50 Years
in the OR
True Stories of Life, Loss, and Laughter While Giving Anesthesia

Published in December 2020 by Loon Lake Press
Amazon#1 New Release in Anesthesiology
Amazon#1 New Release in Medical & Surgical Nursing
Amazon#1 Best Seller in Medical & Surgical Nursing
The First Book about the Unsung Heroes of the Operating Room
It’s a busy time for the anesthetist during surgery. Keeping a watchful eye on the patient’s vital signs and being prepared for any of the possibilities that might develop are an anesthetist’s prime focus. Each case is unique, whether it’s a scheduled surgery on a healthy patient or an emergency for a critical illness. They all require analytical judgments along with many skills to manage them.
Don’t miss the chance to read these entertaining, memorable stories from the OR!

Published in December 2020 by Loon Lake Press
Amazon#1 New Release in Anesthesiology
Amazon#1 New Release in Medical & Surgical Nursing
Amazon#1 Best Seller in Medical & Surgical Nursing
Praise for 50 Years in the OR
“An extraordinary book which brilliantly and compellingly conveys the day-to-day workings of the operating room. What is amazing is how one person could have seen and experienced so much. The chapters are interesting, insightful, hilarious, sometimes sardonic yet compassionate.”
— Kevin M Sweeney, MD, board-certified neurosurgeon, former chief of Neurosurgery of Mease hospitals in Dunedin and Clearwater, Florida
“Ron Whitchurch has the observation, wit and insight of a modern day Mark Twain and the eyebrows and mustache to match.”
— Koco Eaton, MD, ABOS, Team Physician, Tampa Bay Rays
“I loved reading this wonderful collection of triumphs, tragedies, near misses, and so many funny situations in the OR. Ron is a keen observer of the quirks and ironies of life in surgery and a colorful storyteller. A fascinating glimpse at the world on the other side of the drapes.”
— Antonio J Gayoso, MD, ASPS, ASAPS
50 Years in the OR
by Ron Whitchurch
Ron Whitchurch wrote this wildly entertaining book to offer a firsthand look at what happens after patients are anesthetized and what challenges the staff face in keeping them healthy and safe.
50 Years in the OR will give readers an intimate sense of what it’s like to be the only person in the OR who knows the heartbeat-to-heartbeat status of a surgical patient at any given moment.
Ron Whitchurch
Ron Whitchurch earned his R.N. from Abbott Hospital. He graduated from the Minneapolis School of Anesthesia and began working as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in 1971. He enjoyed a long, eventful career in the OR before he retired in 2018 at age 76.
Sadly, Ron passed away in May 2021. He is greatly missed by everyone who knew him. This book is his legacy. He was very proud and happy to have published it as an Amazon bestseller and to reach thousands of readers with his entertaining, informative stories about his 50 years in the OR. Ron’s memory and stories will continue to shine in the pages of this book.