Saturday, September 27, 2008

What's up doc?


Recently I come across a story that made me....well, flinch. It was a story that was so sad and tragic, that it made me want to just count my blessings. I mean it could have happened to any of us. Well, not any of us, ---maybe 50% of the population----, but I am sure that most of the other 50% of the population would be just as, if not more, devastated.


So anyway, here is the story:


"LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A Kentucky man who claims his penis was removed without his consent during what was supposed to be a circumcision has sued the doctor who performed the surgery.


Phillip Seaton, 61, and his wife are seeking unspecified compensation from Dr. John M. Patterson and the medical practice that performed the circumcision for 'loss of service, love and affection.' The Seatons also are seeking unspecified punitive damages from Patterson and the medical practice, Commonwealth Urology.


A woman who answered the phone at Commonwealth Urology would not take a message for the doctor Thursday. But the Seaton's attorney said the doctor's post-surgical notes show the doctor thought he detected cancer and removed the penis. Attorney Kevin George said a later test did detect cancer.


'It was not an emergency,' George told The Associated Press on Thursday. 'It didn't have to happen that way.'Seaton was having the procedure on Oct. 19, 2007, to better treat inflammation. The lawsuit filed earlier this month in state court claims Patterson removed Seaton's penis without consulting either Phillip or Deborah Seaton, or giving them an opportunity to seek a second opinion."





Okay Phillip, you are 61 years old, so there was still a little life left in the old cannon. Honestly, I don't blame you for suing the guy for "loss of service"..... although, I guess, Mrs. Seaton would be the best judge of that (Make sure your lawyer puts her on the witness stand). The good doc said he detected some cancer in your....ahem, tool, and he figured it was the little guy or your life. I don't think the good doc was like one of these guys, but he might have been negligent never the less.


Fellows, what would you do? So many questions here: How accurate was the diagnosis? And if it was, how far along was the cancer? Was the cancer affecting his ability to get it up? And was it curable? I would love to know the answer to those questions before I go killing the good doc. Although regardless of Mr. Seaton's condition, the doc should have told him what he was planning to do. I mean you just don't go cutting off a man's best friend without some serious consultation. I don't care how far along or serious the cancer is.


Oh well, it's Saturday night y'all, I better go and put mine to some good use (good being relative of course) because, well, you just never know when it might be your last go round.

33 comments:

LISA VAZQUEZ said...

Hey there!

That photo.... is just soooo....unnecessary!!

I am not a man so I don't really understand the "bonding" that some men have with their...um...pleasure packages.

I just want to say that many men think that their "skills" are directly related to this item of their body and they are VERY WRONG. Women are not sooo easily impressed by "looks" and a man needs to be able to set the atmosphere, establish an emotional connection and show his vulnerability to be intimate in more ways that just sexually intimate. There are many factors that come into play for a woman to decide a man is a "sexual champion" in the bed!

I have a top 10 list of what a man needs to do but it's not appropriate in this setting.

I will give a shout out to the white guys who have been in serious relationships with black women. The myths about their lack of skills in the bedroom are SOOOO UNTRUE.

Lisa

La♥audiobooks said...

"Oh well, it's Saturday night y'all, I better go and put mine to some good use (good being relative of course) because, well, you just never know when it might be your last go round."


Umm, I don't like that statement coming from a married man, just thought I'd let you know that. Does Mrs. Field still visit this blog? I ain't playing with you.

To be honest, I don't feel too bad about the old guy losing his cannon. Whatever. Even so I think the doctor made a wrong call on this. You know, I'm kind of surprised he even took it upon himself to remove the old cannon during that one surgery. The average greedy doctor would have left it just so they could perform another procedure to collect more money. That's usually their MO. Just saying.

La♥audiobooks said...

btw, I don't think it would have hurt you to put Paul Newman's name next to his picture on the sidebar. Not too many of us Negros might know who he is. I purposely went on cnn.com and he popped up. I was born in 77, after all.

field negro said...

