We humans are full of contradictions.
On one hand, we’re fragile to the point of absurdity. We bruise from the slightest bump, catch colds that wipe us out for days, and stumble over nothing at all.
On the other, we can survive things that seem downright impossible. Proof of that came in a Reddit thread where doctors shared the most shocking cases they’d ever encountered—patients who endured so much that even professionals were left wondering how they were still alive. Keep reading for their most unforgettable stories.
#1
Simply meeting someone who was 110 years old.
WishIWereHere:
Working as a phlebotomist, I've been slapped by a patient old enough to remember a good chunk of WWI. I wasn't even that mad, it was like getting hit by History.
Anon:
I used to do elder care and was constantly amazed at some of the tough badasses I took care of. Never as old as 110, but...
Man - 99 - Once ate dinner with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Made sure to serve me ice cream as his wife of 73 years lay dying (I was caring for her, she was in a coma and on her last journey), because it was a warm afternoon and manners must be followed, regardless of circumstances. I tried to refuse, but...he's 99 with a dying wife. It was strawberry.
Woman- 96 - Was in the Nursing Corps in the Navy/Marines in WW2. She married a Marine. She told me, "I always like 'em rough and ready!" Her lecherous grin spread its icy fingers into my soul, and I had to laugh.
Woman - 101 - Tried to m****r me with a clothes iron because dementia can change people into superheroes when they think the care aide is a stranger breaking into their house.
Woman - 96 - An atheist Jew from New Jersey, with the accent to boot. WW2 Navy nurse. She would threaten spam callers with m****r. Graphically. It was hilarious. She also had me pick up a package for her. Turns out, she gets her w**d delivered. (Calif.)
WishIWereHere:
Working as a phlebotomist, I've been slapped by a patient old enough to remember a good chunk of WWI. I wasn't even that mad, it was like getting hit by History.
Anon:
I used to do elder care and was constantly amazed at some of the tough badasses I took care of. Never as old as 110, but...
Man - 99 - Once ate dinner with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Made sure to serve me ice cream as his wife of 73 years lay dying (I was caring for her, she was in a coma and on her last journey), because it was a warm afternoon and manners must be followed, regardless of circumstances. I tried to refuse, but...he's 99 with a dying wife. It was strawberry.
Woman- 96 - Was in the Nursing Corps in the Navy/Marines in WW2. She married a Marine. She told me, "I always like 'em rough and ready!" Her lecherous grin spread its icy fingers into my soul, and I had to laugh.
Woman - 101 - Tried to m****r me with a clothes iron because dementia can change people into superheroes when they think the care aide is a stranger breaking into their house.
Woman - 96 - An atheist Jew from New Jersey, with the accent to boot. WW2 Navy nurse. She would threaten spam callers with m****r. Graphically. It was hilarious. She also had me pick up a package for her. Turns out, she gets her w**d delivered. (Calif.)
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47points
#2
Not a doctor but... encountered a woman that was s**t blank in the head by her boyfriend. Bullet entered one of her eye sockets and exited above her and ear on the same side. She called 911 on her own and survived, was in ICU for weeks, and testified against the b*****d who is now thankfully in prison!
willingisnotenough:
Crazy how one person can get shot in the head and survive while another can trip on the sidewalk and hit their head in just the right way...
surrounded_by_ghosts:
My mom ran into a sign two years ago. She was jogging and turned to yell at my dad and hit the sign with her head.
She'll never return to work. She can barely handle a half hour conversation. She can't go into stores or anywhere with loud noises or bright lights. Her entire life has changed.
It's insane how something so tiny affects so much.
willingisnotenough:
Crazy how one person can get shot in the head and survive while another can trip on the sidewalk and hit their head in just the right way...
surrounded_by_ghosts:
My mom ran into a sign two years ago. She was jogging and turned to yell at my dad and hit the sign with her head.
She'll never return to work. She can barely handle a half hour conversation. She can't go into stores or anywhere with loud noises or bright lights. Her entire life has changed.
It's insane how something so tiny affects so much.
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43points
#3
Guy comes in with a bit of chest pain. tells me the big coronary artery on the front of the heart was 100% blocked. I tell him "who told you that?" he says his doctor did about 10 years ago. I don't believe him since patients never ever get any of the stuff their doctor tells them right. I let the cardiac surgeon know what this guy said and he too goes "haha 100%? so he's dead?"
