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A Navy SEAL was convinced exposure to blasts damaged his brain, so he donated it to science to prove it (www.nbcnews.com)

submitted 10 months ago by MicroWave to c/health

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“We’re really at an infant stage in terms of our clinical ability to assess traumatic brain injury,” a medical expert said.

Before he ended his life, Ryan Larkin made his family promise to donate his brain to science.

The 29-year-old Navy SEAL was convinced years of exposure to blasts had badly damaged his brain, despite doctors telling him otherwise. He had downloaded dozens of research papers on traumatic brain injury out of frustration that no one was taking him seriously, his father said.

“He knew,” Frank Larkin said. “I’ve grown to understand that he was out to prove that he was hurt, and he wasn’t crazy.”

In 2017, a postmortem study found that Ryan Larkin, a combat medic and instructor who taught SEALs how to breach buildings with explosives, had a pattern of brain scarring unique to service members who’ve endured repeated explosions.

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[–] DaddleDew 94 points 10 months ago (27 children)

I was once almost killed by a doctor who wouldn't believe me when I said I thought I had pulmonary embolism and sent me home without treatment, saying to "not use Google to diagnose myself".

I'd be dead today had I not returned to see another doctor the next day.

I think if you name a suspected medical condition at the admission they are far less likely to believe you.

[–] Sekrayray 41 points 10 months ago (19 children)

I know I’m a minority but as someone who works in emergency medicine I think the opposite.

If you come in thinking you have something there’s probably good reason, and I damn well better be sure you don’t have it if I’m going to send you home. You know your body better than me. It may not mean we test for it, but I need solid clinical decision making tools to support not testing for it

[–] acetanilide 21 points 10 months ago (8 children)

Usually that tool is that I'm a woman

[–] Sekrayray 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I don’t understand, do you mean risk stratification in a specific clinical practice guideline based on gender?

[–] acetanilide 22 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I mean that doctors (emergency or otherwise) tend not to listen to me because I am a woman.

This changes when a (cis, white) man is present.

[–] Chocrates 16 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Happened to my ex wife, and I assume it keeps happening. She has Graves disease for years and told Drs something was wrong, but since she was heavy they just told her to lose weight.

It was left so long by the time they caught it that the cognitive decline that thyroid problems give you, were irreversible

[–] acetanilide 3 points 10 months ago

Thats terrible :( I am so sorry

[–] Sekrayray 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I’m sorry that happens to you. Unfortunately it’s a documented phenomenon (especially with rheumatologic diagnoses—I’ve explained that to residents a lot).

Here’s to hoping more attention to this leads to better education which can prevent it.