"Umm, I don't like that statement coming from a married man, just thought I'd let you know that. Does Mrs. Field still visit this blog? I ain't playing wit."


Now why would you even think that I could be referring to anyone else BUT my significant other? Boy, some of you must have a real low opinion of the field:) Is it something I said in the past?
Besides, I do want to keep my,ahhh, cannon. Does the name Bobbit ring a bell?

"To be honest, I don't feel too bad about the old guy losing his cannon...."

Cold,cold,cold. :)

And blackwomenblowthetrumpet, why can't black men be sensitive lovers too? We know that having skills in the bedroom isn't only related to this particular part of our bodies. Right fellows?

Woozie said...

Pssh. You. Cannon. Don't make me lol.

If I ever have a kid and no doctor goin near no dick with no knife. They better not make me get hood in that hospital.

field negro said...

"Pssh. You. Cannon. Don't make me lol."

Okay, a "45" caliber maybe?

Anonymous said...

I read somewhere years ago that cancer of the penis only occurs in uncircumcised men. And yes, the only cure is...amputation.

Black Diaspora said...

Field, losing a family member can be a little troubling.

The doctor owed his patient the lowdown before he made it impossible for him to get it up again.

Nelson said...

Is life even worth living without one?

Doc L said...

Field,
I am a Urologist, so this is right up my alley. We sometimes call ourselves "pecker--checkers, dick-docs, penis-machinists". Sorry if that offends some. There isn't much sacred in Urology.

All jokes aside. The doc is wrong. while not knowing the whole story, he should have done no more than biopsy and had a conversation with the guy after he was fully lucid. It doesn't sound like he was expecting to find cancer. That is the treatment for some penile cancer. But a circumcision is also, if the cancer is limited.
Most surgical consents have wiggle room for taking care of anything unexpected. But that generally refers to emergency. We doctors like to stick together, so I'm not quite ready to throw this guy under the bus, but I am pushing him toward the curb. I suspect your colleagues in med-mal are chomping at the bit on this one.

Anonymous said...

Field,
Unlike the blogger who thought maybe you were referring to another person in the intimacy field, I automatically thought that you were referring to Mrs. Field. The wife of the cannon-less man probably doesn't care as much about hubby losing his, ahem, friend, as much as he does. Now, she doesn't have to pretend to be excited. She can just turn over and go to damn sleep and not be bothered with him waiting until the Viagra kick in. The doctor probably did her a favor, plus when the lawsuit is settled, they both will probably be REAL happy. Then he won't have to be embarrassed about that thing not working until five hours have passed. GirlFriend was probably tired of tapping her fingers on the nightstand waiting for the Viagra or Cialis to kick the fuck in. She'll probably share some of the $$ with the doctor for doing her a favor!

A.F. said...

Your post sent me looking up laypersons' information on penile cancer, for which amputation of the penis appears to be a last resort: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/penile/Patient/page4

I did that before Doc I contributed and cleared the question up.

Hey, ya'll who cannot afford sympathy to the penis-less patient, I just don't understand at all! And Field, I thought when you said you were "putting it to good use" since you never know when it might be the last time, you were referring to the painful reminder afforded by this patient's experience that anytime could be the last time (for anyone) and not dissing or disrespecting Mrs. Field in any way. I'm not trying to get all in your business, just telling what I thought the sentence meant.

uglyblackjohn said...

I couldn't even finish the article. (I just threw-up in my mouth a little)

Jody said...

The doc was wrong, period. People need to make their own decisions about their healthcare. The ONLY time a doctor should perform any surgery that is not previously discussed and consented to is in a true life and death (I am in a car wreck and unconsious and will die if spleen is not removed) situation.

On your sidebar..... the death of Paul Newman is truly sad. For those like la incognita who don't know. Paul Newman was more than an actor. He was an activist and supported many progressive causes with both his money and his voice. He was especially known in the peace movement.... speaking out against the wars in Central America, Vietnam, and this latest war as well. He also funded and spoke out against Apartheid in South Africa and Nuclear Weapons Proliferation. My deepest sympathies to his wife, Joanne Woodward, who was right by his side for over 50 years in all of his activism, and many times films.

