Regarding medical staples

You usually have the option of getting anesthetic. My advice is to take it if you're getting more than, say, 5 staples. Otherwise, skip it, because the needle hurts more than a staple or two. With lots of staples, though, it gets worse as you go. At least the needle is quick. In other words, pain(1 needle) = pain(5 staples). Optimize accordingly.

The doctor seemed to think it was very important to remind me that I should come to the office to have the staples removed, and that there was no fee for this service. I guess he thought I was indigent. I did dress kind of like a bum, which was partly due to the early hour, and partly because I was dripping blood.

The doctor said, "you really opened yourself up." I'm always a little gratified when I hear something like that. I need medical professionals to tell me I'm not being a wuss and wasting everyone's time with a tiny scratch.