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Woman Dies Of Meningitis After Tongue Piercing (WCVB)

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eppur_se_muova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-21-07 09:20 PM
Original message
Woman Dies Of Meningitis After Tongue Piercing (WCVB)
BOSTON -- A young Scituate woman has died of meningitis after getting an infection from a tongue piercing.

Kate Donovan, 20, went to the hospital after her tongue started to get infected from the piercing. She died on Monday, according to family friends.

Donovan was an employee at Jamie's Pub in Scituate.

Bacterial infections, including meningitis, can be a complication from tongue piercing, according to the Web site WebMD.com.

Meningitis is an infection of the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms of meningitis may appear suddenly and include: fever, severe and constant headache, stiff neck or neck pain, nausea and vomiting and rash.
***
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/14663192/detail.html
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Ecumenist Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-21-07 09:30 PM
Response to Original message
1. Wow, just wow. How many more have to get horrific infections
and chance being permanently scarred or at worst, die from an infection before people realise that piercing AND tatoos aren't something to get at any joint that hangs out a shingle, especially something as close to the brain and spinal cord as the tongue.
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Chovexani Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-27-07 03:43 PM
Response to Reply #1
10. Exactly.
Contrary to what the pearl clutchers below are saying, piercing is not the problem, it's the dives with unsanitary conditions and practices that are the problem.

The lesson that so many people don't seem to learn is to never get any kind of body mod done without doing extensive research and getting recommendations. Never frequent a piercer who uses guns--sterilized needles are the only way to go.
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VP505 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-21-07 09:53 PM
Response to Original message
2. Something really important
and seldom mentioned when talking about tongue piercing. Should something go wrong with your piercing and your tongue gets damaged, you could loose your ability to talk, its really important to carefully choose where and who does your piercing.
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eppur_se_muova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-22-07 07:39 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. Obvious solution: have the good sense not to vandalize your own body. nt
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Synnical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-28-07 10:21 PM
Response to Reply #4
16. Body Mod is self expression
Sorry you don't understand.
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Deja Q Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-30-07 08:42 PM
Response to Reply #16
20. There are plenty of forms of self-expression less dangerous and far less barbaric.
Edited on Fri Nov-30-07 08:42 PM by HypnoToad
The intellectual forms are typically far less dangerous than adding more holes into one's own body.
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Synnical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-30-07 09:00 PM
Response to Reply #20
25. I somewhat agree, but do you think
Edited on Fri Nov-30-07 09:12 PM by Synnical
you're going to change someone's mind by being "intellectual"? In the "western" world body piercing is simply a piece of jewelry, it can be removed. So long as the piercing/mod is done under clean circumstances and the person having it done understands that maintenance is necessary, it should all be good.

Adding holes to ones body is still a ritual rite in many countries. Again, so sorry this does not fit into your world view.

Edit: How many "holes" are acceptable to you?
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NorthernSpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-22-07 02:28 AM
Response to Original message
3. infections, chipped teeth...
The jewellery isn't even visible unless you walk around with your mouth open. Gawd, why do it?


Meningitis... Poor girl.

