Uterine Branding -- Have I lost my mind?

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Sorry for the long clip here, but each line is stranger than the next. What's happening to the world??? I'm crouched in a corner shivering in fear.

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (AP) -- Nine women are asking to join a lawsuit against a surgeon accused of branding the initials of his alma mater -- the University of Kentucky -- onto a patient's uterus during a hysterectomy.

The women -- including a former nurse of Dr. James M. Guiler -- say they discovered they had been similarly branded after watching videotapes Guiler had provided of their procedures.

"I didn't realize that he was doing this to everybody," said Dana Kelly, 41, a nurse who used to work in Guiler's office.

The original lawsuit was filed January 22 by Stephanie and David Means, who claim Guiler carved "UK" on Stephanie Means' uterus during her hysterectomy last August. She also had been given a videotape, and watched it after she experienced hemorrhaging following the surgery.

The nine women petitioned Fayette County Circuit Court on Wednesday to join the lawsuit, which asks for a jury trial. The lawsuit doesn't specify a dollar amount; the women are seeking punitive damages.

Guiler's attorney, Don Brown, said his client denies the procedure was inappropriate.

"We strongly deny any wrong-doing," he said.

Previously, Guiler defended the practice, saying the letters marked the organ's midline and distinguished its left and right side.

"Not only am I always able to remain oriented for the patient's safety, I felt this was honorable since it made reference to the college of medicine where I received my medical degree," he has said in a statement.

The women said they believe the uterine markings are unnecessary.

"As professionals, we all have standards we have to go by," said one of the women, Vickie Anderson, 38. "He crossed the line. It's chauvinistic, arrogant and shows a total disrespect for women."

― JeremyZag, Friday, 21 February 2003 08:00 (twenty-two years ago)

"He crossed the line. It's chauvinistic, arrogant and shows a total disrespect for women."

"...and besides, my uterus is a University of Illinois fan."

― JeremyZag, Friday, 21 February 2003 08:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I am never going to a male gynacologist again as long as I live. That just makes me want to throw up. I'm convinced that only men who seriously HATE women end up becoming gyno's.

― kate, Friday, 21 February 2003 09:32 (twenty-two years ago)

branding the initials of his alma mater -- the University of Kentucky

But doesn't ILX realize how great this is? These women have U&K branded on them!

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 21 February 2003 09:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I'm going to start branding the intials of the Cooper Union on the bollocks of every guy I see naked. And I'm not even a doctor!

― kate, Friday, 21 February 2003 09:39 (twenty-two years ago)

= why Kate can't get a boyfriend.

― Mark C (Mark C), Friday, 21 February 2003 10:55 (twenty-two years ago)

And I'm not even a doctor!

see it wouldve been fine until you dropped this bombshell

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 21 February 2003 10:57 (twenty-two years ago)

dammit, is THAT the reason? Shee-it! And all along I thought it was coz I was ugly, I smell funny and my mamma dresses me weird.

― kate, Friday, 21 February 2003 10:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I hear customized uteruses are all the rage in Japan!

― marianna, Friday, 21 February 2003 12:04 (twenty-two years ago)

someone is going to note this on the "why do some men hate women" thread, but:

Yeah, I'm going to start branding the intials of the Cooper Union on the bollocks of every guy I see naked. And I'm not even a doctor!

FUNNIEST POST EVAH!!

― di smith (lucylurex), Friday, 21 February 2003 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I thought this thread was going to be about designer vaginas, did anyone see that documentary on the telly a few weeks ago? Apparently, women are getting plastic surgery on their inner and outer lips to make them more... I don't know. Tight? And some of them had surgery cause they were, like asymetrical, or the labia minora were bigger than the labia majora. I was horrified! I've never even thought about what my cuntlips look like. I don't even *know* what my own cuntlips looks like! Yet ANOTHER thing to feel insecure about!

― kate, Friday, 21 February 2003 12:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Laser eye surgeons have been known to do this too.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 21 February 2003 12:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I am NEVER having surgery of any kind. EVER.

― kate, Friday, 21 February 2003 12:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I've never ever been to a male gyno. Who wants to *pay* to lay on a
cold table and have a man fiddle around between your legs?