If the biggest coronary artery is totally occluded and for 10 years no less, you are a dead man. Lo and behold...we get an angiogram and it was f*****g 100% occluded. The artery on the back of the heart made a connection with the front of the heart to pick up the slack. It was some lucky s**t.
Ambien0wl:
I HAD THIS HAPPEN
Started getting chest pains at 35 while mowing the lawn. Was alarmed, but with no family history I assumed it may have been the adhd meds I had recently started.
Fast forward 4 months, I'm in for a med check. At the end of the checkup, I mentioned the chest pains and "it seems to be less bad than it was..."
Dr sent me in for a stress test, failed it. Sent me in for a nuclear stress test, failed it. Cardiologist set me up for a cardiac cath, told me that if they find a blockage they'll put a stent in.
Apparently my LAD was 100 percent blocked and "new paths were opening". I was just like..."so I have better cardiac blood flow than most people now?" and he just gave me a hopeless look.
Been running 5 days a week for 8 months now...
If the biggest coronary artery is totally occluded and for 10 years no less, you are a dead man. Lo and behold...we get an angiogram and it was f*****g 100% occluded. The artery on the back of the heart made a connection with the front of the heart to pick up the slack. It was some lucky s**t.
Ambien0wl:
I HAD THIS HAPPEN
Started getting chest pains at 35 while mowing the lawn. Was alarmed, but with no family history I assumed it may have been the adhd meds I had recently started.
Fast forward 4 months, I'm in for a med check. At the end of the checkup, I mentioned the chest pains and "it seems to be less bad than it was..."
Dr sent me in for a stress test, failed it. Sent me in for a nuclear stress test, failed it. Cardiologist set me up for a cardiac cath, told me that if they find a blockage they'll put a stent in.
Apparently my LAD was 100 percent blocked and "new paths were opening". I was just like..."so I have better cardiac blood flow than most people now?" and he just gave me a hopeless look.
Been running 5 days a week for 8 months now...
36points
#4
I'm an ER nurse. Had a guy walk up to the front desk after hitting himself in the throat with a chainsaw.
All the flesh of his neck was flayed open. I could see his trachea and his right jugular vein. If he had cut in just a tiny bit deeper, he would have sliced right into both.
The only thing that saved him was that he was a big fat guy with a huge neck. A skinnier man would have d**d very unpleasantly.
Anon:
The unseen benefits of obesity.
All the flesh of his neck was flayed open. I could see his trachea and his right jugular vein. If he had cut in just a tiny bit deeper, he would have sliced right into both.
The only thing that saved him was that he was a big fat guy with a huge neck. A skinnier man would have d**d very unpleasantly.
Anon:
The unseen benefits of obesity.
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36points
#5
I used to work as a clerk in diagnostic imaging at a hospital, and we had a man come in for an x-ray complaining of chest pain. His records showed his last visit was two years prior when he got drunk and fell into a fish tank, breaking it. ER stitched him up and sent him home. Fast forward two years, and we are all gathered around the computer screen looking at an X-ray that showed a 12 inch long piece of fish tank glass sitting in his chest, with his aorta resting right on top of it (it was on an angle running from his left shoulder down towards his right hip). There were other shards of glass too, but this one was the biggest. Emergency surgery happened right away.
Edit: to help clarify, this happened in Canada.
BuzzKerOfFire:
This is actually the reason plastic and ceramic shrapnel is banned in warfare. It's difficult to detect and remove, causing undue suffering, even by way standards.
Edit: to help clarify, this happened in Canada.
BuzzKerOfFire:
This is actually the reason plastic and ceramic shrapnel is banned in warfare. It's difficult to detect and remove, causing undue suffering, even by way standards.
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33points
#6
About 20 years ago, I had a patient come in with obstruction of his colon by a large colon cancer. The cancer had spread to his liver, and CT scan showed the liver basically *replaced* by metastatic tumor. So he wouldn't d*e on intestinal obstruction (I won't go into detail, but trust me, it is a *very* unpleasant way to d*e) the patient, his family, and I decided to try placing an expandable metal stent through the tumor. It worked! His obstruction was relieved and he was able to go home to spend his last days with his family.
