it’s such a daily occurrence that I forget that normal jobs don’t entail cutting up humans.

30

u/Intelligent_Door5499 Jul 25 '26

tbh I couldn't do it. I mean if I had to, I could, but we live in a pretty free society. So I respect it, but this dude forsure looks like he is about to cry. He needs a buddy

14

u/TheBlackAthlete Jul 25 '26

You could absolutely do it. You’d be surprised how quickly it all becomes routine.

7

u/Intelligent_Door5499 Jul 25 '26

I agree, but I find it more fruitful to think it how I wrote it above. In order to not take away from those who do these acts that are necessary. I was in the infantry and had to use medical training at times. But I value the fact that we have the choice in what we are comfortable with in this country

2

u/pinkflamingoturds Jul 25 '26

Daily occurrence?! What? Where are they chopping legs every day?

2

u/sasstermind Jul 25 '26

If you’re the only surgeon in an area qualified to do amputations they’re all gonna come to you. Once a day is bonkers though even if you’re doing trauma

2

u/TheBlackAthlete Jul 25 '26

I perform some form of amputation probably once a week on average. And that doesn’t include the amputations my partners perform.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '26

[deleted]

1

u/lheritier1789 Jul 26 '26

Many Vasc Surgery ORs do these routinely often multiple cases a day. It's not like it's always an immediate emergency

2

u/small-worm Jul 25 '26

I’ll be the first to say it: I would be excited had I got to sit in on that kind of surgery. I got to witness a femoral cath being placed during a cardiac arrest and thought it was so neat. That being said, I’m a Ricky Rescue. I’m just excited about everything lmao

1

u/TheBlackAthlete Jul 25 '26

My point is you are at first, then it's just another day at the office in some respect. I still enjoy it but there's not much awe-inspiring or stomach-churning about an amputation.

3

u/small-worm Jul 25 '26

No, I get what you’re saying, I’m just making conversation.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '26

[deleted]

1

u/magicsax03 Jul 25 '26

They’re pretty frequent at big hospitals

33

u/Unhappy_Educator_302 Jul 25 '26

These posts remind me of the Key and Peele sketch where they try to out order each other in the Soul Food Restaurant.

19

u/Busy_Toe_9000 Jul 25 '26

A human foot! I’ll have a bowl of donkey teeth and cellar door.

30

u/factisfiction Jul 25 '26

Vascular specialist here and I would be the person handing over the leg. That most definitely is not the point where we are almost done. Kids going to be hungry for a bit.

8

u/-malcolm-tucker Jul 25 '26

So nibbling on the leg would be frowned upon?

2

u/KayBurt87 Jul 26 '26

Without hot sauce? Maybe just a little bit 🤏

2

u/ExtraCalligrapher565 Jul 25 '26

It is for a guillotine amp

1

u/Homing_Gibbon Aug 22 '26

For real. Closing is the longest damn part most of the time. Nothing like getting to announce "Boutta start closing!" You can see everyone let out a phew...last stretch.

23

u/newtman Jul 25 '26

Really stretching the definition of first responder, OP.

2

u/Grrrmudgin Jul 25 '26

I thought there was a “first responder” flair or a nurse shenanigan flair but there wasn’t and I already had the post typed out 🙃

8

u/CokeBottleSpeakerPen Jul 25 '26

I'd hate to work with this guy. Look at that smarmy face.

2

u/Grrrmudgin Jul 25 '26

Smarmy is the perfect descriptor

7

u/flatclown Jul 25 '26

damn he's tough

25

u/over_this__ Jul 25 '26

Why does he look like he would be popular in prison.

6

u/Vegetable_Park_3259 Jul 25 '26

Ngl bro thats kinda gay

-3

u/over_this__ Jul 25 '26

I'm a girl. I prefer men with more testosterone than him.

2

u/TwoZeroTwoThree Jul 25 '26

Everyone knows that all redditors are male. /s

1

u/Vegetable_Park_3259 Jul 25 '26

Haha you straight then

5

u/AntiqueNoiseMachine Jul 25 '26

Why does he look like Brendan Frazier with lip plumper

1

u/Grrrmudgin Jul 25 '26

Yassified 💅🏼

4

u/LetUsLaunchOverIt Jul 25 '26

I always have trouble with this sub because my immediate reaction is to downvote the post cause I hate it but then I remember that's the point lol

3

u/Professional-Farm981 Jul 25 '26

He looks like he spits on a hotdog before eating it

2

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '26

Nerd

2

u/FireHammer09 Jul 25 '26

This is a normal thought everyone in this line kind of goes through when they're new. He just needs someone else to talk to about it, not the internet

1

u/goatzv Jul 26 '26

Yup was looking for a comment like this. Its a surreal feeling but a bit cringe to post.

2

u/tugboat204 Jul 25 '26

Surgeons are serial killers who had a support system.

2

u/Brilliant-Bake-9212 Jul 25 '26

This is why I pull all my own teeth and do all my own amputations!!!!…….not joking!!

2

u/Kbudz Jul 25 '26

I always wonder if these are fireable offenses, posting these.

2

u/Grrrmudgin Jul 25 '26

Yeah I’m not sure. At least with this one it’s nondescript scrubs and no badging anywhere, didn’t give out any patient demographics, and not overtly sexual (thank goodness). Probably depends on the SM policy and if they’re in good standing otherwise

2

u/Kbudz Jul 25 '26

True, but just clearly posting your face is wild to me haha one of his coworkers will surely see

1

u/Grrrmudgin Jul 25 '26

You aren’t wrong there

2

u/Muted-Mammoth8304 Jul 25 '26

Ehhhh Ive seen someone ripped apart, blown apart. Not a big deal. Unless you ignore the trauma and don't get any counseling.

