Houston resident Ethel Easter was set to undergo a hernia surgery at her local county-operated hospital. Prior to scheduling the surgery, Easter met with her appointed surgeon who told her she would have to wait an additional 2 months to schedule surgery. When Easter communicated that she was gravely ill and could not wait 2 months for the procedure the surgeon was abrupt and callous, and disregarded her pain.
Because of the tone of the pre-operative conversation, Easter felt moved to record the surgery. During the procedure she wore a weave that allowed her to easily conceal her audio recording device.
As soon as Easter was put to sleep the disparaging comments began. They ranged from the surgeon noting she was a “handful” to making disturbing references about her body and touching her inappropriately. One member of the operating staff referred to Easter as “Precious”.
“Did you see her belly button?” says a female voice on the tape, followed by laughter.
“Precious meet Precious,” says a male operating room member to the anesthesiologist.
You can hear an OR staff member refer to her as “always the queen.” A surgeon repeats the phrase and says he feels sorry for her husband.
“It was… as though I was this big fat black woman,” Easter said.
You can hear some of the soundbites from the surgery in this video.
While there is no word on what resolution Easter is seeking, a spokesperson for the Harris Health System, which oversees the hospital facility where the surgery was conducted, has informed Easter that this incident will serve to remind staff to “be mindful of their comments all times.” But so far, there have been no apologies.
What would you do if you were in Easter’s position?
Lawsuits, this is disturbing and could potentially limit her trust of doctors and getting any surgery performed in the future.
It has already done so.
Personally I have a fear of seeing male doctors. I’ve seen two in the last 4 years.
The first one was dismissive because I was repeating to him what a specialist had told me, who treats one of the conditions I have everyday. The specialist is female so obviously does not know what she is talking about.
The second male doctor was absolutely fine. I was actually going to change my appointment to a female doctor I was so scared to see him.
I totally agree with you. That doctor and the other staff should lose their jobs too. They think that they can treat people any way and get away with it. I would bet you anything that this lady was not the first person he did something like this, she was just the first person to catch him. Serves the bastard right…
There is plenty of research that backs up that doctors disregard women’s pain especially if the doctor is male. So I’m not surprised that they made rude comments when she went against what the male surgeon stated.
Having experienced issues myself that were only taken seriously when less and newly qualified female medical practitioners intervened, I suggest that all women try and ensure that the doctors they see are female. That way you have a better chance of being taken seriously.
You know this reminds me of this episode of “Golden Girls” where Bea Arthur’s character confronts the doctor who doesn’t take her illness seriously: https://youtu.be/Zovd9eKvy8s
For me, it’s Black female physicians. I’ve just gotten to the point where I only trust my own kind. (But that’s just me…)
Let’s not erase the racial component here. White doctors treat Black patients worse. Period.
The surgeon was black
There was a female voice mocking her too… This is tied to racism. White feminists love to leave that part out. Good luck trying to only find Black surgeons in a white supremacy that consistently fails black kids in academia and medicine.
The surgeon was black..
Black people can still internalize anti black racism.
They need to.be made an example. I.would sue them.if I.were.her. BE YOUR own advocate! Know what’s best for you and your body!
She needs to sue him and file a complaint with the medical board as well as seek other possible victims. Ruining someone’s life might make others in the same profession behave professionally.
True, no one deserves that!
In the initial visit with the Dr she noted how unconcerned he was with her when she mentioned she didn’t have 2 months to wait for surgery, that should have raised all sorts of red flags. If he acted callous and uncaring there is no way I would have trusted him to perform any type of surgery on me.
Again, racism rears its ugly head. That’s why that doc spoke to her the way he did in the first place. Anything to disparage a Black person.
The surgeon is black.
Shameful behaviour.
When I see a white doctor for anything, I visit the office. If I see Fox News, similar print news, or confederate flags on license plates outside, I cancel.
This doctor was black? Must be from Atlanta. Black on black racism in atlanta is the worst. (Clarence Thomas and Herman Cain are Georgians)
Are you sure he’s Black? Did you check it out for yourself?
Who whites prefer to see is their business. I have nothing to do with that. I only trust my own kind and that has nothing to do with YOU!
Sure it does. When people scream about imaginary “racism” when in fact it is nothing more than people freely choosing not to associate with persons they don’t feel safe associating with yet those same people engage in that same pattern of behavior, the hypocrisy demands honest people make note of it.
Who I hire or rent property too is also subject to that same type of metrics in determining an answer.
There’s no point in going back and forth with your type. Not only is it futile, it’s pointless. Whatever point you’re attempting to make, hold on to that.
Communicating with someone who’s on the outside looking in is lunacy.
It’s none of my business who whites prefer to give their patronage. It has nothing to do with me, just as my preference of physicians has nothing to do with YOU!
Right. So it is “racism” if I refuse to engage in a voluntary business transaction with blacks for fear of my personal safety but it’s not racism for you too do the same.
You’ve proven my point!
Right. You engage in racist behavior and that is magically not racist.……
I never said it wasn’t. YOU DID!
Stop it! My intense dislike of you has nothing to with racism because I have no power over you. You people can’t differentiate prejudice from racism…
…AND ANOTHER THING!:
For the most part, calling a Black person a racist isn’t an insult. It’s a baffling thing to call a Black person, but it’s definitely not an insult.
“You people” HAHAHAHAHAHAHA …you are quite capable of making a qualitative judgement for / against a person based upon that person’s skin color and that is what makes you, or anyone else, a racist. It was not meant to be an insult, just an assessment of your hate based attitude. YOUR OWN WORDS: “Lucky502 For me, it’s Black female physicians. I’ve just gotten to the point where I only trust my own kind. (But that’s just me…)” That is an inherently sexist, racist and segregationist mentality on your part. I cannot understand how you have the balls to deny the… Read more »
You’re on a roll because you’re WRONG again. “You people” refers to people who share your perspectives as it pertains to this subject. Stop being so paranoid about race. lol.
Your racism is far too blunt, as evidenced by your comment in my last message, to be denied or downplayed. You didn’t even try to make excuses.
Stop being a racist.
You’re irrational and overemotional and can’t discern “prejudice” from “racist”.
Your perspective of me is not my problem.
FOH talking about “making qualitative judgments about others based upon immutable characteristics such as skin color…” Rolls eyes.
Before you go any further, be sure to GET THE FUCK REAL! You’re talking that hypothetical shit, but I’m talking about a true-to-life event! You’re blowing lame smoke about a white entity doing business with Black businessmen. Now let’s keep it real, how often does THAT happen? You’ve earn the prestigious “GTFOH with that Garbage” award. You’ve earned it.
Almost all inter-racial crime is black perpetrator and white victim. Black on white rape is an epidemic, it is almost impossible to find a black woman’s raped by a white male. Facts are facts.…blacks are disproportionately violent criminals.…whites have valid reasons to refrain from being around blacks.
You have no idea what you are talking about. It’s sad you are confused by standard definitions of common English language words.
Its long past that time where you crawl back into that racist fever swamp from which you crept.
Yawwwnn…
Same spiel; different moron.
You went from making a racist statement to lying about it and now on to the name calling. You’re the black, female version of David Duke.
Dewd, once again you’re incapable of proving your claim, but per usual that was already anticipated. In fact, it’s come to be expected of you.
All across this country we are hearing these stories and it is time to speak up and out against medical negligence, abuse. Our organization helps those who have been affected by medical mistakes. http://www.nmmaa.org