Progress Note

From the Chart

Patient: Watkins, C.
Date of Procedure: April 29, 2008

Nature of Procedure: Re-excise small amount of additional tissue from left breast. Section marked for removal is located on the outer, inferior side, around 4 o'clock (if breast were a clock face). Objective is to achieve a clean margin around the pre-cancerous DCIS. (Doubt that patient will notice much change. Surgical plan calls for removing only a couple of minutes from breast clock, say 4:17 to 4:20.)

Pre-Surgical Events: Ms. Watkins was extremely polite and well-mannered despite the fact that we kept her waiting on the ultrasound table for a full hour due to a malfunctioning ultrasound machine. Query: How were surgical guide wires placed before ultrasound? Does anyone remember?

Surgical Notes: Mission accomplished! Procedure completed in a jiffy. Patient sent home one hour following surgery. A couple of nurses remembered Ms. Watkins from her prior surgery last November. Good time had by all.

Post-Surgical Follow-up (24 hours later): Nurse placed follow-up call to patient's home. Ms. Watkins reported feeling flattened and was watching hour after hour of Top Chef while reclining on her sofa. Possible that she is reacting to lingering effects of anesthesia, which may have addled her brain. Propose watchful waiting to see if penchant for reality TV cooking show wears off as anesthesia dissipates. Husband advised to call immediately if patient dons white chef coat and/or toque.

Post-Surgical Follow-up (72 hours later): No pathology report yet. Hope "mission accomplished" reference above was not premature. Patient reports returning to normal activities, including blog writing. However, Ms. Watkins is experiencing a continuing craving for episodes of Top Chef. Suspect that patient has underlying fantasy of winning Top Chef competition herself. In any case, checking with anesthesiologist to see if other patients are reporting similar side effects related to cable and/or reality TV. Perhaps basis for new research study. What are the recuperative effects of viewing American Idol or Dancing With the Stars while in post-surgical daze?

Final Note: Preliminary pathology report is in. No evidence of any cancer. Nurses told patient Ms. Watkins that she can relax. Final pathology report yet to be issued, but preliminarily, things looks very good. Re-excision appears to have been the right course. Hurrah! We seem to have gotten it right.