:(

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Deja Q Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-30-07 08:40 PM
Response to Reply #3
19. An elective operation, in turn used to increase sensations for another elective sort of activity...
:hide:
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Mutineer Donating Member (659 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-22-07 09:43 PM
Response to Original message
5. People think that this stuff makes them look hip or cool
or whatever the phrase is these days. But who can see it if you're in a coffin in the grave becasue of it?
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lilme33 Donating Member (1 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-27-07 03:08 PM
Response to Reply #5
6. WOW.
Your kidding right? You must be the most ignorant jerk I have
ever heard of. I am a dear friend of Kate’s and have been
since we were young. Maybe you would have the right to say
something (not like this though) if you knew the case. BUT
OBVIOUSLY YOU OR ANYONE ON THIS PAGE DOESNT. It was thought
the meningitis was caused by the piercing. IT WAS NOT
DEFINATE. The media changed everything around it was never
concluded how she got it. Your remark is disgusting and you
should be ashamed of yourself. Most of you should be ashamed
of your remarks. But this one is disgusting. Where do you get
off having the right to say that? Kate didn't do it because
she thought it looked hip or cool you guys are ignorant fools.
She did it because she liked them she has wanted it for a
while. She did it for herself no one else. This was Kate’s
first body piercing other than her ears. Kate wasn't into
trends she was too busy working her butt off to care about
that stuff. IF and I say IF the meningitis was caused because
of the tong ring it was a very rare case. It stinks it had to
be Kate if it was caused by this but it hardly ever happens.
She didn't take care of it the proper way so that made it
infected. However, bodies reject foreign objects differently
for everyone. Just like how people can’t wear certain types of
jewelry. If Kate had a chance to start over she probably would
do it again. However, how dare you say the coffin remark. I
hope for your sake you aren’t an adult because the example you
are setting absurd. If you are grow up and get over yourself.
Do you even realize who you are hurting by your ridiculous
remark? It would be more understanding if you knew what you
were talking about but obviously you don’t because it wasn’t
proven to be caused by that. You are probably a miserable
lonely person. Do us a favor go get a life and get a
conscience. Kate’s a beautiful girl always there for anyone
and I am here for her. Don’t speak about people when they
aren’t here to defend themselves. Reread your comment… a few
times if you have to. Think about what you said. Think about
if from my perspective as a longtime friend. Or maybe from her
parents perspective if they saw this how would you feel? If
you are a parent you disgust me.  What if this was your child
would you like people saying stuff like that. I don’t think so
and if you think it was deserved your children should be taken
away. We’re going through enough we don’t need your ignorance.
You are just creating drama for yourself. Thank you for being
an example that there are still sick people in this world.  
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canadianbeaver Donating Member (929 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-27-07 03:22 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. So sorry for the loss of your friend.......and really sorry....
that you had to come on this site and defend her....its obvious that some don't have any compasion for others grief. Bravo to you for standing up for Kate.

May Kate rest in peace.
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Synnical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-27-07 10:11 PM
Response to Reply #6
14. Welcome to DU
Thanks for your post. Saddened for your loss.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale
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God23 Donating Member (200 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-30-07 08:52 PM
Response to Reply #6
24. Well said.
And that's from a father who has grimaced when his own daughter showed up with a tongue piercing.

I am very sorry for your loss and want to thank you for reminding us that the web really isn't as anonymous as we would sometimes like to believe.
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HiFructosePronSyrup Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-27-07 03:41 PM
Response to Reply #5
9. Meningitis is God's cure for piercings?
What?
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Chovexani Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-27-07 03:44 PM
Response to Reply #9
11. Apparently.
The DU Pearl Clutching Brigade pisses me off. :puke:
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HiFructosePronSyrup Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-27-07 03:46 PM
Response to Reply #11
12. Pearl Clutching Brigade!
:spray:

First suggestive dancing among teenagers, now piercings.

:rofl:
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Chovexani Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-27-07 03:47 PM
Response to Reply #12
13. Enough of this willy nilly!
It could lead to shenanigans!
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Deja Q Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-30-07 08:45 PM
Response to Reply #9
22. It's a possible result of improper sterilization procedures.
With the rise of anti-bacterial resistant bacteria, amongst other factors (I wonder if she ever brushed her teeth?), proposing to poke more holes into one's body is a truly asinine thing to do.
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HiFructosePronSyrup Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-30-07 08:47 PM
Response to Reply #22
23. Being paranoid over germs is a truly asinine thing to be.
Especially when applying a freak, one off event to something millions of people do safely every year.
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Deja Q Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-30-07 08:43 PM
Response to Reply #5
21. That's cool.
I imagine the ambient temperature would make it cool some ten feet underground; even on a summer's day...
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Synnical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-27-07 03:37 PM
Response to Original message
8. Nothing I could find on WebMD mentions meningitis
as a potential complication from tongue piercing. Nothing on the ADA fact sheet mentions this either. Infections yes, meningitis, no.

http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/jada/patient/patient_04.pdf

I had my tongue pierced, no complications. I removed it a few years ago.
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Sen. Walter Sobchak Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-27-07 10:23 PM
Response to Original message
15. maybe I am just strange...
but I can't think of anything LESS sexy than a tongue piercing, the whole idea is just a major turn-off for me.
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Synnical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-30-07 09:01 PM
Response to Reply #15
26. Okay, I will say it
Ever had a BJ from someone who has a tongue piercing?
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uppityperson Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-28-07 10:36 PM
Response to Original message
17. May not be related. My condolences to her family and friends.
"Bacterial infections and meningitis can be a complication from tongue piercing, according to the Web site WebMD.com." WTF? I can't find anything on that website stating this (just researched it). Most meningitis is viral, though there is bacterial. It is possible that it was not related, or could be. My condolences to her friends and family.
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Synnical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-30-07 08:39 PM
Response to Reply #17
18. Yup, I did the same thing - see above
Seems to be another tale of bad corporate reporting and another Urban Legend in the making.
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