Re: speaking of Western medicine...

Rob Wynne wrote:

> Steve Pope <spope33@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> 
>>Russ Allbery  <rra@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I have had dental surgery under full anesthesia and dental surgery
under
>>>the new sedation stuff, and the sedation stuff rocks my world.  Not
only
>>>did I go under far easier, I wasn't nauseated when I came out of it and
I
>>>recovered *way* faster from the anesthesia.
>>
>>You do understand that some of the newer "sedatives" are merely
>>drugs that induce a retrograde amnesia so that you don't 
>>remember all the pain, even though you experienced it at the time.

> I don't care. :)

Beyond not caring, I say "bring it on!" I don't mind forgetting pain a 
bit, and am actively enthusiastic about such drugs - in part because 
conventional general anesthesia can have a lot more unpleasant side 
effects. Some of which I've experienced. Whereas I've had no problems at 
all with the short-term memory blockers.

Alas, my dentist doesn't offer that sort of sedation (he also doesn't do 
major surgery - he refers patients to someone else for that). But he 
does let me have as much nitrous oxide as I want, has a deft hand with 
the numbing needle (and warns me before he gets it out so I can shut my 
eyes), and prescribes potent pain-killers if I need them. All that helps 
immensely.

(I'm three-fourths of the way through a round of major dental repair 
work, and while I'm not any less phobic than ever, I'm at least 
comfortable enough with this dentist that my blood pressure doesn't go 
through the roof when I walk into his office).

-- 
Pat Kight
kightp@[EMAIL PROTECTED]