18 months later the patient came in for an office visit...*for heartburn.*. He was even more jaundiced than when I first met him, but he felt basically well and was eating well. The stent was still functioning. I never saw him again and assume he finally succumbed to his disease, but he got at least 18 months of precious and really GOOD time.
18 months later the patient came in for an office visit...*for heartburn.*. He was even more jaundiced than when I first met him, but he felt basically well and was eating well. The stent was still functioning. I never saw him again and assume he finally succumbed to his disease, but he got at least 18 months of precious and really GOOD time.
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33points
#7
Not a doctor but 2 months ago my boyfriends brother (29 years old) was on a craigslist gig trimming a large tree, pretty high up, 30 feet to be exact. When he slipped and fell down feet pointed to the ground. The harness failed or he just thought he was invincible (typical of him) and didn't buckle in. He fell all that way only to be severely impaled by a broad metal fence post about as thick as a medium sized persons wrist. Did I mention the top of the post had barbed wire wrapped around it? It went in through his inner thigh, passed through his pelvis and nicked it. Punctured the main artery to one of his legs (they thought he was going to lose his leg if he even made it through) and nicked his lower intestine. The rod finally stopped just inside the lower rib cage. He Vlad the impalered himself and literally ripped himself a new a*****e. He was in one of the top trauma wards for 2 weeks. They day he was released was when they found out his pelvis was fractured. They said he wouldn't walk for 6 months and he would NEVER be the same. He would be crippled for life. He has spent the last 2 weeks doing his thing , without his wheelchair, Walker or cane playing Frisbee golf and fishing. Running around doing everything he used to. He is extremely lucky.
Edit: Also I forgot to mention he was fully awake and conscious the entire time until first responders could come to him , about 10 or 15 minutes until firefighters could remove him. Post and all. The lady he was doing the gig for held him up with all her little might to keep the post from slipping further in. She probably saved his life the doc said.
Edit: Also I forgot to mention he was fully awake and conscious the entire time until first responders could come to him , about 10 or 15 minutes until firefighters could remove him. Post and all. The lady he was doing the gig for held him up with all her little might to keep the post from slipping further in. She probably saved his life the doc said.
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33points
#8
Patient st*bbed himself in the neck with a thermometer that pierced his trachea. Missed all the important arteries (carotids, vertebrals); just hit some minor nerves.
Good guy patient provided his own temperature reads until they removed the thermometer.
Aaronsaurus:
It's amazing how humour can be present in unpleasant circumstances.
aujthomas:
You really need it, especially in the medical field. Stress and burnout are a really bad mix.
Good guy patient provided his own temperature reads until they removed the thermometer.
Aaronsaurus:
It's amazing how humour can be present in unpleasant circumstances.
aujthomas:
You really need it, especially in the medical field. Stress and burnout are a really bad mix.
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32points
#9
My dad's a doctor, so I asked him. When he was an intern in the ER, someone walked in the front door with a kitchen knife sticking out between his eyes to the handle. The knife went through his sinus cavity and ended with the tip in his throat, millimeters from his brain stem. He goes into surgery and walks out of the ICU the next day. My dad says he is the luckiest man he ever saw.
PaganJessica:
I like to imagine that, when this happened, he proceeded to beat the s**t out of whoever st*bbed him (assuming he wasn't a wrongful aggressor.)
Imagine the terror you'd feel if you st*bbed someone through the face (not in the face, but through the face) and they were still ambulatory.
PaganJessica:
I like to imagine that, when this happened, he proceeded to beat the s**t out of whoever st*bbed him (assuming he wasn't a wrongful aggressor.)
Imagine the terror you'd feel if you st*bbed someone through the face (not in the face, but through the face) and they were still ambulatory.
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30points
#10
Not a doctor, but been a paramedic 15 years. Had an 8 year old kid on a ripstick (similar to a skateboard) lose control and roll into the path of an oncoming SUV in his neighborhood. He was hit by then run over by it. We arrived to find him face down under the vehicle, unconscious, barely breathing.
After all was said and done he had: bilateral femur fractures, one lower leg fracture, multiple rib fractures, a blown pupil, and open skull fracture, subdural brain bleed, a tension pneumo (air escaping lungs into the chest cavity- will squish the lungs and heart if untreated), and when we were bagging him (breathing for him) we felt subcutaneous emphysema (free air that crackles like rice crispies/bubble wrap) in his hip... yes- hip.
