# Ever forget you were missing a body part? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 4, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121 "2006-11-04T21:41:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/1 "2006-11-04T21:41:32Z")
I just did. I was putting new windshield wipers on the truck, and decided to clean out the washer nozzles while I was at it. The problem was, the inside nozzles were the ones that were clogged, and I couldn’t get nito a position where I could see them. No problem. I can either put everything down, go into the house, get the footstool, bring it outside and get into a better position, or I could just hop up onto the hood of the truck and do it that way. One hop coming up. I’m on the passenger side, so I’ll push off with my left leg… …the one that doesn’t have an anterior cruciate ligament. :eek: Ow. The next thing I know, I’m on the ground in agony. You could’ve heard that “pop” a hundred yards away. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Now I’m doped to the gills, the knee is supported by the sleeve I should have been wearing in the first place, and I’m cussing myself for being an idiot. So please, regale me with your stories of similar stupidity. Or just mock me. Anything to take my mind off this knee. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/2 "2006-11-04T22:02:40Z")
Knees: Exhibit A in the argument against Intelligent Design. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/3 "2006-11-04T22:23:56Z")
I once had dislocated my right shoulder and was still in an immobilizer. Bought some new shoes. Sort of clunky. Going up a staircase the first wearing them I clipped the front of one shoe on the bottom of a stair and it stuck so I started falling facefirst onto the stairs. Started to try to catch myself with my right hand until I realized I didn’t have one, so then I screwdrivered my body at the last second and caught myself with my left hand. Click-click-snap goes the left shoulder as it subluxes and pops back in. Lots of ibuprofin before bed that night. Yours sounds more painful, though. ---
**Author:** ![gabriela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@gabriela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gabriela)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/4 "2006-11-04T23:53:46Z")
Oh, geez. This thread isn’t at all about what i thought it was. I left a kidney in a scale pan once. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/5 "2006-11-05T01:16:36Z")
[QUOTE=gabriela] Oh, geez. This thread isn’t at all about what i thought it was. I left a kidney in a scale pan once. [/QUOTE] 😃 _laughs_ ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/6 "2006-11-05T01:22:56Z")
The last time I went to Las Vegas, I lost my ass. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/7 "2006-11-05T02:23:55Z")
I’ve had dentures since I was 21 (too much Coke), and every once in a while, I _still_ get phantom toothaches (similar to phantom limb pain from amputees). It’s a strange, and, to me, nonsensical thing, but ibuprofen does make it go away. I don’t know. Maybe it’s all in my head. ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/8 "2006-11-05T05:59:35Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Knees: Exhibit A in the argument against Intelligent Design. [/QUOTE] Tell me about it! Mine used to dislocate on just about a daily basis when I was a kid. Kind of put a cramp (yeah, pun intended) on all sorts of childhood fun. Wishing you a speedy and as painless as possible recovery, **silenus.** ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/9 "2006-11-05T07:50:30Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] …the one that doesn’t have an anterior cruciate ligament. :eek: [/QUOTE] How odd. On seeing the thread title, I was planning to pop in and say that I used to forget that I have a missing left ACL. But since you’ve already called that one, all I can do is empathize. ☹☹☹☹ ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/10 "2006-11-05T08:48:37Z")
[QUOTE=Clothahump] The last time I went to Las Vegas, I lost my ass. Does that count? [/QUOTE] Dunno. Did you forget it? ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/11 "2006-11-05T10:54:46Z")
With my feet in the air and my head on the ground I try this trick and spin it, yeah My head will collapse And there’s nothing in it And I ask myself Where is my mind? Where is my mind ? Wheeeerrrrre is my mind? Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/12 "2006-11-05T11:25:12Z")
[QUOTE=neutron star] I’ve had dentures since I was 21 (too much Coke), and every once in a while, I _still_ get phantom toothaches (similar to phantom limb pain from amputees). It’s a strange, and, to me, nonsensical thing, but ibuprofen does make it go away. I don’t know. Maybe it’s all in my head. [/QUOTE] Pray tell, where else would you have teeth? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/13 "2006-11-05T16:40:38Z")
Um… aren’t missing knee ligaments usually replaced? I didn’t realize you could actually walk without one. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/14 "2006-11-05T18:31:22Z")
Nope. You can function fairly normally with only one knee ligament. I didn’t just tear mine, I “window-shaded” it. Tore it completely apart. Needless to say, I am _usually_ pretty careful about what kinds of stress I put on that knee. No skiing, for example. This time I just…forgot. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/15 "2006-11-05T19:03:14Z")
If you’re young and active, they usually do replace the ligament. You can get it replaced from a cadaver or from your own ligament. Mine was done when I was a senior in high school. However, it’s not necessary by any means. You lose stability in the knee (as the OP shows), but if you’re not going to be doing too much quick twists and turns on it, you don’t have to go through the rather painful surgery to get it replaced. It’s not a matter of how much you tear it either - mine was completely gone in the MRI and they replaced it just fine. A couple of holes, screw in the ligament, close it up, and you’re good to go! With a healthy dose of vicodin of course. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/16 "2006-11-05T22:09:32Z")
Not exactly missing, but destroyed: My period was late a couple months ago and for one brief horrified moment, I worried that I was pregnant. Then I remembered I’d had my tubes tied, cut, and cauterized 3 years ago. But for the moment I forgot…it was a long moment. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/17 "2006-11-06T05:20:47Z")
This vet my brother lnew had to share with us that after he lost his leg in an accident, he couldn’t go commando anymore when wearing shorts. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/18 "2006-11-06T17:16:32Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Knees: Exhibit A in the argument against Intelligent Design. [/QUOTE] I can agree with that statement! My right knee is killing me (the one I think I tore the ACL in a while back) and I wore heels today. Thank God today is benchpress day instead of squat or deadlift day. Last Wednesday when I was doing squats I could just FEEL the bones grinding. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/19 "2006-11-07T16:18:30Z")
I’ve alway thought the best argument againt “Intelligent Design” was the droves of us who died (by bad design) in childbirth. Admittetly it was just the unimportent people (women) but there were a lot of us, just because we stood up. And if we were designed that way from the beginning…hmmmm…what does that say about god? But I’m hijacking, don’t mind me. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121/20 "2006-11-07T16:45:21Z")
Sometimes when counting things on my fingers without looking at them I forget that I don’t have a sixth finger between my ring and pinkie. Now, I’ve never _had_ a sixth finger but it feels like I should have one. (At least it doesn’t feel like I _shouldn’t_ have a fifth digit when I do) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-forget-you-were-missing-a-body-part/379121.md?page=2)