Catheter News Network
Sure, you’re thinking one catheter story a week is more than enough, but the Minneapolis Star Tribune is apparently immune from the financial troubles plaguing newspapers across the country, and assigned a reporter to find the guy who provided a catheter to 81-year-old marathoner Jerry Johncock. He tracked down retired paramedic Rob Youcha.
“I told him I had an extra, [and] he gratefully accepted,” said Youcha, who retrieved the device from his vehicle nearby. “He hopped into the back of a parked ambulance and exited with a really big smile.”
You don’t read too many heartwarming stories about bladder relief these days, but evidently some Star Tribune readers think enough is enough. Here are a few comments about the story from the newspaper’s web page:
Why all the attention to this story?
posted by RBHolb on Oct. 12, 09 at 11:40 AMUn-pee-lievable! 81 years old and running a marathon!
posted by almontco on Oct. 12, 09 at 11:43 AMMan Had To P…End OF Story.
Is somebody really trying to find a hero with this story?
posted by bkd001 on Oct. 12, 09 at 2:33 PMI cannot believe this is still a headline. Enough already!!
posted by aanen1 on Oct. 12, 09 at 5:49 PMThis is a New Low
in ‘human interest’ stories from the Strib. Totally ridiculous. And to make it worse, they KEEP RECYCLING this story!
posted by minn12 on Oct. 12, 09 at 8:18 PMSlow death
Has the strib beat this story to death yet? Am I the only one who’s noticed that since the strib came out of bankruptcy the news stories have been allowed to hang around a bit longer then before?
posted by killermebe on Oct. 12, 09 at 8:47 PM4 times in a week.
I mean really. This is the 4th time in a week that you’ve recycled this. once on the 8th, two stories on the 9th and one today.
posted by killermebe on Oct. 12, 09 at 8:56 PM
And yes, I could have headlined this, “Newspaper and Readers Get Into Pissing Contest.”
Categories: Outpost of the Odd Tags: catheter, Jerry Johncock, Rob Youcha, Twin Cities Marathon
Brother, Can You Spare a Catheter?
A tip of the hat to crossn81 for letting me know about this story in the comments section of yesterday’s post. Of course, by now the story has been picked up by the Associated Press, featured on Dave Barry’s blog, and appeared on (at last count) 169 news sites. Which just goes to show you, if someone tips you to a bizarre running story, you should try to get it on the Internet tubes as quickly as possible.
Anyway, no matter how many years you live on this earth, it is unlikely you will ever again see a headline that reads:
“Marathoner, 81, wins in his age group after using a borrowed catheter”
If you haven’t seen the story, the short version is that 81-year-old Jerry Johncock (yes, his real name) was suffering from a blood clot in his urethra at about mile 21 of the Twin Cities Marathon. The medical tent didn’t have a catheter, so he borrowed one a helpful bystander had in his car. Johncock finished the race, winning his age group. After further review, race officials decided the borrowed catheter did not constitute “improper assistance.”
There is a lot that could be written about this incident, but I can’t get past asking this one question:
What would be equivalent to the statement, “I have a catheter in my car. You can borrow it.”?
a) “I keep an extra diaphragm in my shoebox. You’re welcome to it.”
b) “These tongue depressors have only been used once.”
c) “I was cleaning out the attic and found an old rectal thermometer. You want it?”
d) “Grandpa passed away last week and he won’t be needing his artificial limb anymore.”
e) “I’ve been saving my shaved back hair for years, if you’d like it for your hair plugs.”
Add your ideas in the comments section.
Categories: Outpost of the Odd Tags: catheter, disqualification
