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What's the worst thing you've ever smelled? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago by Crudman@lemm.ee to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

170 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I dunno whether to mark this NSFW or not but do your worst.

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[–] Sendpicsofsandwiches@sh.itjust.works 76 points 1 year ago (6 children)

I often have patients who are uncontrolled diabetics. Their feet essentially rot off of their body if it gets bad enough (diabetes destroys blood circulation, and the feet usually get it first because they have the least blood flow), and the smell is something that text cannot describe. They are also essentially always infected, so leaking pus adds to the multisensory experience.

[–] Erk@cdda.social 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Huh, I see a lot of horrifying diabetic foot wounds, and I've honestly been surprised by how relatively odourless they are compared to more acute abscessing wounds.

My set point might just be off. My patient population is, uh, pungent at the best of times... Most of them are homeless or close to, and hygeine is just not something they can prioritize.

[–] ristedeloegne@feddit.dk 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I agree, the diabetic foot ulcers are fairly tame until wet necrosis sets in.

Cancer wounds are worse in my experience. The little old ladies who don’t go to the doctor until their breast looks like burnt bloody cauliflower and have been bandaging with toilet tissue or old tea towels for ages so you have to fish around in old macerated tissue to get all the threads and clumps out.

[–] Erk@cdda.social 2 points 1 year ago

Yeah I'll second that one. A fungating tumour almost made me throw up once, I don't normally react to smells at all

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