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FSogol

(45,514 posts)
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 11:15 AM Oct 2018

Neurosurgeon stitches up stuffed bear at young patient's request: 'How could I say no?'

Daniel McNeely is a pediatric neurosurgeon, so he’s used to fielding questions from nervous parents and patients.

But it was a first for him when an 8-year-old patient had a specific request as the child was being wheeled to surgery while clutching his stuffed animal: My bear is ripped. Please stitch him up.

McNeely, who works at IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, assured the boy he would, and he took the task seriously. After McNeely performed surgery on the boy’s brain, he placed the bear on a table, put on blue gloves and used leftover stitches from the child’s surgery to repair an underarm tear on the bear, which is named Little Baby.


More by Allison Klein at the Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2018/10/04/neurosurgeon-stitches-up-stuffed-bear-young-patients-request-how-could-i-say-no/?utm_term=.fa89d98112f8&wpisrc=nl_optimist&wpmm=1




36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Neurosurgeon stitches up stuffed bear at young patient's request: 'How could I say no?' (Original Post) FSogol Oct 2018 OP
Awwwww. K&R. nt tblue37 Oct 2018 #1
Yeah, cute story, but the bear will be quite shocked when he gets the bill. FSogol Oct 2018 #2
Hope the doc was in network zipplewrath Oct 2018 #3
It's Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada roamer65 Oct 2018 #5
You are correct! Rebl2 Oct 2018 #13
It was a fukin' Canadian doctor. Canadian patients don't get bankrupt for health care. 3Hotdogs Oct 2018 #14
I know. I was just kidding for us Americans. Ok, eh? FSogol Oct 2018 #15
Ok. 3Hotdogs Oct 2018 #16
That's nice - a good man packman Oct 2018 #4
It's nice to read something that makes you smile! PA Democrat Oct 2018 #6
Agreed. n/t FSogol Oct 2018 #7
Damn dust must have gotten in my eyes Botany Oct 2018 #8
These damn socialists, I'm telling ya. BeckyDem Oct 2018 #9
the facemask is a nice touch rurallib Oct 2018 #10
Yes, especially if the boy remembers rocktivity Oct 2018 #26
The little boy will heal twice as fast knowing the doctor fixed up his bear too. magicarpet Oct 2018 #11
Kindness and compassion go a long way. Solly Mack Oct 2018 #12
He put an oxygen mask on the bear! mcar Oct 2018 #17
I thought it might be anesthesia. thucythucy Oct 2018 #28
Why not, especially if he put one on the real patient LOL rocktivity Oct 2018 #30
Too cute! mcar Oct 2018 #31
Thanks for the uplift...I need as much as possible these days... Moostache Oct 2018 #18
Anytime. I try to post some of these stories just for that reason. n/t FSogol Oct 2018 #19
The boy's lucky. Armpit specialists are rare. nt Buns_of_Fire Oct 2018 #20
and that they could quickly find a matching stuffing donor. n/t FSogol Oct 2018 #21
Love this. ♥️♥️♥️ onecaliberal Oct 2018 #22
This is who we really are. The majority of people are good. OhNo-Really Oct 2018 #23
Little Baby and kindness!! marieo1 Oct 2018 #24
American docs have done it, too -- actually, it's a rather popular procedure rocktivity Oct 2018 #25
I hope that bear has insurance. I kid! Great photo and better story! JDC Oct 2018 #27
I don't care what kind of tough guy you think you are gratuitous Oct 2018 #29
That's the best thing I've read in a year.The pic is perfection. I trust bear & boy are healing well Hekate Oct 2018 #32
Awww! BlancheSplanchnik Oct 2018 #33
Canada! The country that shows us that we can be much better. nt NCjack Oct 2018 #34
Bless you, Dr. Daniel McNeely. Totally Tunsie Oct 2018 #35
awwww Demovictory9 Oct 2018 #36

roamer65

(36,747 posts)
5. It's Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 11:29 AM
Oct 2018

Therefore both the boy and bear are covered under single payor Medicare. No bills.

3Hotdogs

(12,396 posts)
14. It was a fukin' Canadian doctor. Canadian patients don't get bankrupt for health care.
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 12:43 PM
Oct 2018

The bear will be economically, o.k.

rurallib

(62,433 posts)
10. the facemask is a nice touch
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 11:57 AM
Oct 2018

Last edited Tue Oct 9, 2018, 03:14 PM - Edit history (1)

The boy knows the bear will be able to breathe during the surgery

rocktivity

(44,577 posts)
26. Yes, especially if the boy remembers
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 01:57 PM
Oct 2018

that the doctor placed a face mask on him.

I say "if" because when I had my surgery, I remember seeing a needle going in the back of my hand -- and the next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room!


rocktivity

rocktivity

(44,577 posts)
30. Why not, especially if he put one on the real patient LOL
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 02:04 PM
Oct 2018

Last edited Sat Mar 2, 2019, 03:00 PM - Edit history (3)

Operating without anesthesia? Talk about a malpractice suit just begging to happen!


rocktivity

Moostache

(9,897 posts)
18. Thanks for the uplift...I need as much as possible these days...
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 12:50 PM
Oct 2018

I am so depressed about the state of the country and what I know in my heart is still coming down the line at us that I find it hard to breathe at times and snap at people in completely inappropriate ways. Anyways...thanks for the moment of joy in a bleak period for me and many others.

OhNo-Really

(3,985 posts)
23. This is who we really are. The majority of people are good.
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 01:29 PM
Oct 2018

We must resist, maybe even boycott (the purse, our biggest power over evil politics along with the vote) Propaganda selling perversion and violence in concert with consumer brainwashing both driven by heartless greed that has too many under its pernicious spells.

We are good!

marieo1

(1,402 posts)
24. Little Baby and kindness!!
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 01:35 PM
Oct 2018

This brought tears to my eyes. Glad to know there are people out there 'with a heart'. I'm sure the child will get better faster with 'Little Baby'.

rocktivity

(44,577 posts)
25. American docs have done it, too -- actually, it's a rather popular procedure
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 01:51 PM
Oct 2018

Last edited Thu Oct 11, 2018, 02:41 PM - Edit history (3)

And apparently quite beneficial:






rocktivity

JDC

(10,130 posts)
27. I hope that bear has insurance. I kid! Great photo and better story!
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 02:00 PM
Oct 2018

I need more stories of kindness and decency in my life. Thank you.

gratuitous

(82,849 posts)
29. I don't care what kind of tough guy you think you are
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 02:03 PM
Oct 2018

If a three-year-old hands you a toy phone, you hold it up to your ear and say, "Hello?"

Hekate

(90,769 posts)
32. That's the best thing I've read in a year.The pic is perfection. I trust bear & boy are healing well
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 02:23 PM
Oct 2018
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