GETTING TECHNICAL

Friday, May 7, 2010

The following are the medical terms for my upcoming surgery:

Robotic myomectomy
    (removal of fibroids)
Peritoneal stripping & enterolysis
    (removal of intestinal adhesions & endo in the abdominal cavity)
Possible unilateral salpingo oophorectomy
    (possible removal of my left ovary & fallopian tube)

Does the fancy terminology make it more or less scary?

3 comments:

Jeanne said...

Jenn,

While some might find the medical terminology a bit daunting, I have always been one who wants to know what is being done to my body and the properly medical terminology for it.

If this were the medical terminology used by my doctor to discuss it or to write it up in my operative report, then I want to know what he/she is talking about.

After every surgery, I sign a release to get a copy of my operative report. This can be helpful for several reasons.

1) It is handy to have my own records because if my doctor ever moves away, retires, or I find the need to switch doctors... I have the records I need without going through a big hassle to get them.

2) Operative reports can contain valuable information that the doctor neglected to mention to me. I read through the report and then can then ask the doctor what it means if I'm unsure.

3) I believe part of being an informed patient who advocates for herself is becoming familiar with the medical terminology. I am able to hold a conversation with my doctor much easier if I am familiar with the terms he/she is using than if I were to listen wondering, "what does that mean?"

While the terminology can be a bit intimidating for some people, I believe it is worth the effort to get up to speed on the terms used by the doctor. It makes for more efficient use of time in medical appointments and decreases the odds of misunderstanding what the doctor says or means.

Good luck at the doctor today for your pre-op.

Jeanne

Jenn said...

Thanks Jeanne!

I totally agree. Thanks for the good advice about the operative report. I haven't done that in the past & it was a pain getting my records. (I learned that surgery pictures cannot translate through fax, for example).

Even after all the research I have done on my own, I still have more to learn.

I've got my list of questions ready for my appointment. One step closer!

Darrelyn Saloom said...

Scarier! The medical terms make denial harder. And denial is a nice place. But I'm glad you are staying overnight. I think it's easier for your caretakers and generally safer that way.