I would question the physician who uses the terms "chronic" and "recurrent" which strike me as similar to "stocky" and "overweight" being used together. It is true that major depression is either single episode or recurrent. Psychiatrists and psychologists typically use DSM-IV diagnoses and criteria. You might want to ask the physician to clarify. There is also Dysthymia which is 300.4.
Major Depression, recurrent, moderate 296.32
Major Depression, recurrent, without psychotic features 296.33, or
Major Depression, recurrent, with psychotic features 296.34.
Sorry, these things are never straight-forward. Good luck. hm