Posted by syringachalet on December 30, 2002, at 18:59:11
In reply to How much is a lobotomy nowadays?, posted by utopizen on December 25, 2002, at 23:28:19
During my nursing training on the states ownded psych units back in the late 1970s, I was assigned the care of a male patient whom had a lobotomy back in the 1950s.
He had been a professioanl boxer and since his admission had retained a right hook that could still knock a adult male attendent on his butt.
This patients medical record(which was over 12 inches thick), had been tried on all of the current medical treatment of the time prior to his lobotomy. Neither the insulin therapys or the ECT treatments back then helped calm this now gentle giant of a man.His mental illness was pre- Thorazine, Stelaizne, Melleril; neither Prolixin or Haldol were probably even concieved yet.He did had two half inch burr holes drilled into the frontal part of his skull(on top of the skull but in front of the ears laterally). The doctors were not able to totally sedate him during the procedure as with any of todays brain surgerys. The doctors needed to be able to constantly assess the patients vital signs and his level of consciencious and ability to follow simple commands..open eyes, move finger, etc. It was thought back in the 1950s that it was kindered to calm the pateint by this procedure than to house him like an animal in a cell or keep him tied down running the risk of hurting himself or others.
(I have had burr holes in my own head once (NOT TO HAVE A LOBOTOMY) and after numbing the skin, there is really not a lot of pain...but that another story!)
Medications for treatment for anxiety, depression and anger have snowballed over the eyars and no MD now would consider such a procedure now.
I have seen several patients over the years whom had done their own 'chemical lobotomy' with illegal drugs and alcohol. Combining these with precription drugs is a receipe for disaster.
And as for one whom has seen its permentent effects, you would not want have any of it...
After all, what is YOUR personal freedom and independence (at whatever level it might be right now) worth to you?? Once you figure that out, then the rest is fairly simple...syringachalet
poster:syringachalet
thread:33047
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20021226/msgs/34204.html