Dr. Kevin Lawrence Astle, MD

Since the anesthologist is usually the last person you see before you go under, it's a plus when it's a physician whom you instantly trust. And these days, when it happens to be an actual MD and not a nurse anesthetist, and he puts his hand on your shoulder and says that he will be there the entire time - well, the pluses just keep piling on. (As an aside to all the wonderful and incredibly skilled nurses who have given me care over the years, I mean nothing derogatory here; anaesthesia had been a board certification requiring specialty for decades now, however, and as its technological intricacies increase rather than decrease, I find it ironic when hospitals farm out the task to individuals with roughly 7 years less of the education that an anesthesiologist with an MD would have received.) As for Dr. Astle's professionalism, bedside manner, and a general air of calm, quiet confidence - I could not have asked for a better start to this particular surgery. I've had the dubious honor of… undergoing general anasthaesia several times just over the last few years, and after my last two experiences I had dreaded this one somewhat. I had suffered minor but very painful post-anaesthesia complications the last two times despite the fact that I'm relatively young and very fit, and I was not looking forward to the misery again. I shared my concerns with Dr. Astle, but as it turned out, I needn't have worried - none of the post-anaesthesia pain and complications took place under his care, even though this was the most extensive surgery of all that I've ever had. I feel very lucky to have landed in Dr. Astle's kind and extremely competent hands.