Major surgery and associated experiences in critical care settings affect patients' perceptions of their body images. This paper discusses several colloquial terms related to body image used in interviews by elderly patients following major surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm. The terms 'badly failed, and well mended', and 'out of sorts', and 'in tune with my body' recurred. These referred to perceptions related to body weight or strength and bodily competence and control, respectively. Patients had difficulty explaining these colloquial terms in other words, i.e. synonyms were not readily available to them. Therefore, discussions or assessment using conventional body image terms used in psychology and nursing literature may be confusing, misunderstood or irrelevant to these patients. This may be true for other groups, not necessarily elderly patients, using other colloquialisms. Such terms may not correspond directly to conventional body image terms, so comparability must be ascertained before standard body image instruments can be justified for use in such populations. Nurses and health care professionals need to be sensitive to such colloquial descriptions when assessing need and interventions involving psychological perceptions of body image. It is suggested that these colloquial terms, which patients naturally perceive as relevant, should be used to communicate, discuss, and assess therapy during recovery after major surgery that involves intensive care.