De Rerum Natura
Being in this instance body parts.
I mentioned to my mother this morning that I had cramps, and might be a bit grouchy until the aspirin kicked in. Me having cramps has always puzzled her, since she claims neither she nor my late aunt ever had them. Fine.
Later this afternoon, she asked me if I "still had a belly ache." ??? "I don't have a belly ache." "You said earlier you did." "I had menstrual cramps." "They're the same thing." "Uh, no. One's your intestines and one's your uterus."
Now, I ask you all: if one is unable to describe a pain any more accurately than "a belly ache", how do you know if you've ever had menstrual cramps or not? (I'm talking here about the sort of pain for which aspirin is sufficient, not the sort that requires codeine or stronger drugs- I'd hope that at that level one could tell the difference regardless of how much anatomy one knew)
I mentioned to my mother this morning that I had cramps, and might be a bit grouchy until the aspirin kicked in. Me having cramps has always puzzled her, since she claims neither she nor my late aunt ever had them. Fine.
Later this afternoon, she asked me if I "still had a belly ache." ??? "I don't have a belly ache." "You said earlier you did." "I had menstrual cramps." "They're the same thing." "Uh, no. One's your intestines and one's your uterus."
Now, I ask you all: if one is unable to describe a pain any more accurately than "a belly ache", how do you know if you've ever had menstrual cramps or not? (I'm talking here about the sort of pain for which aspirin is sufficient, not the sort that requires codeine or stronger drugs- I'd hope that at that level one could tell the difference regardless of how much anatomy one knew)