Interview question
Doctor Wilson, whose nick name of pancake_master is so amusing, had the most intriguing entry in his journal the other day. I believe you call it a ‘meme.’ It had to do with interviewing another person, asking them any five questions you desired. The idea appealed to me and I asked if he wouldn’t mind asking me five question. He consented, and came up with the most thought compelling questions. Both question and answer are listed below.
If there is anything else anyone would like to know, please ask.
01. Even when it's for med school and even when they end up working with them closely, a lot of people have pretty interesting and often negative reactions the first time they see a dead body. What was your reaction?
I was nauseous, that first time. Oh, it was so long ago- half a century ago if one chooses to look at it that way. I don’t think I will. My professor was a firm believer in ‘throw people in the deep end to see if they can swim’ method of teaching, and so my first viewing of a body began with a scalpel in my hand and the instruction to perform a Y incision.
I was afraid my hand would shake, and so I started talking to the dead man. I learned his name form the tag on his toe and asked him how he died, observed the physical features of his body, and even spoke of the weather, I believe. And somehow that made me calmer, and I got through the whole procedure without a problem. My professor said it was one of the best first time autopsies he had ever seen. I should have known then that I was destined to become a Medical Examiner.
Now the first time I had to look a person in the eye and tell them they were dying I threw up in my waste paper basket the moment they left the room.
02. As a medic in the military, did you find that the urgency made it harder or easier to deal with the incoming death and traumatic injury?
Dealing with death is never easy, of course. But yes, in some ways the urgency helped, at least when I was on duty. Moving from patient to patient there was very little time to think. It was almost like being on automatic pilot, simply doing what needed to be done. The hard part came when work was over and the hands were no longer busy. Then there was nothing to stop you from thinking about the wounds and death, to question the decisions made under duress.
We drank a lot during our off hours. We also did everything we could to come up with entertainments to distract ourselves.
03. What was your closest personal brush with death?
I can answer that almost to the second. I was about two and a half minutes from death once. Duct tape on my mouth, tied to an embalming table, with a catheter inserted directly into my carotid artery. I could almost feel the blood flowing out, and the smell of copper was so strong.
Fortunately for my continued existence Jethro, Tony and Caitlin arrived in time and once my hands were free I was able to stop the bleeding until we could get to the hospital. I was so very pleased not to wind up on my own autopsy table. I do wish the same could be said for Grant, Judge Davis, Foss and Cesaretti.
04. Is or was there ever a Mrs. Ducky?
The only Mrs. in my family is Mother, who I live with. I know that sound odd for a man of almost seventy to say, but the poor dear suffers from dementia and needs such a lot of looking after.
I’ve dated my share of people, but there never was anyone I felt serious enough about to propose. For the most part I am content, but I do wish I had had the opportunity to be a father. But then again young Mr. Palmer certainly acts enough like a child sometimes...
05. Has anyone ever told you that you look kind of like that one guy from The Man from U.N.C.L.E.? My mom used to love him and always said he was my dad's only competition. Hah.
I have heard that for forty years. My friend Jethro likes to tease me about it. Back when the show was on the air I actually had to run from mobs of fans who were convinced that I was David McCallum. Once I stayed and tried to convince them that I was a doctor, not an actor. My shirt ended up being torn in little pieces. It was a nice shirt, too.
If there is anything else anyone would like to know, please ask.
01. Even when it's for med school and even when they end up working with them closely, a lot of people have pretty interesting and often negative reactions the first time they see a dead body. What was your reaction?
I was nauseous, that first time. Oh, it was so long ago- half a century ago if one chooses to look at it that way. I don’t think I will. My professor was a firm believer in ‘throw people in the deep end to see if they can swim’ method of teaching, and so my first viewing of a body began with a scalpel in my hand and the instruction to perform a Y incision.
I was afraid my hand would shake, and so I started talking to the dead man. I learned his name form the tag on his toe and asked him how he died, observed the physical features of his body, and even spoke of the weather, I believe. And somehow that made me calmer, and I got through the whole procedure without a problem. My professor said it was one of the best first time autopsies he had ever seen. I should have known then that I was destined to become a Medical Examiner.
Now the first time I had to look a person in the eye and tell them they were dying I threw up in my waste paper basket the moment they left the room.
02. As a medic in the military, did you find that the urgency made it harder or easier to deal with the incoming death and traumatic injury?
Dealing with death is never easy, of course. But yes, in some ways the urgency helped, at least when I was on duty. Moving from patient to patient there was very little time to think. It was almost like being on automatic pilot, simply doing what needed to be done. The hard part came when work was over and the hands were no longer busy. Then there was nothing to stop you from thinking about the wounds and death, to question the decisions made under duress.
We drank a lot during our off hours. We also did everything we could to come up with entertainments to distract ourselves.
03. What was your closest personal brush with death?
I can answer that almost to the second. I was about two and a half minutes from death once. Duct tape on my mouth, tied to an embalming table, with a catheter inserted directly into my carotid artery. I could almost feel the blood flowing out, and the smell of copper was so strong.
Fortunately for my continued existence Jethro, Tony and Caitlin arrived in time and once my hands were free I was able to stop the bleeding until we could get to the hospital. I was so very pleased not to wind up on my own autopsy table. I do wish the same could be said for Grant, Judge Davis, Foss and Cesaretti.
04. Is or was there ever a Mrs. Ducky?
The only Mrs. in my family is Mother, who I live with. I know that sound odd for a man of almost seventy to say, but the poor dear suffers from dementia and needs such a lot of looking after.
I’ve dated my share of people, but there never was anyone I felt serious enough about to propose. For the most part I am content, but I do wish I had had the opportunity to be a father. But then again young Mr. Palmer certainly acts enough like a child sometimes...
05. Has anyone ever told you that you look kind of like that one guy from The Man from U.N.C.L.E.? My mom used to love him and always said he was my dad's only competition. Hah.
I have heard that for forty years. My friend Jethro likes to tease me about it. Back when the show was on the air I actually had to run from mobs of fans who were convinced that I was David McCallum. Once I stayed and tried to convince them that I was a doctor, not an actor. My shirt ended up being torn in little pieces. It was a nice shirt, too.