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This reminds me of Leonid Rogozov performing a self appendectomy in Antarctica in 1961. If I recall correctly there are requirements now that any doctor who winters over must have had theirs removed. More information, including photos - http://www.southpolestation.com/trivia/igy1/appendix.html

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That's unreal. I had appendicitis when I was 35. You know how doctors ask you to rate your pain level from 1-10? That experience reset the scale entirely for me. I suffered on the floor of an Army hospital ER waiting room for 8 hours before they brought me back. They quickly realized what was wrong with me and gave me morphine and I've never felt anything so blissful. Looking at that doc's pics from your link just blows my mind. I can't even imagine what that must have been like. Maybe he had lots of morphine on hand.

The article states, "The operation was carried out under local anesthesia." Without one, pain will make any hand movement near to impossible!

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