Anesthesia

I had knee surgery today, and as I was waking up from anesthesia, I heard a baby crying. I was convinced I had just given birth to that baby.

I asked the nurse, “Did I have a baby?”

She said, “No, honey, you had knee surgery.”

But I could not get my mind off the baby that I could hear crying. I was hyper-convinced I had given birth, and this crying baby was mine.

I dozed back off, and when I woke up I asked the nurse could I please see my baby now. She gently reminded me that I had not had a baby.

Then my mind was trying to figure it out. I told myself there was no way I had a baby because my pelvic and vaginal areas weren’t sore or in pain. I was very confused since my mind was convinced I had a baby. I dozed off again.

Then I woke up and started telling the nurse how gorgeous the surgeon was. I was gushing about his attractiveness, and she was chuckling. I told her I loved her and she really mattered to me. I felt like I could feel all the love in the Universes. I asked her did she know if I had a baby. She told me no, I had not. I dozed off again.

When I woke back up my friend was in the recovery room with me, and I was trying to get her attention away from the nurse, who was talking with her, to whisper to my friend that I had a baby, and I wanted her to go get my baby.

I dozed back off again but still could hear them both talking. The nurse was giving my friend post-surgery medication instructions for me.

Then, my mood suddenly shifted, and I got irritated because I thought it was rude they were talking about me and I was sitting right there.

So, I said very firmly, “I CAN HEAR YOU!” 😅

The nurse said softly, “That’s good! You’re waking up!” 🤓

After she said that, I started waking up more and more, eating applesauce and drinking some ginger ale. I finally realized I didn’t have a baby and understood I’d had knee surgery.

Disinhibition after surgery is both bizarre and fascinating. The mind can do some wild stuff.

Now that I’ve slept off that medicine, and I am more cognitive, my brain is deeply contemplating how absolutely convinced I was that I’d had a baby. There was a part of my brain that knew it was ridiculous, that I couldn’t possibly have had a baby. Yet, my brain could not pull itself away from the surety that I did have a baby.

I am curious what process is going on in the brain when this is happening. Where is the brain pulling the thoughts from? 🤔🤯

I’d love to discuss this with anyone who has had this experience or who is simply as curious about the mind as I am. 🙌🏻

Vennie Kocsis