Today, I got a tattoo of the snake and staff medical symbol on my wrist. Now everyone keeps asking what illness I have; they think it's a medical bracelet substitute. FML
Calaraphea tells us more.
Calaraphea 16
OP here. I didn't expect it to be noted as a medical bracelet substitute. It's very artsy and colourful; it also has a date underneath so I didn't expect people to think it was due to an illness.
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Fall
Dead leaves, the first cold of the season and an umbrella flipped inside out: fall, the season of grace.
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Top comments
CrookedCook 14
date of being diagnosed
CrookedCook 14
well since the tattoo signifies so much meaning to you, then you'll hopefully have no regrets. it just seems that misconception of others will live you the rest of your life. just something you gotta deal with, but I'm sure the tattoo was worth it in the end.
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Comments (150)
perdix 31
Of course, all of your Facebook friends already know about your Irritable Bowel Syndrome...
chanellgymnast 17
Well, what does it even mean then?
perdix 31
#40, the snake and the staff are the "Rod of Ascelpius" and is the symbol of medicine. In the last century or so, the caduceus (two snakes on a winged staff) has been mistakenly assigned to me that symbol even though in ancient times, it was a symbol of commerce. Given our current system of health care and the financing of it, it may not have been a mistake ;)
ChazzyWazzy1998 10
Why would you get a tattoo of that lol?
Ins0mau 20
O.P later commented in here explaining he was a doctor.
scr_sensei 14
@#48: *She
anitah_fml 5
It's called a CADUCEUS. It was carried by the Greek god Hermes, who was the god of commerce, thieves, travelers, sports, athletes, and border crossings. It's considered a symbol for medicine, though it's really the Rod of Asclepius that's supposed to symbolize this.
Calaraphea 16
And the snake part is revived from the ancient Greek temple of asclepius, the god who sent his snake during the night to heal the sick during ancient times of medicine. :)
TheDrifter 24
Odd factoid, the reason the us army medical corps uses the caduceus (modified) instead of the rod is because it is a sign of protection for travelers, and their primary mission is the protection of traveling soldiers.
kallima_fml 3
Um, wow. I am shocked that the cadeuces has become such an esoteric symbol. In case anyone is wondering, it represents Aesclepius, and is a symbol of healing. I have many friends in healthcare who have one tattooed. Haha. I guess that shows how old I am! I love the idea OP, and sorry that no one got it.
monnanon 14
did you not read through the rest of thr comments where loads of people knew what the symbol was?
Zebediabolical 45
... and knew the Rod of Asclepius is a different symbol altogether?
monnanon 14
at least three people have mrntioned that there are two similar symbols.
icepick23 12
Use it to collect donations from strangers?
mdcdeve 10
It's clear what you're suffering from, schizophrenia naturally .. Your alter ego must be a snake charmer.
Onewhosinz 8
I have the rod of asclepius on my arm. I tetered back and forth between that and caduceus and went with the former because it looked less "medical". I got it to represent the healing a former co-worker/friend/therapist did for me before passing away from breast cancer. She was as Greek as Greek could be, healed me and helped me to grow (there are flowers grown and blooming all around the rod). The only questions I get about mine are "what does it mean" but it could be because it's very colorful and hard to tell what the true symbol is. I love it. Disregard what others say. It's the burden we as people with tattoos carry... idiots who don't understand and jump to conclusions. If you're interested.... ask. Don't touch. Most of us are very happy to explain :)
TipTopCaduceus 11
The caduceus is an extremely ancient symbol that was used in Egypt and India as well as by the Romans and Greeks in association with Hermes/Mercury. It consequently has a variety of meanings, one of them being the traveler/Hermes connection that some have already mentioned. Another of its meanings is as a symbol of higher learning - the staff represents power, the wings diligence and hard work, and the snakes wisdom. So basically it translates to 'power through the pursuit of wisdom/knowledge.' I'm a big fan of that message, so I have a large caduceus tattooed across my entire upper back.
worldclassrager 41
Turn the tattoo into a block of things or sleeve...then it would just be less of a problem...sorry but YDI...