FWIW, this is a VERY small non-profit organization. Currently 3 full time employees, 3 part-time, a Board of 7 very involved people, and probably 5 or so additional volunteers. The note was sent to the board by the executive director (who took my place when I retired - I’m on the board now).
So yeah, this is nothing like the impersonal setting you might find at a large for-profit company. While I didn’t think the email necessarily had to go into that much detail, I didn’t think it was oversharing. We all know each other fairly well and consider each other friends.
In that socially cozy environment, I would not have been surprised to have the patient include her diagnosis as well. I’m also not surprised she didn’t, but IMO it could reasonably have gone either way.
I owned a 30-person company when my late first wife’s cancer returned the first time. Pretty much everybody knew the outlines of her problem and treatment plan pretty quickly because what all that meant for my daily involvement at work mattered to each of them as friends and as co-workers. There’s a lot of value in getting the whole story out straight, rather than allowing the inevitable game of “telephone in the dark” to give everyone involved a differing impression, some of which will be wildly out of sync with reality. And people being people, the more horrendous the mistaken story, the more it gets believed and amplified.
This is an ancient thread, but came up when I did a search for something else and it’s somewhat relevant to me, as I’m looking at having exactly this surgery done in the near future. In my case, it’s preventive (BRCA1 mutation putting me at high risk for ovarian cancer).
My husband suggests using the word “nunyabiznessectomy” to tell people who don’t really need to know anything more than “I’m out for minor surgery” or whatever. A friend considered using that term when she took a day off for a minor procedure.
And, I don’t think a company can demand medical details , though that won’t stop people from asking. Me? I don’t really care who knows… though I admit, being on a team with only 2 other females, neither of whom I interact with much, I might be a bit weirded out (or THEY might!!).
As for other procedures (read: colonoscopies), I’m much more up-front, rationalizing that I might actually be saving someone’s life by mentioning it and encouraging screening.
I had minimally invasive, laparoscopic ovary surgery about 20 years ago. I had an ovarian cyst. I signed a form saying that they could remove my ovary if it was necessary, but it turned out not to be.
I told my boss that I was having a minor medical procedure and would need to be out for a week. He was concerned and asked if I was okay, and I told him that I was, and that I would be fine as soon as this procedure was completed.
Everyone else at work just assumed that I was on vacation that week. Even years later, I will occasionally mention my procedure if there is a related discussion, and I’ll learn that some co-worker still didn’t know.
I had what was supposed to be a minimally invasive procedure but it turned out (obviously not ovary surgery) but it turned out to require being opened up.
I was surprised by the people who I’m not particularly close to who asked details. Many people said things along the line of “I hope everything is fine,” which is what I usually say, but some came directly out and directly asked.
Anyway, the person who had the surgery turned out to be fine. She’s had some follow-up issues not directly related to the reason for the surgery, but due to the fact she had to limit exercise during recovery, for a surprisingly long period of time. (I think it was a couple of months.) She thinks this may have weakened some muscles related to core strength, and caused her to have some back pain as a result. That’s no fun, of course, but overall health wise she’s in good shape.
Well… you don’t have ovaries now, do you? so are you really sure??
My husband was having outpatient surgery on his sinuses etc. It wound up being delayed - was scheduled for something like 2 PM but emergencies… and I was waiting with him in the pre-op area. People kept popping in and asking the usual: name, doctor, procedure. At one point I quickly snapped “hysterectomy!”. The nurse cracked up, and said “I guarantee he will NOT have a uterus when he leaves here!”.
After my gallbladder surgery, the first word out of my mouth as I came to was “lap?” (was it done laparascopically). As I knew that converting to open surgery was always an option, if necessary. I was quite relieved that it remained laparascopic.
Interestingly, with my upcoming surgery (ovaries and tubes), if I opt for a hysterectomy, they’d use the robot. If I just go for ovaries / tubes, they won’t. A friend who had a robotic hysterectomy had a very easy recovery.
You have another friend who had a da Vinci robotic hysterectomy and oophorectomy. Actually one fallopian tube was removed as well (the other has been gone for 40+years in a ruptured ectopic pregnancy repair). I was so pleasantly surprised. I went home less than an hour after it was over, walked out to the car. I had 7wee little incisions, either super glued or with bandaids.
Sorry. I’m trying to do this on a phone and it’s maddening. Please forgive the typos and mangled formatting.
The other reason that they won’t use the robot for just tubes and ovaries is pecuniary. Of course. The robotic company gets a huge fee when it is used. It’s worth it to the facility and perhaps the surgeon if they are be forremoving three organs or usedsets of
The fee calculus is less on their favor for removing fewer and smaller organs. organs. I’m
I don’t know for sure. No doctors have said either way, although I suspect that had there been any in there at some point, the doctors would have pointed that out at some point.
Speaking from (non-ovarian) experience, if you do have something anatomically weird / unexpected, once a doc notices you’ll be the center of attention as they call all their pals over to poke, prod, or gawk.
That’s impressive! My friend spent a night in the hospital.
Which honestly bugs me more than the surgery itself! I have NOT had good experiences with hospitals. “Hey, let’s screw up her meds! Let’s NOT follow the doctor’s orders! Yippee!”. I’ve told my husband that he WILL spend the night in the hospital with me.
Ah - but bladder problems can happen as a RESULT of the hysterectomy (things… shift).
As far as I can tell, my odds of endometrial cancer are roughly double the general population due to being BRCA1 positive. But that’s 2% → 4%. Not compelling enough, at a glance.
