Anesthesia and thoughts abt it.

[Archness]

So... I'll need to have surgery done, something minor, less then 2 hrs. But, as unlikely as it is, the possibility of DEATH and SUFFERING where brought up.

I just though... How I basically trust my life to a stranger, how I trust the society and system to not allow me to get absolutely fucked. There is a possibility of death... A possibility I'll go to sleep and never wake up.

I continued these thoughts... How anesthesia "turns off" your brain, ceasing the constant activity called consciousness. The consciousness that wrote this... Will die, from my understanding, as consciousness isn't an innate attribute but a process of, uh, processing.

Quite an interesting proposition, but practically I'll be well alive. Just food for thought, that makes me a lil unease, but I'll write abt that in the recovery section.

 

[Kattt]

Anaesthetists have the highest paying position in medicine. They require more education and training too.
The minimum amount is administered.. just enough to put you into the most shallow level of sleep. They monitor you continuously, to identify the optimum time to add a little more.
While you're quite correct that general anaesthesia always carries a degree of risk, you can minimise this by avoiding smoking or vaping, using alcohol or Mon essential drugs in the days before. If you feel unwell at all, it might be suggested that you defer.
I used to love Propofol. Somebody I knew worked as a theatre nurse. Any opened vials had to be disposed of after the surgery was complete. They would pocket those only part empty for me. It's crazy dangerous to be giving yourself that stuff, in one go without anyone to check you're ok and bring you out of the other end.
If it really bothers you, ask for a local anaesthetic. Elderly people frequently have hip replacement and other orthopaedic surgery with a local anaesthetic. Brain surgery usually involves local anesthesia so any changes in your speech, comprehension or involuntarily reactions for example, can be spotted. It helps with to guide the surgeon and to prevent damage to critical areas. All the sensitive nerve endings are near the surface of the skin. My brother had open heart surgery using local anaesthesia as a kid.