Joke: ANs don't seem to come in inches!

[calimama]

a little joke from Toronto Canada here...(humor helps right?!  )

When i first came to this site i found it kind of curious to find all of you Americans talking in mm's and cm's.
I was thinking/laughing to myself about this... here is my little joke... (no offence really 

doctor:   "I am sorry to tell this, but your MRI shows you have 2.2 x 1.8 centimeter acoustic neuroma".
american patient: "what's a centimeter?"

hee hee...

[Syl]

Thanks for the joke
It's important to keep our humor.

Syl

[Debbi]

That's actually very funny!  And, you are right - how completely ironic that all we Americans are so comfortable measuring our tumors (of all things!) with metrics?

Thanks for the laugh!

Debbi (hyper-aware of metrics in NJ)

[Jim Scott]

Calimama:

Thanks for the humor.   

Although most Americans are not really comfortable with the metric system the medical profession uses it for almost everything, so we've learned to adapt.  Still, I had to Goggle up a metric-to-inches conversion chart when I found out what size my AN was.  I was not comforted to learn that it was almost 2 inches, although that sounded a bit better than 4.5 centimeters.  I still prefer the U.S.measuring  system although I can deal with the metric, when necessary. 

Jim

[ppearl214]

*raises hand*

Guilty!

[Tamara]

It is my belief that in the US, we have developed an intrinsic idea of the English system.  For instance, we all had a ruler in grade school that was 12 inches long.  We understand how comparatively warm it will be by the temperature:  70's is shorts weather, 30's is winter coat.  We've all seen signs saying 1 mile to the exit - so have a feel for the distance.  I work in science, so understand the metrics just fine, but I have to convert it in my head to really understand.  I think the only thing Americans have a deep understanding of is how much 2 liters is...

Calimama -
  I'm going to be in Toronto this Sunday, have from about 2:30 - midnight.  What would you suggest for an evening?  Any clubs or restaurants you'd recommend?  A friend will be driving up from Rochester to hang out with me, and we'll be looking for something interesting (and child-free!) to do.  PM me if you get a chance.

Tamara

[lori67]

I think your joke is perfect!  Right on target!  The whole metric system is just one of those things they tried to teach me in school - but it never did sink in.

However, I not only know how much 2 liters is - I know how long a 5K race is...more or less....

They even tried to make me learn it again in nursing school.  No luck then either.  I guess I just won't be doing math outside of the US.

Lori

[calimama]

GOTCHA!!!!

ha ha!

actually, i remember learning metric in school... i THINK that it was "introduced" when i was like 7 or 8 (i have no idea). I kind of remember having a hard with it too... weird cuz it's supposed to be easier. Anyway, i am kind of bilingual... i am comfortable with KMs and Miles (i actually ran the NYC marathon in 2002 so i trained in min/miles). I do cups, feet, pounds (i lived in Australia many years ago and had a hard time adapting to weighing myself in Kilos... but once i got used it i was fine). I can only do warmer temps in F. (like 70 and up).

I only know my height in feet and weight in pounds. GUILTY! 

[leapyrtwins]

I am totally clueless when it comes to the metric system.

I remember having to learn it as a child because we were told that the U.S. was going to be following the lead of other countries and make the switch.

That was about 35+ years ago, and as I told my children's math teacher just a few months ago (when neither of them could make heads or tails out of the metric system), I'm still putting gallons of gas into my car - not liters!  I don't think I'll ever understand it 

Jan
 

[LADavid]

Good one Calimama.  And so true.  As a former sprinter, I know what a 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters are.  But I have absolutely no idea what 1 1/2 centimeters is beside -- gone.

[Brendalu]

Guilty..............I asked my doctors how many inches that was and they looked at me like I was nuts.  They may understand the metric system , but I don't and I wanted to know.  One smart one said, "Go home and figure it out!"
Brenda

[ppearl214]

had to ask my bloke (very well versed on metric, being the Brit that he is) what was the equivelent of mm to the inch...... I felt so stoopid! 

[AJ]

   another guility party here!  One of my very first posts, I remember stating my AN was about an inch long, but I didn't know the cm size but said I would definitely find out because everyone on this board posted their AN sizes in cm.  Hahaha, too funny!

[leapyrtwins]

I hate to point this out, but apparently things are only going to get more confusing.

I received my WTT application from the ANA last weekend and it said that I should be aware that now docs are using mms instead of cms when diagnosing ANs 

Guess I'll have to find one of those websites that has a conversion table.

[lori67]

Uh, I don't remember the docs checking with us on that change.

I say we veto the idea.

Lori