PREFACE<br >Ri，，，ht ll</Dre. . . .<br > By ihe lime you are wheeled into the operating room you have<br >been given pre-op nledicalion to ease anxiety and help you relax.<br >Green-god， ned figures (unisex style) with caps over their hair and<br >fl iendly but m，tskcd faces greet you. If you feel loquacious you can<br >makc pleasant chatter， although your mouth is a little dry. You seem<br >to be getting a di<inct impression of things.<br > The room is antiseptic， efficient， spare， silvery. Shiny surfaces<br >glint on carts and trays. The people in the room already seem busy at<br >their specialized lasks. As you are placed on the table and covered<br >witha shecl， you can look up at the great lights， tilted away from you<br >new， but bright as day， in a cluster of brilliant circles.<br > The anesthesiologist takes your arm， inserts a small needle， and<br >tapes il down: lhen the pentathol (anesthetic) begins to enter your<br >system through tubing that is connected to the needle， Anesthesia<br >has been usL.d for over 100 ，~ ears. Advances continue with newer and<br >safer kinds of ancslhctic substances and more efficient methods of<br >administration. 52~u may have decided to pay attention a little while<br >longer， to see w hat s going on around you in this curious world. You<br >are determined to. and suddenly: one..， two..， three..， you are<br >asleep. While you sleep during the operation， all your vital functions<br >will be carc{ t~!ly monitored.<br > xvii<br >