I've created this post just to see which sex is the best at fighting pain and also which is the most scared of having surgery... Should be fun!
Personally, i'm rubbish at fighting pain and (so i'm told) whinge about the slightest pain, for instance, if I get a headache it's a brain tumour, laughable I know but generally I think that most of us guys (if we're honest) are pretty much the same when it comes to fighting pain, we just can't cope LOL..
Now for the surgery aspect, haha, even typing this out, the very thought of a medical procedure now matter how insignificant scares the crap out of me, I know previously i've stated that I want LIS and wasn't scared, but seriously, I'M WORRIED!! It's the pain and constant nag that's pushing me toward LIS but doesn't mean I aint scared, now on the other hand my wife is going in hospital today (funnily enough) for an operation to cure her carpal tunnel syndrome and yes you guessed it.... She aint bothered!! she's even having the op done awake, now that scares me... So saying that, my opinion is that women are definitely the best at fighting pain and have less fear over medical procedures than us men...

Steve,
I think it is an individual thing! My husband can take a lot of pain (like your wife), but I can stand hardly any! BTW a former co-worker of mine had carpal tunnel surgery while awake! Your wife will be numbed in the right places, I'm sure. But to my credit I had blepheraplasty on my eyes while awake. It was a little scary when I felt the doc stitching up my right eye!! :roll:

Yes , it is individual , but looking in general terms and % vise - I think that girls are better of dealing with pain .
I remember vividly mass school vaccination events (yes, we had them in my ex-country). Vaccination was mandatory for all kids and it was organized at schools - parents never present to sign anything LMAO !
Now - the worst "screamers" were ALWAYS boys LMAO - sometimes 2 nurses needed to hold one just to get a little prick on the skin LMAO
I also had a friend who worked at the Army recruiting center and told me that there were at least 2 males a day who faint during a blood-draw LMAO !
So yeap ... I think in general man are more scared of "procedures".
Luckily, my hubby is not : )))

LOL it's funny you should mention the fainting while taking bloods, i've fainted a few times, I recall one time during my blood test being woken up by a nurse with a cup of water, she asked if I was ok, I replied erm... NO, I have a deep fear of needles, if I have to have bloods done these days, I have to close my eyes, if I see that needle then panic sets in...

Steve,
How did your wife do with the carpal tunnel surgery today? I've had it on both wrists!!

Saw something recently that stated that men tend to have less of the disease and pain fighting thingys than women via some evolutionary thing. Man flu is a standing joke in the UK, Cheryl reckons it is not so well known in the US. Apparently statistically more little boys are lost in childbirth and as babies than girls as well due to our weakness in that department.

Hi cheryl, my wife is doing well, she doesn't have a lot of post-op pain either, i'm attaching a picture for you..

Interesting pic, Steve. Looks like she had a vertical incision, and I had a horizontal incision(s) where are really not noticeable at all as they blend in with the natural line there! I wish her well with her healing. Did she do a lot of typing like I did?? I am assuming it is her right hand?? I'll have more to say about BELIEF in a surgeon later!!

Yes cheryl it's her right hand, she didn't do a lot of typing but a lot of repetitive work with her hands, she also has pain in her left hand so it's looking like carpal tunnel in that one as well, her condition was very advanced when it came to surgery, the actual surgeon wasn't happy that it had progressed that far without intervention, hence the big cut we think

Yes, you might be right about that!! (the big cut) I think mine was smaller, but it was in 2002 for me--both times!!