We flew him to the children's hospital expecting him to d*e within the hour. He was in a coma for days and had to have multiple surgeries, but made a complete recovery (100% neurologically intact as well) and graduates high school in the spring. His was such an amazing case the hospital made him one of their "miracle kids of the year".
Parents- please make your kids wear helmets. Even in the neighborhood. It wouldn't have prevented all of his injuries, but would have substantially lessened the brain trauma he suffered.
After all was said and done he had: bilateral femur fractures, one lower leg fracture, multiple rib fractures, a blown pupil, and open skull fracture, subdural brain bleed, a tension pneumo (air escaping lungs into the chest cavity- will squish the lungs and heart if untreated), and when we were bagging him (breathing for him) we felt subcutaneous emphysema (free air that crackles like rice crispies/bubble wrap) in his hip... yes- hip.
We flew him to the children's hospital expecting him to d*e within the hour. He was in a coma for days and had to have multiple surgeries, but made a complete recovery (100% neurologically intact as well) and graduates high school in the spring. His was such an amazing case the hospital made him one of their "miracle kids of the year".
Parents- please make your kids wear helmets. Even in the neighborhood. It wouldn't have prevented all of his injuries, but would have substantially lessened the brain trauma he suffered.
30points
#11
Had a patient come in confused and delirious because his kidneys were shutting down. He had multiple myeloma and a history of colon cancer plus a bunch of other things. He was jaundiced and needed to be shocked several times. The physicians, residents, and even the family thought he was going to d*e. The man insisted on full measures to keep him alive.
He recovered in the span of five days. His kidneys improved, his delirium evaporated, and the man walked out of the ICU.
Then there was the guy who had to be castrated but that's another story.
Buhlakkke:
I want to hear the castration tale.
OP:
Guy around 50 y/o had necrotizing fasciitis in his groin. He had genital warts, did not care for them, they got infected until he got septic. He came in and the surgeons had no choice but to completely castrate him along with removing a good part of the pannus there. The man was quite obese; maybe 5'9" but 350 lbs? I never saw him stand. He never spoke, never looked at the doctors, and barely ever moved. He had a lot of other problems happen later and I was surprised to see him still alive 6 months later. His quality of life had dramatically decreased. They had to cut away d**d tissue every 3 days or so. It wasn't pleasant.
Buhlakkke:
Ok maybe I didn't want to hear the castration tale...
He recovered in the span of five days. His kidneys improved, his delirium evaporated, and the man walked out of the ICU.
Then there was the guy who had to be castrated but that's another story.
Buhlakkke:
I want to hear the castration tale.
OP:
Guy around 50 y/o had necrotizing fasciitis in his groin. He had genital warts, did not care for them, they got infected until he got septic. He came in and the surgeons had no choice but to completely castrate him along with removing a good part of the pannus there. The man was quite obese; maybe 5'9" but 350 lbs? I never saw him stand. He never spoke, never looked at the doctors, and barely ever moved. He had a lot of other problems happen later and I was surprised to see him still alive 6 months later. His quality of life had dramatically decreased. They had to cut away d**d tissue every 3 days or so. It wasn't pleasant.
Buhlakkke:
Ok maybe I didn't want to hear the castration tale...
29points
#12
Old guy comes in with his wife. She tells me "he passed out last week and I couldn't wake him up. After about two minutes he came around and he didn't want to go to the hospital so we booked an appointment to see you."
I'm a little concerned by this, and his heart rate is a little slow so I send him for an EKG (heart rhythm tracing). I get a call about an hour later from the cardiologist reviewing the EKG calmly thanking me for sending him in because the wiring in his heart essentially wasn't working and he could drop d**d at any moment...again. Because the week before, he hadn't passed out - he'd d**d. Through some lucky miracle his heart started again.
He's got a pacemaker now and he and his wife are doing just great.
I'm a little concerned by this, and his heart rate is a little slow so I send him for an EKG (heart rhythm tracing). I get a call about an hour later from the cardiologist reviewing the EKG calmly thanking me for sending him in because the wiring in his heart essentially wasn't working and he could drop d**d at any moment...again. Because the week before, he hadn't passed out - he'd d**d. Through some lucky miracle his heart started again.