Besides my ob/gyn is a hot young blonde who loves to talk with me about tattoos and the local music scene while she's working the speculum.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Friday, 21 February 2003 13:27 (twenty-two years ago)

dib-dabs.

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 21 February 2003 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.expatcorner.ca/sweets/images/79540.JPG

I suppose the mistake just makes the "dibs on..." jokes all the funnier.

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 21 February 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Why does the phrase "working the speculum" fill me with such terror?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 21 February 2003 14:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Just think of that one scene in Dead Ringers and fear.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 21 February 2003 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

What I like about girl gynos is that they will WARM the speculum before working the speculum. Yes, think about that very DEEPLY, Dan.

― kate, Friday, 21 February 2003 14:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I've already had that conversation, Kate. I believe my wife described it as "Imagine someone shoving cold spoons up your ass... ONLY IT ISN'T YOUR ASS."

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 21 February 2003 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

whose ass is it?

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 21 February 2003 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks guys I just made a fucking idiot of myself laughing like a loon.

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 21 February 2003 14:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Grim story, reminds me of this from the Framley Examiner:

http://ilxor.petfield.com/images/framley.gif

― Alfie (Alfie), Friday, 21 February 2003 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

This is my hometown, so it was in the local papers a couple of weeks ago when the lawsuit was filed. The uterine branding absolutely *has* to occur so that in post-analysis they can determine the orientation of the organ. Basically you need to know which way is up on the uterus once it's removed from the body. The doctor put a UK on this lady to mark the orientation. He'd done it to a bunch of other patients before that with no complaint. I guess it could have been a smiley face, or an AC/DC logo, or a Pac-Man, whatever. The real news item is that this woman is stupid enough to sue the doctor.

― cprek (cprek), Friday, 21 February 2003 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

(Unsurprisingly, I find the idea that the woman is an Champaign/Urbana booster and that's why she's suing hilarious.)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 21 February 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

as a a friend of mine commented, she'd be far more upset if this was happening on an organ that was staying in her body. e.g "Kilroy was here" or some such

― H (Heruy), Friday, 21 February 2003 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Either way, just more irrefutable proof that UK fans are WACKOS!

― hstencil, Friday, 21 February 2003 15:17 (twenty-two years ago)

HA! You have no idea.

― cprek (cprek), Friday, 21 February 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Of course I do, I'm from Louisville.

― hstencil, Friday, 21 February 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey, how's that two loss streak treating you? ;-)

― cprek (cprek), Friday, 21 February 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I kid.

― cprek (cprek), Friday, 21 February 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

two losses? I haven't really paid attention since I live in NYC. I didn't even get to see the Marquette game last Saturday 'cause my mom was in town.

― hstencil, Friday, 21 February 2003 17:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm sorry, but I really feel bad for this doctor. Apparently all doctors performing this surgery use markers. Wait till they find out that what's taken out goes right in the trash. What - do they want the things to be bronzed and enshrined?

― Kerry (dymaxia), Friday, 21 February 2003 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

He should have just said the "UK" was standard medical abbreviation for "uterine keep-your-orientation-dealie."

― nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 21 February 2003 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

The way the article slants the story, you don't realize that this is standard procedure. So now I feel (WOW: SURPRISE HERE!) manipulated by the media.

And yet......there's still something really creepy going on here!

― JeremyZag, Friday, 21 February 2003 17:36 (twenty-two years ago)

It would be creepy if he'd drawn a penis in there, I think.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 21 February 2003 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah,I hadn't heard it was standard procedure. In fact most of the women in my family have had hystrectomies and I've never heard of this. (they're all nurses so those details are par for the course).

I still think it's insensitive and insulting to use his alma mater's intials. Why couldn't he just make a non-specific mark? It seems really trivalizing and invasive they way he 'made his mark' on her body.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Friday, 21 February 2003 23:41 (twenty-two years ago)

...and then disemboweled her, rendering her infertile forever. What a fucker.

― Millar (Millar), Friday, 21 February 2003 23:48 (twenty-two years ago)

What the hell is your point Tom? I was being serious and I don't really appreciate being mocked. If you keep it up I'll just have to work you over with my extra-large, stored in the freezer, speculum.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Saturday, 22 February 2003 00:25 (twenty-two years ago)

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