#1
#2
Do you think they call it sand because it's between the sea and the land?
God love her, she was a riot the whole way home.
#3
Before we get into all the hilarious post-surgery rambling, it helps to understand what anesthesia actually does. In simple terms, it’s a group of medications designed to keep your body from registering pain during a medical procedure. These drugs temporarily shut down the nerve signals that would normally travel from the part of your body being worked on to your brain. Because those signals never arrive, your brain stays blissfully unaware of whatever is happening. It’s like your body hits a temporary “mute button,” letting doctors do what they need to do without you feeling a thing.
#4
Unfortunately, she was holding his hand.
#5
I'm also 100% gay.
#6
Not all anesthesia works the same way, and that’s where things get interesting. Some forms simply block sensation in one small part of your body so you can stay awake and aware. Others work on a deeper level, quieting your entire brain so you drift into a peaceful, dreamless sleep while surgeons take care of the heavy lifting. The method depends entirely on what kind of procedure you’re having: tiny stitches and major surgeries obviously require very different approaches. Whether you're awake, drowsy, or fully unconscious, the goal is the same: no pain and no panic.
#7
#8
#9
Also, not anesthesia but Dilaudid: I called my husband from the ER once rambling about how totally amazing it was that we have fingers- "They're so helpful, and they're like, always there! They're like little friends that you get to carry around with you everywhere." It didn't take him too long to figure out they had me high as a kite but he was super confused at first.
Local anesthesia is the simplest of the bunch. It numbs just one specific area of your body, leaving the rest of you fully awake and functioning. Doctors often use it for quick or minimally invasive procedures: think skin biopsies, dental work, or a fast fix on a small injury. You can talk, breathe normally, and stay completely aware while the numbed spot gets treated. Out of all the types, this one causes the least post-procedure silliness.
Sedation is that strange middle zone where you’re not fully asleep, but you’re definitely not fully alert either. It relaxes your body and slows your brain just enough to make you comfortable and chilled out during the procedure. Many people describe it as being so cozy that they could fall asleep at any moment, yet still able to respond if someone speaks to them. It’s often used for things like wisdom tooth removal, heart catheterizations, or certain screenings. Most people under sedation barely remember what happened at all.
#10
#11
I ended up getting moved to a different recovery area, where I was then asked to be quiet because I thought I was listening to Nicki Minaj, but infact it was just me slaughtering the lyrics to an imaginary beat.
#12
I was convinced that the 5 pointed star shapes on the curtains were starfish.
Not only were the starfish moving, they were dancing. Specifically, the waltz. And I told this to every single person that walked by.
"They're not just dancing. They're *waltzing*".
Regional anesthesia takes things a step further by numbing a large portion of your body rather than a tiny spot. Instead of just dulling a fingertip or small area, it can block sensation in an entire limb or everything from the waist down. It’s commonly used during childbirth with epidurals or for surgeries involving arms, legs, or the lower body. You’ll remain awake, but you won’t feel anything in the region being worked on, which can be both comforting and surreal.
#13
#14
Me: "MY PANTS. WHERE ARE THEY."
Nurse: "Sir, they're next to the -"
Me: "TAKE ME TO THE ROOM WHERE YOU'RE KEEPING MY PANTS."
Nurse: "They're right over -"
Me: "MY PANTS WOMAN. GOOD GOD.".
#15
All I remember was feeling GREAT, I mean seriously amazing.
When I sorta came too, I remember asking how much longer til it's over. And they said "we're done!"
The nurse brought me out to the car with my parents, and helped me out to the car. And on the car ride home I asked "why was the nurse was so friendly?"
My parents told me that I confessed my love for short haired brunettes, and that she would be my wife because "she was perfect" and "I loved her."
Haha...I had no game at the time.
General anesthesia is the big one: the full lights-out experience. It shuts down your awareness completely, putting you into a deep, controlled sleep where you can’t feel pain or respond to anything around you. This is reserved for major surgeries involving the chest, abdomen, or head, where you absolutely shouldn’t be conscious for obvious reasons. Doctors carefully monitor everything, from your breathing to your heart rate, to keep you safe. When you wake up, you usually have no memory of what happened.
#16
He has no idea why he wanted me to call him Shrek.
I had to have surgery a few months later, and when I had woken up, I called my boyfriend on the hospital phone and told him he could call me Fiona from now on.
#17
#18
Even though anesthesia feels temporary, the medications can linger in your system long after the procedure ends. Depending on what type you received: sedation, regional, or general, your body and brain may stay foggy for hours. That’s why doctors always warn people not to work, sign paperwork, or drive until the effects have fully worn off. Your coordination, reaction time, and judgment just aren’t back to normal yet. On the other hand, if you only had local anesthesia, you’re usually good to go once your doctor gives the okay.
#19
I still remember asking him if he liked chicken and dumpling soup.
Him: "It's delicious, and why do you ask?"
...
Me: "Because that is what I look like [undressed]! Pale and lumpy!"