He's got a pacemaker now and he and his wife are doing just great.
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29points
#13
I have thought that after seeing some CT scans of lungs in severe COPD. It's like there is no normal lung tissue, just huge air pockets. It is hard to see how they exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide at all.
Arsinoei:
Currently nursing a 65 year old woman with severe COPD. Ventolin, corticosteroids & oxygen. Still smoking. Frightens the heck out of me. I threw my cigarettes away and hope my lungs can repair somewhat.
A HUGE wake up call.
blackday44:
My grandma has COPD very bad, plus suspiscious spots on her lungs. She doesn't smoke but lives in am apartment full of smokers. Refuses oxygen due to pride. She can barely walk 10 steps, literally, before gasping for air. Scary.
Arsinoei:
Currently nursing a 65 year old woman with severe COPD. Ventolin, corticosteroids & oxygen. Still smoking. Frightens the heck out of me. I threw my cigarettes away and hope my lungs can repair somewhat.
A HUGE wake up call.
blackday44:
My grandma has COPD very bad, plus suspiscious spots on her lungs. She doesn't smoke but lives in am apartment full of smokers. Refuses oxygen due to pride. She can barely walk 10 steps, literally, before gasping for air. Scary.
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27points
#14
Not as doctor but I would probably fit onto one of their lists for this question. When I was 10 pain in my side brought me into the hospital (after a few other events). Turns out that I had 3.5 liters of fluid surrounding my right lung. I was breathing on one lung for a while. A few days later, after the doctors analyzed the fluid, they found cancer cells. I had lymphoma.
During the treatment I managed to find a rare reaction that cause most of the top layer of my skin to die simultaneously called Toxic Epidermal Necrolisys (You shouldn't look if you have a weak stomach). This caused a lot of open sores and almost caused me to contract sepsis.
After that I ended up with internal bleeding. It took the doctors about a week to find that actual site of the bleed. I probably had my blood supply replenished once or twice over that week. I used up 3 or 4 vials of a medicine called Novoseven which is a blood clotting agent used by soldiers in the field when they are bleeding out. After they found the source they put me into surgery asap.
After that It was pretty smooth sailing other than the cancer but now I'm all done with chemo and cured.
During the treatment I managed to find a rare reaction that cause most of the top layer of my skin to die simultaneously called Toxic Epidermal Necrolisys (You shouldn't look if you have a weak stomach). This caused a lot of open sores and almost caused me to contract sepsis.
After that I ended up with internal bleeding. It took the doctors about a week to find that actual site of the bleed. I probably had my blood supply replenished once or twice over that week. I used up 3 or 4 vials of a medicine called Novoseven which is a blood clotting agent used by soldiers in the field when they are bleeding out. After they found the source they put me into surgery asap.
After that It was pretty smooth sailing other than the cancer but now I'm all done with chemo and cured.
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26points
#15
Blood alcohol of .730.
the_gift_of_g2j:
...how is that even possible to live through? Like, he should've been d**d way previously to that.
Asks_for_no_reason:
LOTS of practice.
Supa_Snipa:
I rotated through a trauma ICU a few months back. Patient that was living off a vent had tried to self withdraw for a looming custody battle. Seizure, hit his head, permanently in the ICU with very little brain activity. Mother worked at the hospital, somehow warped it to be her fault. Sad situation. Get professional help people, no judgement from those people. They want to help you.
the_gift_of_g2j:
...how is that even possible to live through? Like, he should've been d**d way previously to that.
Asks_for_no_reason:
LOTS of practice.
Supa_Snipa:
I rotated through a trauma ICU a few months back. Patient that was living off a vent had tried to self withdraw for a looming custody battle. Seizure, hit his head, permanently in the ICU with very little brain activity. Mother worked at the hospital, somehow warped it to be her fault. Sad situation. Get professional help people, no judgement from those people. They want to help you.
25points
#16
Guy had an argument with his girlfriend, wanted to leave the apartment. Instead of taking the door, was real angry and jumped off the balcony, fell down 40 feet directly on his heels on cement.
He ended up having an ankle sprain. I wondered how he managed previous issues in his life.
g33kch1c:
Holy s**t. That's insane.
