Wednesday, March 28, 2007

What the Hell is a Caruncle?

Apparently, it is part of the eye (see the numbered part 5 in the diagram below)...

It also has another definition which I will go into a bit later.

I had a tumor (really looked more like a mole) on my tear duct or, more technically, on the lacrimal caruncle. It had been getting bigger, more fleshy and annoying. So, I went to the eye doctor and had it removed. When the triage nurse called me yesterday, she was reading through what the procedure would entail, and she came to this word, caruncle, and stumbled. Then today, when I was sitting there going through the intake process with the technician and getting apprised of the details of my surgery, I happened to notice the word "caruncle" on my chart. I made a menatl note and came home to google it.

ca·run·cle(k-rngkl, krng-)
n.
1. Biology A fleshy naked outgrowth, such as a fowl's wattles.
2. Botany An outgrowth or appendage at or near the hilum of certain seeds, as of the castor-oil plant.

So, in all seriousness, if you could have seen my mole, you would have agreed, I had a caruncle on my lacrimal caruncle.

Aye Matey!!!

3 comments:

Lorraine said...

Oh my goodness! Surgery! You were getting bored as a full-time working (effectively) single mom moving houses and selling a house and figured you might as well only be able to see out of one eye to make it more interesting?

I hope it doesn't hurt!

Precie said...

Aw, Keeks! Hugs!!! LOL at looking up the definition! I would totally do that! And the caruncle on your caruncle! :)

Liz Mollica said...

Amelia's got a point - your plate not full enough? Hope you're doing well otherwise.