Conscious sedation
The local hospitals are playing catch-up, and some non-urgent procedures are being conducted at weekends. Thus, I received the following from Barry on Sunday afternoon.
‘I’m having conscious sedation and not general anaesthetic. Thing is, I’m not sure I’ll be able to see any difference between being normal and conscious sedation.’
There are many responses to that, most of them rude.
I thought I understood what was meant by ‘conscious sedation’ but looked it up anyway. The most concise explanation follows:
‘Conscious sedation is a combination of medicines to help you relax (a sedative) and to block pain (an anaesthetic) during a medical or dental procedure. You will probably stay awake, but may not be able to speak.
Conscious sedation lets you recover quickly and return to your everyday activities soon after your procedure.’
The bit I highlighted in red made me smile. Barry is a talker and always has been. When he was three years old and travelling by sea to India with his mother and baby brother, he had to share a cabin with another mother and children. He chattered about everything, until the other mother said, in exasperation, ‘Can’t you keep your boy quiet?’
The answer, of course, was that she couldn’t, and he continued to jabber. The only time he was truly silenced was when he was ten years old, and his father died suddenly. Such was the shock that he withdrew completely and didn’t speak for six months.
This character trait has been reproduced in spades in our youngest grandson, Jack, who will be six years old in November. From the moment he wakes until he finally falls asleep, many hours later, Jack talks. When he’s not commenting on current events, he’s asking questions. He is very entertaining.
Sounds like they are just very curious! It's really sweet that Jack seems to take after your husband
ReplyDeleteHe's such a sweet boy.
DeleteI had heart surgery after my beloved mum died suspiciously, but I couldn't tolerate an anaesthetic mask covering my face. So they gave me an anaesthetic injection in my arm instead. That might have been an alternative for Barry.
ReplyDeleteIt was an intravenous sedation. He didn't fall asleep but was very relaxed.
DeleteI'm having conscious sedation tomorrow at the dentist and I definitely won't be able to talk! I'm not much of a talker anyway, I didn't get that gene from my mum who could talk the ears off a deadman. I had a co-worker many years ago who talked non-stop all day except when she was eating lunch. I swear that girl could talk underwater.
ReplyDeleteIt makes a difference if their conversation is interesting and informed.
DeleteSedation while remaining conscious - an interesting concept and I can certainly see why it would be preferable in some situations.
ReplyDeleteI suspect it's been around for a long time, perhaps under another, less exciting name.
DeleteI didn't know about this conscious sedation. It's good to know that conscious sedation allows for a quicker recovery time.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably cheaper, too, which is always a consideration.
DeleteI had conscious sedation for my recent procedure but it seemed to have rendered me unconscious for most of it! I was certainly not aware of anything going on until the end as they were finishing up.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I received a large dose!!
They conferred beforehand and decided they didn't want you chattering away as they worked. 😗
DeleteI am not sure of what sedation I was given for a skin cancer surgery on my hand a few years ago. I was supposed to be in a twilight zone, only slightly conscious. I could hear the surgeon talking to a nurse I guess, as the surgeon worked away. They were talking about holidaying in Cambodia and mentioned a large lake and neither could remember the name. "Tonle Sap", I proclaimed from my semi conscious state, and rather to their surprise. I only had local anaesthetic for scalp melanoma surgery recently because I had not been told to stop taking blood thinners. The surgeon afterwards said it would have been better that I had a full anaesthetic, and I agree. It was not comfortable to have skin shaved off your thigh and a few centimetres of skin removed from your head to be replaced with the harvested thigh skin. The good thing was I didn't have to have someone to pick me up.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't sound a pleasant procedure at all. I hope the problem has been resolved now, and you don't have to repeat it.
DeleteMolly like me is a chatter box, she never stops talking, I on the other hand have learnt to keep quieter.
ReplyDeleteWe have a number of chatterboxes in the family, but Barry and Jack are in a class of their own!
DeleteI do get that conscious sedation has its advantages, but I'm still no sure ... Anyway, having a very talkative husband too, that bit made me smile :-) xxx
ReplyDeleteI guess you, like me, are a good listener. 😃
DeleteIt would be interesting to know what Barry will be talking about when he is having conscious sedation. Sometimes I wish my husband had a little bit of unconscious sedation because he also is a Non-Stop talker. Hope all goes well.
ReplyDeleteI remember him being wheeled back to his room after knee surgery. He was talking nineteen to the dozen, but could only just have come out of the anaesthetic. He remembered nothing of the conversation.
DeleteI've not heard of conscious sedation but have difficulty waking up from anaesthetics so it sounds a good idea.
ReplyDeleteSo much in this post, the journey across the world by sea for a small child and the tragedy of loss that rendered him speechless, reads like a novel - one I would like to read!
As a guy of few words it would be interesting to sit in the mind of a talker for just a little while.
ReplyDeleteExhausting!
DeleteHope all goes well
ReplyDeleteThank you. Another couple of procedures to get through and then maybe everything will settle down.
DeleteI would rather be awake for medical procedures just so I can throw in my two cents when required...rendered unable to speak would defeat my interest. My husband is a talker- all day every day, chatter - I tune it out for the most part.I come from a silent family.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't work if both parties are talkers - someone's got to listen!
DeleteI had never heard of this before and found it fascinating. I laughed out loud when you mentioned the train ride (my husband is also a talker) and almost cried at Barry's reaction to his father's passing. How doubly sad! Definitely a gambit of emotions reading this, but I thank you for the education, so well written. Just read it to my talker and he's looking it up right now. I will be hearing all of the results of his findings soon ;)
ReplyDeleteIs it something to do with being military officers, do you think? I know the training encourages them to be assertive, but also to listen. I look forward to hearing Gregg's input.
ReplyDeleteMy brother was a CNA and he told me about a sedative that the medical personnel called, Milk of Amnesia. Because you are sedated but awake. You still feel some of the pain from the procedure but you don't remember any of it. Like when they want to fix a broken bone.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of that but didn't know the name. It doesn't seem credible that pain would not be remembered, does it?
DeleteWhatever the sedation or anaesthetic the important thing is I hope all goes well.
ReplyDeleteGrandson Jack sounds quite a character :)
All the best Jan
You can't help but smile when Jack's around.
DeleteI'm not a talker, but I think your Barry and my son are somehow related; my son is an adult and still quite the talker. I haven't had conscious sedation or maybe I have and didn't know it. It might be used with colonoscopies; I know enough people who have been awake through them (like my husband and also friends) although I've slept through all of mine.
ReplyDeleteI think I would probably sleep too, as my instinct is always to close my eyes when I lie down, at the dentist's, for example!
DeleteApparently they can adjust the level of consciousness. My hysterectomy was done that way and when they explained before hand I remarked that I didn't want to hear anyone say 'oh shit!' So as far as I know I was knocked out.😁
ReplyDeleteIt's probably always best not to hear comments during a procedure!
DeleteSounds like what they do for cataract surgery here.....plus for colonoscopies.
ReplyDeleteThis was for a colonoscopy.
DeleteI wouldn't want to know what was going on but I don't come round well after an anaesthetic so this is probably a good alternative. What a fascinating post, it touched on so many things. Barry's childhood would make a novel - one I would like to read!
ReplyDeleteYes, he's had an interesting life!
DeleteSorry, the above is from Rosemary at share my garden, not Anonymous!
ReplyDeleteSo easy to do that.😀
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