Sedation/IVs/ and Bears...Oh my!

July 16, 2000

In a message dated 7/16/00 8:44:06 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

<< However, my mother, who had the surgery directly before me, remembers

climbing onto the OR table and having her arms strapped down and such. But

you will not remember the ET tube, for whoever asked. You need to be

completely knocked out, so you don't have a gag reflex (except in extreme

situations, which this is not). You will also be extubated long before you

awaken. So no worries. >>

,you paragoddess,you! Glad to see you're donig well. Here's my 2 cents.

I got an IV in the hand by Shelia. That's where she likes 'em,even though I

tried to sway her. She was excellent. Shelia was very clear w/ me that I

would get nothing until the OR,which I was fine with. I remember everything

up until sedation. I was rolled to the OR,placed/scooted onto the cold table

..They put a b/p cuff on one arm,and a finger probe(to measure oxygen) on the

other finger. A very sweet nurse anesthetist said " Are you ready? " and I said

" Yeah,sure " She said take a few deep breaths from this mask,I could feel

medicine go in the IV.............and then I went to sleep. I woke up just

after extubation and then they suctioned my mouth...but I needed more

suctioning. I said " suction " in a whisper,she didn't hear me(I was

hoarse), " suction " ,she still didn't hear me,because she was aligning the

gurney(keep in mind she was at my head watching my airway,I didn't feel

neglected or unsafe....I just had a " woogie " in the back of my throat!) So I

said louder " Yankuer! " ...which is the device they use to suction. She looked

down at me and said " Did she just say what I think she said? Yankuer " I shook

my head yes and was suctioned. The whole OR laughed. She commented on how

alert I was,which is not common. They asked me if I thought I could scoot to

the gurney,I said " sure " ...but only my head and feet went. They laughed

again. Some big guy said I got her and lifted me!!! to the gurney,while I

said " Be careful! " (I didn't want him to hurt himself!) It was actually a

very pleasant experience and I thought everyone was great in the OR. I didn't

care for the face mask and convinced the RN in recovery room to let me put on

a nasal cannula(little nasal prongs),but that may have been premature,because

she had to wake me and remind me to breathe!

Overall it was great and really nothing for me to fear if I had to do over

again.

Osler

MGB 2/21/00

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