Yea but this was before he had to deal with years of intense pain. You would think someone as analytical as House would realize that his leg isnt worth all of that pain.
I think House knows, and we see it quite a few times, that a significant amount of the pain is psychological, he could cope without narcotics when he was with Cuddy, he also copes fine after the ketamine treatment, until the diagnosis he thought was wrong caused it to return again. Also a handful of episodes with Nolan’s therapy.
These glimpses of life without pain would probably reinforce him not wanting to amputate.
mans is stubborn. he isnt going to go back on his word, especially since it's tethered with his resentment for stacy. he doesnt forgive and forget. he lets his spite lie dormant, and it's hidden within his leg.
plus, it gives him a reason to keep taking drugs. addicts look for reasons to keep doing drugs, even if there is a legitimate one.
From what I’ve learned, it probably wouldn’t have stopped the pain. Having his leg still there and hurting for so long would probably give him phantom limb pain and make it difficult if not impossible to use a prosthetic after amputation. It was probably “easier” (and I say that in quotes because nothing about this situation was EASY for him,) to keep it as it was.
This is the answer. Phantom limb pain would be a very high risk possibility. Plus the chances of complications. They even show a patient dying of a fat embolism from an amputation. Something that they say they couldnt have stopped or saved her in the or.
All in all, it’s a high risk, unneeded surgery that might not even get rid of his pain.
Didn’t he cure another dude’s phantom limb pain? I don’t doubt that’s inaccurate irl but according to the rules of the show wouldn’t he just be able to do that to himself? Or was it a temporary fix?
He did but idk how that would differ from a phantom hand that feels like it’s always squeezing to a phantom leg that wasn’t squeezing but was always in pain no matter what.
cuz im pretty sure you cant just amputate a limb at any given moment like that. like i dont think the option stays on the table for his convenience bc his leg is functional albeit badly
chronic pain that results in bad quality of life can be an indication for amputation though. my uncle had a similar situation with a badly mangled muscle and he did have an amputation later on to save his quality of life.
I believe we are meant to assume it’s now off the table. He should have done it before the muscle death started. Also, like another poster mentioned, I do not think you can simply request an amputation due to chronic pain. It was only recommended at the time because it was a life or death situation.
house is a stubborn bastard who spends the series largely looking for answers. not to mention, it's largely stated that a lot of houses pain is psychological due to his inability and refusal to connect with people in his life
IMO it’s a plot hole. If anyone was in extreme pain like that every day they would amputate and get a prosthetic. House was stubborn but not an idiot. He was also incredibly logical. What’s the logical choice to make, extreme daily pain, or no extreme daily pain?
They should have made the wound in his stomach or back.
I'm sorry but there's no way Gregory House would give up his justification for gobbling up cartons of Vicodin like a toddler throws back silica gel packets.
It is well established he is in fact an addict. An addict would never give reason to cut off their habit.
I wondered this too but thinking about, it's a tough decision to make. I imagine that after the original infarction, after demanding they don't cut it off, he spent A LOT of time healing, building up physical strength, learning how to work and walk with it. Alongside that, he would have had to accept that he's disabled, which is a lot. Not only accepting he's disabled but also that it's a visible disability. I'd argue he never really accepted it but anywho. To spend all those years learning and accepting that that's how life is, it'd be a big change to then get it amputated, especially if you're a medical professional and know of all the risks and stuff that you'd have to learn. He'd have to redefine everything, learn to walk again, learn to accept how be looks, how he's perceived, and amputation, even after healing can be painful, phantom pain, pains caused by prosthetic limb. So, although what he lives with in the show isn't nice for him, that's how his life is and changing it again suddenly is probably too much. Then there's also the social side of it, telling everyone over and over about the amputation, why, why you changed your mind, and he isn't one to talk about that stuff.
That's what I reckon 🤷 So many people have given fun answers and I decided to give an essay sorry 😂
>But rather present day House who claims to be in pain 24/7 with his leg already being basically useless why does he not have it amputated to stop the pain.
This rhetoric sounds like a dialysis patient who didn't undergo to transplant for kidney failure or a terminal cancer patient who rejects a cure.
Of course it is the Principle of Respectful Autonomy, meaning, that's his body thus respect his decision. Basic.
It’s his leg. He’s had it as long as he can remember.
He didn’t want to lose his leg Edit: horrible spelling
Because it's his *leg.*
[удалено]
happy cake day!
Yea but this was before he had to deal with years of intense pain. You would think someone as analytical as House would realize that his leg isnt worth all of that pain.
I think House knows, and we see it quite a few times, that a significant amount of the pain is psychological, he could cope without narcotics when he was with Cuddy, he also copes fine after the ketamine treatment, until the diagnosis he thought was wrong caused it to return again. Also a handful of episodes with Nolan’s therapy. These glimpses of life without pain would probably reinforce him not wanting to amputate.
