At 55, I lightly decided to have several surgeries at once and went ahead with them. I had surgery in the morning but did not wake from general anesthesia until 11 p.m. The nurse woke me and asked me various questions. When I asked what time it was, she said it was 11 p.m. I was truly shocked. I have had general anesthesia eight times, including various surgeries and cosmetic procedures, but I had never slept so late before. Since my home was in Busan and I had surgery in Seoul without a companion, I worried about how concerned my husband must have been. I called him first to reassure him, and then the nurse asked about my condition. I have had cancer surgery and, in February, removal of my uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes, but this was the first time I had been in such pain.
Day 1 after surgery, an honest review. The pain at the surgical sites is not as bad as I expected and is bearable. What was truly difficult began after I woke from anesthesia. At first, my entire body, from my toes to my head, hurt terribly and I was cold. After a while I felt somewhat better, but then my calves began twitching involuntarily. Because cotton was packed in my nose, I could breathe only through my mouth, so my mouth stayed dry and I could not sleep at all because I felt uncomfortable. My eyes were also so swollen that it was difficult to see ahead.
When I closed my eyes, I felt as though my body were floating, and I saw scenes in which my legs were crossed or my head was raised, which startled me. When I opened my eyes, I was not actually in those positions. I have undergone general anesthesia seven times, but this was my first experience like this. My entire body, from the soles of my feet to my scalp, was itchy, which was also extremely difficult. I thought I was going to die from how itchy I was. I told the doctor about all of these symptoms. They said I swell more than most people, but that this can happen.