Summary
Summary
For many of the 40 million Americans who undergo anesthesia each year, it is a source of great fear and fascination. In Counting Backwards, Dr. Henry Jay Przybylo-an anesthesiologist with more than thirty years of experience-has written an unforgettable account of the routine procedure's daily dramas and fundamental mysteries. Przybylo has administered anesthesia more than 30,000 times in his career-erasing consciousness, denying memory, and immobilizing the body before reversing all of these effects-on newborn babies, screaming toddlers and sullen teenagers, his own son, and even a gorilla. With compassion and candor, he weaves his experiences into intimate stories that explore the nature of consciousness, the politics of pain relief, and the wonder of modern medicine.Through its intense and humane tales of mistakes, near-disasters, life-saving successes, and moments of grace, Counting Backwards shines a light on one of the most fascinating but unexplored corners of the medical world.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Przybylo, associate professor of anesthesiology at Northwestern University School of Medicine, weaves an enjoyable narrative out of personal anecdotes from the wealth of experience he has gained over more than 30 years in a field that's "ubiquitous but largely invisible." He displays an ever-fresh wonder at and faith in "the gas" that makes invasive medical procedures possible, as well as a determined drive for perfection: "I am striving for pinpoint skill," he writes. Przybylo meticulously cares for patients and their families, who often don't meet "Dr. Jay" until they're on their way to the operating room. He recounts an array of stories, including that of an impish four-year-old whose preoperation snack nearly caused disaster and a lifesaving operation he performed on a baby gorilla. After observing a young patient's hospital agony during a life-altering trip to China, Przybylo says he defined his goal: "to wipe away all pain." Przybylo exalts in his triumphs and learns from his mistakes, taking none of it for granted. He ponders how future generations may judge his field: "Will they view my career as barbaric, as I view the barber-surgeons of the nineteenth century?" Przybylo offers a rare and thoughtful look behind the scenes of this crucial yet arcane specialization. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
Przybylo (anesthesiology, Northwestern Univ.) offers a stirring account of his 30-year career as an anesthesiologist. He tells tales of the first person he ever anesthetized, his experience of working on a baby gorilla, and the time he wasn't allowed to perform anesthesiology on his own son, all interspersed with the history of anesthesiology and the trials and tribulations its early practitioners encountered. Przybylo also goes through his daily process of administering anesthesia and gives amusing and heartfelt anecdotes of his successes and failures. His passion for his work is felt through his stories, and while his admitted quest for absolute perfection may come off as arrogant to some, Przybylo ultimately allows readers a rare peek into the world of one of the more underrated and mysterious procedures in modern medicine. VERDICT Medical students will appreciate -Przybylo's enthusiasm, and casual readers will find his description of his line of work engaging and educational. A solid addition to any nonfiction shelf.-Tyler Hixson, Brooklyn P. L. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.