I love the American healthcare system. It’s truly phenomenal, and I’m deeply grateful to it for many things.
There’s one area, though, where I wish it would improve. I wish doctors were taught that there’s a connection between body and soul. They treat patients like the physical and the mental parts are non-communicating vessels. Even in the USSR doctors were more mindful of patients’ emotional states. For example, a Soviet patient would never be told if he had a terminal diagnosis. In the US, on the other hand, a patient in what’s supposed to be a short outpatient procedure is asked what she wants to be done with her organs in case she doesn’t wake up from the anesthesia.
People are suggestible. Don’t tell them they might not wake up if you want them to wake up.
To make matters worse, the nurses demanded that I remove my underwear. I don’t want to say what the surgery was for now but I can say that it was nowhere remotely near the genital area. Given the childhood I had, there’s no likelihood I’m spending six hours without underwear anywhere at any time and for any reason. I ignored the nurses and kept the underwear on, which nobody noticed because, as I said, that’s not where the surgery took place.
Even worse than that, the surgeon had to come in before the operation and put his signature on my body. The surgeon apologized and said he knew it was horrid but I did feel like I was being prepped to donate those body parts everybody was so obsessed with. I still have his signature on me right now as I’m not allowed to shower. Good thing I didn’t get operated in the genital area because that is one place I wouldn’t have enjoyed having anybody’s signature.
Just like practicing psychologists need some training in the human anatomy, physicians need to be trained in the basics of psychology. For one, it would help them avoid burnout and become less addiction prone.
Other than that, it’s really a sensational healthcare system. Everything is very well thought-out, the schedule works like clockwork, no time is wasted but also no resource is spared. I was in a hospital in the middle of absolute nowhere (the closest restaurant was a Denny’s, 4 miles away) but everything was top of the line. The anaesthesiologists were talented people. I’m half-Slav, my general anesthesia takes a different path for biological reasons. For an American specialist in an area with no Slavs, you really need to be on top of your game to make it a smooth experience.
Clarissa's Blog 
I am just glad that you are back safe and sound. Best wishes of a prompt and full recovery.
LikeLike
Glad you’re doing well after the surgery. I’m curious about your statement at the end of the post. What does being half-Slav have to do with the anesthesia having a different path? Asking as a Slav.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Our bodies process anaesthesia faster. And alcohol, which is why we are more prone to alcoholism. It’s always important to inform your doctor in advance or you might start to wake up during surgery because your body simply processes it faster.
It happened to me in my first general anesthesia. Now I always warn the doctors on advance.
LikeLike
Oh! I was wondering if it was the fair/red thing: a lot of people in my family, though not slavs, have the anesthesia problem associated with the red-hair gene: it apparently means we need more anesthetic than most, to render us numb/unconscious, and then we are SUPER loopy for an extra-long time on the recovery end.
LikeLike
“process anaesthesia faster”
As a non-slav in a slavic environment I’ve learned the hard way to make sure treatment doesn’t start too soon after the anesthesia is administered… it lasts just fine but it takes a bit longer to kick in and they’re usually anxious to get cutting or drilling or whatever….
LikeLike
I have an opposite experience in the US. I could never understand why it takes so long at the doctor’s office to start doing a procedure after a local anesthesia. I have been numb for a while and they still keep waiting, I was not quite sure what for… Reading this discussion has been enlightening.
Clarissa – I wish you a speedy recovery!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“alcohol, which is why we are more prone to alcoholism”
Yeah the stereotypes about ‘holding their liquor’ are mostly actually about it wearing off faster and reinforcements being summoned in the way of more rounds…
Again… learned the hard way to not try to keep up and to pace myself (though days of party drinking ended years ago).
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s exactly how it works. The effect of alcohol fades fast, and people need an ever higher dose.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s interesting about alcohol, I’m not Slavic but I have Celtic roots on my father’s side since they are Gallego and I’ve been told I hold my liquor very well. I don’t get sloppy and know to avoid hangovers and I can time myself to drink without getting loaded, it’s a weird thing to be proud of. I also can’t tan even though I have an olive complexion, I must have more Celtic genes than I thought
LikeLike
Thanks, this is very interesting. I’ve never heard of it. I’ve been under general anesthesia once, in my twenties, and I remember waking up at one point and barely hearing the doctors over me, but then I went back to sleep pretty quickly. Well, good to know. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person