What the hell???

Fairchild

Last week, when visiting my kids across the country, I got terribly sick with something completely unrelated to breast cancer. I was taken by ambulance (it was bad) to the ER and wound up hospitalized for 4 days.

I should add that I had a double mastectomy almost 3 years ago with reconstruction. I'm single, so nobody has needed to see my reconstructed chest except my gyn, internist, and the surgeon for follow-up appts.

Yesterday I got my medical records from the hospital I was in, to take to my current internist. It turns out that the very nice female hospitalist who managed my care in the hospital not only diagnosed me with the medical problem that led to my hospitalization, but also with "breast deformity after reconstruction."

What?

I'm flabbergasted. There was nothing in my illness to make my breast reconstruction relevant at all. I didn't complain about it. My surgeon tells me it's just fine. I'm not crazy about the reconstruction, might have something done to improve it someday if my health holds up, but at the moment I have more important medical problems. But I guess I'm embarrassed, kind of humiliated, and angry simultaneously by finding this kind of information put in my medical records.

Have you guys ever heard of this kind of thing?

Thanks!

AprilAnn2533

Agree that seems uncalled for - I'd be pretty upset with that too. A reconstruction is a reconstruction - not a deformity. Boo to her. Hope you are feeling better!

gb2115

Hey, I work alongside doctors and read a whole lot of medical records. I'm sure she meant it in the most medical way. I mean, our breasts, after either lumpectomy or reconstruction, are sort of deformed. They take a different look and shape--so misshapen I suppose. So it's not technically >> wrong << to put it in the record that way. I wouldn't take it to mean she thinks you look awful.

As for it being in the record, if she was taking an H&P and noted it (even if not immediately relevant to your acute problem), it could end up as a listed diagnosis.

I hope that helps! I hope you're feeling better from your illness.

Fairchild

Thanks, AprilAnn and gb. Actually it was a flat-out emergency that brought me to the hospital, so she never took an H & P per se. She didn't even have much of a chance to see my chest. I used to work in a hospital as well, and frankly, I've never seen anything like this on a patient's chart. Usually one is focused on entering the relevant diagnoses, and this one wasn't germaine to the problem at all (gut emergency). I know she didn't mean to hurt me......... but I guess it just doesn't feel good to be referred to as having a "deformity."

MsMonster

that would irk me as well. Why not rub salt in the wound so to speak?

In my 1st meeting with my bs I was described as “well-developed" not sure if that was shorthand for large breasted or fat, or both. That made me chuckle but being called deformed would not!

Fairchild

MsMonster,

Your name delights me! Glad to know I'm not alone in finding that..... odd. I can tell you what they mean by well-developed--- Basically, it just means the patient doesn't look emaciated or ill-appearing. It doesn't have anything to do with breasts, thank God!!

grandmaadams

MsMonster and Fairchild. I had to laugh at my surgeon AND my oncologist, both female. After I healed from my lumpectomy and the radiation, I talked to both of them about bi-lateral reduction, healing, good idea/bad idea, etc. They both said to me, at separate appointments in very polite tones, "I think you would benefit from a reduction". I called by sister-in-law who has been my rock through all the cancer issues and told her ... at least they didn't say "Wow, you've got big tits" I had my reduction last October, no implants or lift, and I'm thrilled. Good luck to both of you.

Fairchild

Grandmaadam... Thanks for the laugh!