As patients we sometimes misunderstand terms that you guys as medical profesionals use. I am sure there are some funny stories of these misunderstandings.
My story. A few months ago I was having an MRI because I had not been hungery for a few months and had been getting sick. My specialist wanted to make sure it was not a tumor since I have Neurofibromatosis. I stopped by to say hi to her NP before it and she happened to come in. At this point I was wearing a patch over my eye because I could not wear my prosthetic eye for a little while.
She turns to me, "Oh no you have that metal in your head don't you?" and I said yes. She realized since she had had an MRI just 3 days prior that might be a problem. She paged my plastic surgeon who calls her back. He says it is ok and then aparently asks why I need it, because she states, "Oh, she has anorexia and vomiting"
I FREAKED!!!!!!! I did not know what to say. I did not realize that anorexia is a medical term for not eating and anorexia nervosa is the eating disorder. I have known this doc for 12 years and was (until I understood the misunderstanding) upset that she thought I would do that to myself.
I said nothing to her but came home and told my mom (who used to be a nurse). She informed me of the misunderstanding. Man was I embarrassed that I had gotten upset.
What are your stories of patients misunderstanding terms that had been used.