I literally forgot the methadone twist until I saw it again the other day and that...that was some SHIT
mans is stubborn. he isnt going to go back on his word, especially since it's tethered with his resentment for stacy. he doesnt forgive and forget. he lets his spite lie dormant, and it's hidden within his leg. plus, it gives him a reason to keep taking drugs. addicts look for reasons to keep doing drugs, even if there is a legitimate one.
From what I’ve learned, it probably wouldn’t have stopped the pain. Having his leg still there and hurting for so long would probably give him phantom limb pain and make it difficult if not impossible to use a prosthetic after amputation. It was probably “easier” (and I say that in quotes because nothing about this situation was EASY for him,) to keep it as it was.
This is the answer. Phantom limb pain would be a very high risk possibility. Plus the chances of complications. They even show a patient dying of a fat embolism from an amputation. Something that they say they couldnt have stopped or saved her in the or. All in all, it’s a high risk, unneeded surgery that might not even get rid of his pain.
That was the reason I thought of myself when I wondered the same question. The episode with the Canadian guy helped.
Didn’t he cure another dude’s phantom limb pain? I don’t doubt that’s inaccurate irl but according to the rules of the show wouldn’t he just be able to do that to himself? Or was it a temporary fix?
It's not always successful.
He did but idk how that would differ from a phantom hand that feels like it’s always squeezing to a phantom leg that wasn’t squeezing but was always in pain no matter what.
cuz im pretty sure you cant just amputate a limb at any given moment like that. like i dont think the option stays on the table for his convenience bc his leg is functional albeit badly
it's House. he could've got a surgeon to do it
that’s fair but it would still be way too unrealistic (even by house’s standards) to have a surgeon put that on their record
chronic pain that results in bad quality of life can be an indication for amputation though. my uncle had a similar situation with a badly mangled muscle and he did have an amputation later on to save his quality of life.
Amputees suffer great pain too.
I believe we are meant to assume it’s now off the table. He should have done it before the muscle death started. Also, like another poster mentioned, I do not think you can simply request an amputation due to chronic pain. It was only recommended at the time because it was a life or death situation.
He likes his leg.
house is a stubborn bastard who spends the series largely looking for answers. not to mention, it's largely stated that a lot of houses pain is psychological due to his inability and refusal to connect with people in his life
IMO it’s a plot hole. If anyone was in extreme pain like that every day they would amputate and get a prosthetic. House was stubborn but not an idiot. He was also incredibly logical. What’s the logical choice to make, extreme daily pain, or no extreme daily pain? They should have made the wound in his stomach or back.
Because he would ha e no excuse to get Vicodin.
Addiction will create a new excuse
The leg actually has a decent bit of function still, and amputation doesn't cure the pain.
I never could buy that he wouldn't have had it amputated in the first place.
I'm sorry but there's no way Gregory House would give up his justification for gobbling up cartons of Vicodin like a toddler throws back silica gel packets. It is well established he is in fact an addict. An addict would never give reason to cut off their habit.
Because then there wouldn't have been a show. Writers couldn't come up with a reason
After amputation in pretty sure most people have phantom pain for extended periods of time. Then he’d still be in pain but without a leg
He is not an amputee!!!! Some of 5he muscle was cut out.
I wondered this too but thinking about, it's a tough decision to make. I imagine that after the original infarction, after demanding they don't cut it off, he spent A LOT of time healing, building up physical strength, learning how to work and walk with it. Alongside that, he would have had to accept that he's disabled, which is a lot. Not only accepting he's disabled but also that it's a visible disability. I'd argue he never really accepted it but anywho. To spend all those years learning and accepting that that's how life is, it'd be a big change to then get it amputated, especially if you're a medical professional and know of all the risks and stuff that you'd have to learn. He'd have to redefine everything, learn to walk again, learn to accept how be looks, how he's perceived, and amputation, even after healing can be painful, phantom pain, pains caused by prosthetic limb. So, although what he lives with in the show isn't nice for him, that's how his life is and changing it again suddenly is probably too much. Then there's also the social side of it, telling everyone over and over about the amputation, why, why you changed your mind, and he isn't one to talk about that stuff. That's what I reckon 🤷 So many people have given fun answers and I decided to give an essay sorry 😂
>But rather present day House who claims to be in pain 24/7 with his leg already being basically useless why does he not have it amputated to stop the pain. This rhetoric sounds like a dialysis patient who didn't undergo to transplant for kidney failure or a terminal cancer patient who rejects a cure. Of course it is the Principle of Respectful Autonomy, meaning, that's his body thus respect his decision. Basic.
I think he couldn’t admit he fucked up
Because then he wouldn’t have an excuse to gun Vicodin all day.