Woman records Houston doctors talking about her during surgery

HOUSTON, TX (KTRK) -- A woman says she is considering a lawsuit after what doctors for Harris Healthcare said about her while she was under the knife.

"I was distraught, I was violated," Ethel Easter says. "Thinking that I'm lying there naked, having surgery, and they have me uncovered, talking over my body like this.

Easter says she hid a recorder in her hair extensions before undergoing a hernia operation at LBJ Hospital in northwest Harris County.

Easter says the hospital workers made disparaging comments about her body, even comparing her to Gabourey Sidibe in the film "Precious."

"She's a handful," one doctor is heard saying. "This is 'Precious' over here, saying hi to 'Precious' over there."

Easter says she decided to record the surgery after a tense meeting with her doctors, in which she threatened to file a complaint when her surgery wasn't scheduled in a timely manner.

In a letter to Easter, Harris Healthcare says it has alerted staff to be mindful of comments, but no further action would be taken.