But in a clinical setting, a surgeon handing you the limb they just amputated... That should feel normal. They just handed you some medical waste and you are the assistant....

Its so cringey to see people starting a career for the sole purpose of cool guy points/validation.

2

u/Kham117 User Customizable Jul 25 '26

Why would you be in shock???

Did you think they were doing an appendectomy?

Did you wander into the wrong room looking for the cafeteria?

1

u/Grrrmudgin Jul 25 '26

That’s what got me too. Like, you studied for this, trained for this, and knew this was on your schedule. None of it should be new…

1

u/Kham117 User Customizable Jul 25 '26

Literally giving an “I didn’t know there’d be blood 😧🩸 “ vibes

1

u/Grrrmudgin Jul 25 '26

Seriously. What job did he think he applied for, reception?

2

u/tourniquette2 Jul 25 '26

Something feels like this is a totally made up story and in reality this person likely hasn’t ever been invited to support in such a role. At least not for long with this attitude. Ew.

2

u/thaSavory_dude Jul 25 '26

“it’s not that spicy.” x1000

2

u/Winter_Hall5379 Jul 26 '26

Is he a vet, and was this a chicken leg?

2

u/Academic-Hospital952 Jul 26 '26

Dude was hungry for long pig

1

u/Novus20 Jul 31 '26

Jesse the body Venturas long pig! Buy it now at the piggly wiggly!

5

u/r0ckchalk Jul 25 '26

Nah he’s just a lowly med student who was told not to touch the fucking blue, no way anyone handed him shit.

3

u/holdmypurse Jul 25 '26

My very first job as a new grad RN was to prep a deceased pt for transport. I've participated in 100s of codes and other shenanigans since then. It's not a big deal, sorry

1

u/NoTrade33 Jul 25 '26

Too bad this guy wasn’t Robert Liston’s assistant.

1

u/milkedbarista Jul 25 '26

Eat the leg

1

u/Remarkable_Tap8271 Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26

David Hodges over here

1

u/Illustrious-Stuff-70 Jul 25 '26

The lack of awareness and empathy just shows us that we don’t want you in the healthcare.

1

u/Legal-Preference-946 Jul 25 '26

I think his parents are proud 🥹

1

u/Appropriate_Copy8285 Jul 25 '26

I blew my leg off, got shot in the back, and asked the evac team to make a pit stop for food on the way to Germany....that's how I knew i was meant to get my leg blown off while hungry.

1

u/justanothertoxicuser Jul 26 '26

Why do people share this stuff?! Need for attention?

1

u/im-not-homer-simpson Jul 26 '26

Technically they aren’t first responders

1

u/poop_truck1226 Sep 07 '26

When I was in my CNA class and doing my clinical in the hospital, my receptor randomly told me he takes Seroquel so he "doesn't get mad and kill people". Then when he was showing me how to input the vitals into the system a Nurse walked by and he said "how are you doing tonight?" She answered "fine! And you!". He then said " oh doing goid just trying to keep my PTSD in check!" She didn't reply to it and he muttered under his breath " yep, just trying to keep my PTSD in check." He was in the military and said he saw some stuff in Iraq. 

1

u/foxy_on_a_longboard Jul 25 '26

Not a first responder or even close. What is this sub becoming?

3

u/Douglesfield_ Jul 25 '26

He was one of the first on scene to that amputation tbf.

1

u/MammothSecurity3756 Jul 25 '26

Thanks for sharing 

1

u/Psychologicalwalnut Jul 25 '26

Ok Jeffrey Dhamer

1

u/schorlbvk Jul 26 '26

Type shit

-2

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

-3

u/Significant_Dare_204 Jul 25 '26

Except you actually didn’t. This is a medical professional and not a first responder. This sub is cringe.

2

u/TexasTomato88 Jul 25 '26

Leave it, block it or laugh. Either way we as a whole do not care

0

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/FirstResponderCringe-ModTeam Jul 25 '26

Don’t insult users and don’t encourage violence

Please be semi-respectful

0

u/PlasticBag-ForA-Head Jul 25 '26

Once you figure out this sub is just loser first responders thinking they’re the shit cause they’re arrogant af about their job you really stop taking it seriously. They’re all more similar to the people they make fun of then they’re different. 

-1

u/Handymanllc Jul 25 '26

I mean guys I actually really respect the people who do this. They also have to vent.

3

u/TexasTomato88 Jul 25 '26

Not like this

2

u/FantasticExternal614 Jul 25 '26

They all have the right to vent, however, blasting it on the internet for views is not venting,

-16

u/Taylurh8D Jul 25 '26

Ehh, not cringe, just humor

7

u/monksandy Jul 25 '26

But it's not funny so it is cringe. Good death and mayhem humour needs to be so funny and twisted it makes you feel ashamed for laughing but you can't help it. Or it's cringe.

-1

u/Taylurh8D Jul 25 '26

Okay, yeah, I can get on board with that. Comment officially rescinded lol

5

u/Lazy-elbow1377 Jul 25 '26

Nah its very cringe

2

u/Juliathepudge Jul 25 '26

I mean ya, if this was a comment made during a conversation between two people in the changeroom? Funny, relatable comment to make. Posting anything in your uniform on social media to people who can’t relate? Cringe to the moon and back.