Major or minor?

Blossom1961
Blossom1961 Member Posts: 2,489
I had a mastectomy. The surgeon and nurses said it was a minor surgery. Sarah Ferguson had a mastectomy and it is called major surgery. What is the difference?

Comments

  • June1952
    June1952 Member Posts: 1,935
    @Blossom1961 - maybe it has something to do with her being a major personality rather than minor like us ordinary ladies 🤣🤣🤣  She did not say whether she had any reconstruction, did she ?
  • Afraser
    Afraser Member Posts: 4,442
    It depends if you are considering ‘major’ from a surgical point of view. I would think a straightforward mastectomy was not as major as a full leg amputation, for example. Just more things to consider, to possibly go wrong and the impact on the patient is usually much greater. But if you are considering the hoped for impact of your story in the media, it’s huge!! A Royal loses a breast! Who’da thought. Never look to the media for even handed reporting! 

    But SF’s decision to make it public is a good thing. She just might prompt people to have a check up. That’s when being a major influencer matters more than major surgery. 
  • TonyaM
    TonyaM Member Posts: 2,836
    Really?? I had a mastectomy last year and I would’ve said it was more then minor surgery. I’d call it’big’surgery 
  • Julez1958
    Julez1958 Member Posts: 1,247
    Mastectomy definately major surgery!
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,124
    Yep, definitely because she is seen as a 'celebrity' ..... even tho they love to hate her.  This may 'reset' her public image a bit now, as so many families will be able to relate to her more.

    I would definitely call it major surgery, specially if it is reconstruction!  And then they have to add the emotional turmoil on top of that (which we all know can be HUGE) .... which is never really considered 'part of the process'!

    Then again, there are some who have had a mastectomy who've also said that they've sailed thru a straight mastectomy, whilst others with lumpectomies have sometimes taken longer to recover or had more problems - so I guess it all depends on the skill of the surgeon & follow up team .... and the ability of the patient to recover well.