Some Of The Weirdest Things Patients Have Brought To The E.R.

Many people who have been to, or work in, emergency rooms have definitely experienced some bizarre situations. Emergency rooms tend to be filled with challenges, from a flood of patients with different needs and plenty of stress and tensions running high. As if there’s not already a lot to deal with in the E.R., sometimes patients can take it too far. Someone on Reddit asked doctors to name the weirdest things they’ve seen patients bring with them to the E.R.

Usually, when you make a trip to the emergency room, you bring yourself and whatever issue you may be having. Well, someone decided to take it a step further by bringing that and then some. One person wrote that someone brought in a worm from their poop and “a whole mini potato they pooped out.” Without getting too graphic with this person’s comment. Just know that they continued to describe it down to the texture. Gross!

Another person chimed in and said a person brought in a machete. You know, just in case they need to bust out some major Shaun of the Dead zombie fighting moves. This same person said that another person called ahead to see how many outfits he was allowed to bring. “When he showed up, he had a total of about 5 suitcases, one of which was just nail polish.”

It’s not unheard of to see someone with an emotional support animal. That usually refers to a dog, or maybe a cat. Someone said that one patient brought in their emotional support duck. Not like the ones you see on the Dawn dish soap commercials that are tiny enough to hold in one hand. But a full-fledged adult duck. Could you imagine seeing a duck stumbling around the E.R. while you’re there? Yes, but would you want to?

This Reddit thread gets pretty wild regarding what patients have brought into the E.R. Other things include a half raw eaten chicken, a suitcase full of French toast, and Christmas lights to decorate.

Check out the complete thread here.

Superstitions are beliefs in supernatural forces and the idea that we can influence unpredictable events. Some people hold onto these beliefs, even when they don't make logical sense. According to Manchester Metropolitan University, psychologists have studied superstitions and found that people often believe actions or objects can influence outcomes, even when there's no logical reason to think so.

They say that superstitions come from our desire to find patterns and meaning in the world. For example, when we knock on wood to avoid bad luck, we're making a connection between our actions and unrelated events. Superstitions also provide comfort and a sense of control in uncertain or stressful situations. They act like mental crutches, helping people feel more secure when life is unpredictable.

Superstitions continue to exist because they fulfill our basic human needs and behaviors, according to Newswise, a research news website. Even though they might not make sense scientifically, superstitions remain a powerful force in human behavior, showing how our beliefs and thoughts shape our actions in our quest to make sense of the mysterious world around us.

Some common superstitions can be found in many cultures. For instance, knocking on wood is thought to bring good luck or prevent bad luck. People avoid walking under ladders because it's considered unlucky. In some cultures, the number 13 is seen as unlucky, leading to the avoidance of the 13th floor. Some buildings don't have a 13th floor; they simply label the 13th floor as the 14th floor. On the other hand, some superstitions are believed to bring good fortune, like finding a four-leaf clover or carrying a horseshoe. Another common superstition involves tossing a bit of salt over your shoulder to ward off bad luck.

Interestingly, some people took to Reddit to share their unusual superstitions. Check out a few of them below.

Someone on Reddit shared this quirky belief that putting shoes on furniture is a surefire way to invite bad luck. They added, "I’m sure it started as a thing parents told their children to avoid getting the furniture dirty, but I’m still afraid to do it, just in case." But really, who would even think of putting their shoes, which have been all over town, on any piece of furniture?

Someone with a performing arts background jumped into the conversation and said they have this thing about not congratulating anyone on their performance or achievements until it's all done. They explained, "Saying 'congratulations on your big show' the day before the show opens is basically asking for like, a lighting fixture to fall on stage and kill a performer or something." They even added that saying a simple "good luck" can feel a bit iffy.

Someone mentioned that if you trim your fingernails on a Sunday, you might somehow end up turning into a thief. We're not exactly sure how this superstition got started, but there's definitely at least one person out there who's sticking to it.

Some people shared their very specific routines. One person chimed in, saying, "If my right hand itches, I must rub it on wood; scratching it with my hand will signal bad luck and I'll lose money soon." They added that they heard this old wives' tale as a kid and never really bothered to question it.

Someone in the thread shared a funeral-related superstition. They said, "When you visit a funeral, don't go home directly, go somewhere else before heading home so that the soul of that dead person won't follow you home." they wrote. They also mentioned that if you get sick after attending a funeral, it's seen as a sign that the spirit of the departed has made contact with you.