Medical Conversations

Why do some people feel that it's an appropriate and interesting topic of conversation to discuss all the medical problems that they have or that other people have? As I was having supper with my family and grandparents tonight, I was rather disgusted by the fact that half the night's conversation revolved around health issues. So-and-so had their spleen removed, avian flu this and that, this operation and that operation, the state of our hospitals, etc. I really don't understand it. I don't really want to hear what your sister's great nephew's problems are and what are being done to fix it. I don't want to hear about all these operations, deformities, and freak-of-nature problems that people have while I'm eating supper. Since when did this become a conversation topic for a group to participate in?

Even worse is when you're dealing with old people, who have nothing BUT health problems. It almost becomes a sort of competition. "I take more pills each day than you do." "I've been in the hospital more times." "All the other members of my family and their offspring are dead." "My sister has vaginal cancer." Ok ok. I'll concede it. You win the prize. When I get old, to be different, I'll only talk about hookers, beer, and shotguns.