My dad fell a mere 15 feet and it k****d him.
40 feet with just a sprain? Damn.
Edit: since people keep asking, my father died because he fell on his neck. Or that's what I was told, anyway.
Svankensen:
Yeah, its just out of this world luck. Check the 5 survivors from falling from planes. 4 of them were on the hospital for months. Of those, one had to get a limb reattached. The 5th one, Nicholas Alkemade, who jumped from a 6km height (4 miles), got a leg sprain. A f**king leg sprain.
He ended up having an ankle sprain. I wondered how he managed previous issues in his life.
g33kch1c:
Holy s**t. That's insane.
My dad fell a mere 15 feet and it k****d him.
40 feet with just a sprain? Damn.
Edit: since people keep asking, my father died because he fell on his neck. Or that's what I was told, anyway.
Svankensen:
Yeah, its just out of this world luck. Check the 5 survivors from falling from planes. 4 of them were on the hospital for months. Of those, one had to get a limb reattached. The 5th one, Nicholas Alkemade, who jumped from a 6km height (4 miles), got a leg sprain. A f**king leg sprain.
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25points
#17
(Not a doctor) I met a guy the other night who got hit by a jet ski. It broke his femur, crushed his shoulder and split his head. He was floating in the ocean for a while and said that after 30 minutes when he finally got into the ambulance, they took one look at him and said he didn't have much of a chance of making it to even the hospital because of the blood loss.
I'm happy to say that he's alive and well, and after several surgeries is walking!
Anon:
The paramedics shouldn't have said that. Their job is to be reassuring. Not to make false promises, but not to scare the s**t out of people.
I'm happy to say that he's alive and well, and after several surgeries is walking!
Anon:
The paramedics shouldn't have said that. Their job is to be reassuring. Not to make false promises, but not to scare the s**t out of people.
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23points
#18
I was in school to be a paramedic and I was doing my externship in an ER. A guy came in happily complaining about a sore on his belly that wouldn't heal. He was really pleasant and didn't seem to be in much pain. When he lifted his shirt, we could see his liver.
telperiontree:
Well, that sounds like bacteria and agonizing slow death.
... did he die?
OP:
I don't think so. He definitely went up to surgery - still smiling!
telperiontree:
Well, that sounds like bacteria and agonizing slow death.
... did he die?
OP:
I don't think so. He definitely went up to surgery - still smiling!
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22points
#19
After I had my first kid, I was very tired and felt like I had to literally force myself out of bed. I was freezing cold all the time and felt like I was walking through a fog.
My doctor had me do some routine blood tests postpartum and I mentioned the symptoms. She said that I should go to therapy for post partum depression even though I didn't feel depressed.
Then I get a call the day after the blood test. Doctor wanted me in ASAP. Apparently my TSH was over 200 (it's supposed to be 2 at the most). My body had cannibalized my thyroid and without proper function, it was wrecking serious havoc on my body.
Her exact words were "how exactly are you functioning without a thyroid?"
My reply?
"Pure stubbornness and spite.".
My doctor had me do some routine blood tests postpartum and I mentioned the symptoms. She said that I should go to therapy for post partum depression even though I didn't feel depressed.
Then I get a call the day after the blood test. Doctor wanted me in ASAP. Apparently my TSH was over 200 (it's supposed to be 2 at the most). My body had cannibalized my thyroid and without proper function, it was wrecking serious havoc on my body.
Her exact words were "how exactly are you functioning without a thyroid?"
My reply?
"Pure stubbornness and spite.".
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22points
#20
I have a mate who is a doctor in the major trauma section of the ED at Bundaberg Hospital (in North-Eastern Australia).
He's got quite a few tales of trauma being in that part of Australia, but one of his best that springs to mind is when he had a guy drive his ute to the ambo entrance, walk himself into ED with one arm firmly holding his abdomen and proceed to demonstrate (by removal of his arm from his abdomen) that he had been disemboweled by a 6ft kangaroo.
He's got quite a few tales of trauma being in that part of Australia, but one of his best that springs to mind is when he had a guy drive his ute to the ambo entrance, walk himself into ED with one arm firmly holding his abdomen and proceed to demonstrate (by removal of his arm from his abdomen) that he had been disemboweled by a 6ft kangaroo.
22points