Foreign object cases come 'in batches'
Lucy noted that rectal foreign body cases often arrive in clusters, with multiple presenting in close succession for reasons she cannot explain.
Snapshot · Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Armchair Anonymous: Foreign Object in Butt III
Explore episode
Jun 26, 2026
Where this was said
Lucy the ER Nurse: The 80-Year-Old Widower and the Wooden Banister
At 34:29 · chapter starts 33:20
Lucy sets the scene: a big-city trauma center in 2021, an EMS call for an 80-year-old with stable vitals and abdominal pain — a thoroughly routine presentation. The medic pulls Lucy aside to share two things: the patient had confessed en route that he'd inserted something rectally two days earlier, and his wife had recently died. Lucy immediately reads the room and focuses on compassion over curiosity, assuring the stoic elderly man that they'll get it out. He declines pain medication. The ER doctor finds the object on the first attempt but can't get a grip due to suction and slipperiness; the patient simply says 'just do it' as the doctor attempts a second time, going fully elbow-deep. [1] — Lucy "An 80-year-old man whose wife had recently died waited two days before calling an ambulance about a large wooden banister piece in his rect…" 34:25 Moments later there's a pop, and the doctor is holding what Lucy describes as a 6-by-8-inch piece of wooden banister, roughly bishop-shaped, covered in blood and stool, and not perfectly sanded. The doctor bags it and walks out. An hour later, security calls: the nephew is here. Lucy races to the room, positions herself between the door and the specimen bag, tells the nephew she has 'absolutely no idea' what's causing the pain, and slides out while dropping the evidence in the trash. [2] — Lucy "After the extraction, Lucy left the wooden object in a specimen bag on the counter. Minutes later, the patient's unsuspecting nephew arrive…" 41:50 George's dignity survives intact.
20–30 foreign body cases in 12 years
Lucy the ER nurse estimated she has seen between 20 and 30 rectal foreign body cases in her 12-year career.
The 80-Year-Old Widower and the Wooden Banister
An 80-year-old man whose wife had recently died waited two days before calling an ambulance about a large wooden banister piece in his rectum. The ER doctor went elbow-deep to remove it. The object was unsanded and bloodied, roughly the shape of a chess bishop — but enormous.
2 days before seeking help
The 80-year-old widower waited approximately two days after inserting the object before calling 911, likely hoping it would resolve on its own.
Doctor elbow-deep during removal
The ER doctor had to go fully elbow-deep to retrieve the wooden banister piece from the 80-year-old patient after failing on the first attempt.
6"×8" wooden banister piece
Lucy's 80-year-old patient had inserted a piece of wooden banister described as 6 inches wide and 8 inches long into his rectum.
Similar snapshots
More than 3 in 4 Americans report anxiety or depression
Mental health challenges are nearly universal — BetterHelp's own research found the majority of Americans experiencing symptoms right now.
Medicaid 5-year look-back rule
When applying for Medicaid to cover nursing home costs, there is a 5-year look-back period that can disqualify applicants who gave away or spent down assets.
Pipe broke → hydrogen sulfide studio air
A broken pipe filled the Bad Friends studio with what the hosts identified as hydrogen sulfide — microscopic fecal aeroparticles — that the crew denied smelling.
Robot surgery: 10x less blood loss
Fei-Fei Li's father's liver surgery performed by a da Vinci robot resulted in 10 times less blood loss than a typical open liver surgery, thanks to laparoscopic precision.
115M US adults have prediabetes
Approximately 115 million adults in the US currently have prediabetes, most of whom are unaware, according to the Lingo sponsor segment.
Drug overdose deaths: 110K to 80K to 70K
Drug overdose deaths in the US fell from 110,000 to 80,000 in 2024, and then to roughly 70,000 — the largest single-year drop the CDC has ever recorded.
Men's overdose rate fell 27% in one year
Men's overdose death rate fell 27% in a single year, outpacing the 23% drop for women.
Ages 15–24 overdose deaths down 37%
The steepest decline in overdose deaths was among 15–24-year-olds, whose rate fell 37%.
Nurses walk miles per shift fetching items
Fei-Fei Li observed that on a given hospital shift, nurses walk miles just to fetch medicine and supplies, illustrating a clear use case for assistive robotics in healthcare.