Hathor said...

Hell, I would be upset as the wife. I want as much sex now as I did when I was 19. No one should speak for anyone else's libido.

Anonymous said...

It's the perfect example of why we don't need tort reform.

Sheila

field negro said...

"Hell, I would be upset as the wife. I want as much sex now as I did when I was 19.."

Hathor, you devil you;)

Thank you anon.2:40AM, that is what I hope everyone would think first, that I was referring to the Mrs. But I am worried about your opinion of poor Mr.Seaton's sex life. Maybe it wasn't that bad.

"GirlFriend was probably tired of tapping her fingers on the nightstand waiting for the Viagra or Cialis to kick the fuck in. She'll probably share some of the $$ with the doctor for doing her a favor!"

But then, maybe it was :)

And thank you doc for that little 411. See, it helps to have smart and knowledgeable field and honorary Negroes reading your blog.

One question:are there any other signs of penile cancer? And can too much sex or lack of it increase your chances of getting this horrible disease?

"Hey, ya'll who cannot afford sympathy to the penis-less patient,"

Tought crowd a.f., tough crowd.
jody, thanks for hipping the folks to more info about Paul Newman. Yes he was my man. I fucking loved that guy.

Sorry, for leaving out his name la~incognita, I just assumed...

Donald said...

Don't they make strap-ons? I mean at 61, he's screwed...excuse the pun. There is no coming back from this...(snicker) Is there even a transplant available for that?!?

Anonymous said...

Although regardless of Mr. Seaton's condition, the doc should have told him what he was planning to do. I mean you just don't go cutting off a man's best friend without some serious consultation. I don't care how far along or serious the cancer is.

From a legal standpoint, unless the patient was in an emergent situation with substantial risk of imminent death or severe bodily harm and unable to provide informed consent, then performing a medical procedure on a patient in the absence of informed consent is battery.

Anonymous said...

A dear friend of mine was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 49. (He is well and fully recovered.) You'd better believe he got a second and third opinion before deciding between surgery and chemo/radiation therapy.

Stuff educated black people talk about said...

If you cut my thing-a-ling off without asking, I might have to catch a case.

Doc L said...

"Primum non nocere"--first do no harm!

This fundamental principle of the practice of medicine was, in my opinion, violated in this poor man's case. With an operation that is as life-altering as penectomy is, there should have been plenty of discussion before doing. And again, there would have to have been a significant mass on his penis to justify doing it in the first place, and if it was that bad, it should have been seen we he examined Mr. Seaton. And to say "...he THOUGHT he detected cancer..." is reason alone to throw this doc under the bus. I would love to see his medical record, but since I'm fully awake now, I see less reason to blindly defend the doc.

Okay folk, I'm about to get clinical. But I'll try to make it plain and not speak too much doctor-ese.

Field, to answer your question, the main symptoms would be bleeding and a mass or sore on the penis. Some men have had infections that haven't seemed to go away, and can't be explained by a veneral disease.

The good news is that if you were circumcised at birth, you are highly unlikely to get this disease. The presence of foreskin is the main culprit. If you had it done when you were older, you are still at risk, but not as much. And with excellent hygiene, even if you aren't circumcised, your risk is lowered. The incidence of penile cancer is low, so ain't no need for brothas to go jumpin off a bridge just because they have a little extra skin.

And no, too much sex does not increase the risk. In fact, in some urological diseases, like prostatitis, we often recommend more of it.

And Sharon brings up another issue. I have to take some time to educate my brothas--and sistas too. September is Prostate Cancer/Disease Awareness Month. Prostate cancer is the number one cancer(excluding skin cancers) of men in this country, and the number two cause of cancer death. Brothas, AA men have the HIGHEST incidence of prostate cancer in the WORLD. We get it almost twice as frequently as white men, and die from it at more than twice their rate.

