Thursday, March 6, 2008

Loboto-ME?!?!?!

If any of you out there have been considering having a lobotomy, please don't do it! I've been reading this book called My Lobotomy by Howard Dully. It's basically the author's memoirs about his lobotomy when he was 12. It's a very sad story, but I've been enjoying it because it gives an inside look into what it would have been like to be this poor man, growing up in a terrible home, having this "surgery" and then being moved from one type of institution to another.

Mike thinks I'm weird because I enjoy books like this, but what can I say? It should make sense because I studied Social Work in college. If you look it up in the dictionary, Social Work is defined as "the study and prevention of sad and terrible things that happen to people." It's just something that interests me.

For those of you who don't happen to know what a lobotomy is (and I didn't really know before reading this book), it is a psychosurgery where the connections from the frontal lobe of the brain to limbic system are severed. Or, it's when the frontal lobe is just made into mashed potatoes. It affects a plethora of different aspects because the frontal lobe is involved in a number of things such as motor function, problem solving, spontaneity, memory, language, initiation, judgement, impulse control, and social and sexual behavior. And it effects everyone a bit differently.

But if you're really sold on the idea of getting a lobotomy, I, personally, would choose the ice pick lobotomy. I'm not making that name up. It's where the patient is lovingly rendered unconscious by electroshock. This is followed by having the skull broken open behind the eyes and ice picks inserted and wiggled around to mush up the brain. It leaves no visible scars and can probably be considered a same-day surgery. Just take a pair of sunglasses with you so that you can hide the black eyes you'll get.

Well, enough of this morbid entry that probably reads like a term paper. I should probably cite my sources, but I don't remember APA format. Oh well. I promise to blog about something more happy next time. Perhaps I'll even continue telling about Eli's birthday, since it's been more that two week since it happened and I still haven't gotten to parts 2 and 3. Also, I won't be offended if no one comments on this post. I realize it's a bit off the wall. I'm just trying to mix things up a bit.

5 comments:

Shaina said...

who would even think of turning even part theirs or someone elses brain in to mashed potatoes? Sounds a little Frankenstien-ish to me.

Michael said...

Well, you've done it! All people who faithfully tune in to your blog have been disgusted to the point of projectile vomiting over this entry. And last I heard, taking an ice pick to someone's brain was a good way to kill them, not just scramble their brains...

Mike said...

Sometimes my brain itches and I wish I could scratch it with an ice pick.

But if someone were to cut open my belly and scratch around with an ice pick turning everything into mashed potatoes, would that mean I'd never get hungry?

Sarah Burgoyne said...

I'm just impressed that you find time to read and that you remember that such a think as APA format exists.

The Hungry Homemaker said...

First of all, you know too many people named Mike... second of all, I have now decided against getting a lobotomy. You talked me out of it, though I am still considering the ice pick lobotomy, I will let you know.