I recently had top surgery and was terrified of telling my employer. I told my supervisor that I needed time off for surgery and he said "okay that's fine" completely relieved that he didn't ask what for. Then when I passed him the doctor's note he said "just give that to the nurse and she takes care of recording that stuff". That's when I almost sh** myself. I didn't know what to say. I wasn't about to lie to the work nurse. When I saw her I gave her the note and she asked what it was for. I hesitated and said "getting fluid drained" and she was like "okay, like from your lungs?" then I said "no... uh, my chest" Then she stopped and looked up at me then said "okay so chest surgery". Hahah ahh I was terrified.
I'm more scared of going back to work though. Co-workers are asking which hospital in Toronto I had to go to but I went to a cosmetic clinic in Mississauga.
When other co-workers ask I still just say "getting fluid drained" and some say "oh stuff from your lungs" and I just say "something like that, gotta wear drains for a while to get it all out after surgery" (I didn't actually need drains but some surgeons require it for top surgery, and for lung surgery) because they aren't my boss or the nurse. Surgery for that will leave people with scars kind of similar to top surgery. It sort of worked out because in a previous surgery one of my lung collapsed for no reason and had to open up the lobes. If that happens apparently you have a risk of getting sick and if you do fluid can fill in your lungs. Anyway, I've told people that story when I say I am nervous about it, that way it kind of is left to their own interpretation.