But it can be cured if found early. The recommendation is that every year, starting at age 50 for white men, you should get a PSA(prostate specific antigen) blood test and and DRE(digital rectal examiniation). Men at high risk--that means us, brothas, or anyone with a brother of father diagnosed at age 65 or less, should start their annual testing at age 40. Most recommend age 45, but I still tell brothas 40, thinking they might get in by 45.

Now, since most of us tend to be a bit homophobic, we ain't trying to have NOBODY stick a finger up our behinds. However, the inconvenience is worth the benefit. And you need both tests, because either can be normal and you still have cancer.

Plus, brothas, sistas have been putting their butts in the air for pap smears for generations. This is the least we can do if we say we love them.

So, brothas, if you don't normally get it done, get your asses (pun intended) in and get checked out. We talk about the numbers of black men. Well this is one way to help keep the high.

Treatments aren't as bad as they used to. And the surgery can be done so as to leave you with a functioning member--often without the use of Vitamin V(viagra).

And Field, I never entered my mind that you were referring to anyone other that Mrs. Field.

Anonymous said...

@ blackwomenblowthetrumpet

In theory, I understand what you're getting at about what sometimes seems an "unhealthy" attachment to our packages, but...unauthorized removal is going way too far.

If it's my life or my dick, the dick WILL go, but I would throttle a physician for taking it without my consent first...no matter what my age.

Let's face it, a woman would be pretty pissed, and rightfully so, at the unauthorized removal of a breast or her clitoris, too...at any age.

Anonymous said...

Kind of reminds me of a case where the med team saved an infant with six fatal conditions long enough for the parents to say goodbye like good Catholics. For their heroic efforts..kids with one condition don't live to see birth...the team was sued. Before I assume the docs were not following Practice norms, I would like a bit more info. Maybe Gramps had really nasty metastatic cancer and this was needed. Or his hygiene was so bad the appendage was gangrenous.


Docs are human. Mistakes happen. Just ask Doc1. But I also know that many of our fellow citizens dream of suing and 'hitting the Lottery'.

Mold

Jody said...

Doc1... thank you. I have 2 adult sons and have never thought of telling them to get checked... but now I will. I know if I had daughters, we would have been talking pap smears as soon as they began menstruating..... maybe this is something that should be treated the same with our sons.

NSangoma said...

~
Yall sure yall from deh fields?

Mayhap, mo' house than field?
`

Kyle said...

The real question is...who the frak gets a circumcision at 61?

field negro said...

Thanks doc! How much do I owe you for the consultation? :)

Woozie said...

I read somewhere years ago that cancer of the penis only occurs in uncircumcised men. And yes, the only cure is...amputation.

Not true, it's only more common in uncircumcised men. And if you cant take an extra 30 seconds in the shower to clean it you deserve to lose it.

tuhmeesuh said...

Kyle said...
The real question is...who the frak gets a circumcision at 61?

______

there are many men who get circumcised at older ages--usually for medical neccessity. it was just posted earlier on the comments that circumcision helps to remove cancer in men, and sometimes it's neccessary for other illnesses too. my father had to be circumcised at around 65ish because of an infection due to his diabetes.

and dang @ that poor man. tsk.

Nick Stump said...

I just wish all the weird news wouldn't come out my hometown, Louisville. We have great medical services here, with groundbreaking research going on and now, one fuckup boneheaded doctor has, with one swipe of the scalpel put us once more back on the front page of Weird News. For those of you who think a 61 year old man has little use for this appendage, let me assure you I'm getting close to that age and my heart still beats a little faster when my wife has that particular smile on her face.

Doctors in Louisville recently did a successful hand transplant. All we need is a donor. Field???

field negro said...

"Doctors in Louisville recently did a successful hand transplant. All we need is a donor. Field???"

Ahhhh, no thanks Nick, I need my hands for other things. In fact, I actually have a picture of my palm in my wallet ;)

s. douglas said...

Could be worse.

What about that dude in Florida who had lung cancer in his left lung, and the doctor accidentally removed his right one?

That dude was fucked, unlike the dude in your story, who may be many things, but fucked ain't one of them.