[idlemind]

Even if you don’t wake up during surgery, it feels like there’s an imprint of the trauma. I had a very long operation and by the time I came round I was in pieces emotionally, with no clear idea of what had happened but still a deep sense of dread. On some level it felt like my body knew what had just happened.

[sidlls]

It's common for people to be disoriented and emotionally unstable after surgery.

[gwern]

But should we take that observation as evidence against, or for...?

[afro88]

How long for?

[idlemind]

6 hours

[cortesoft]

Are you sure that isn’t just the comedown from the anesthesia?

[idlemind]

Could be! It’s an emotional moment and not a particularly nice place to wake up. But there’s definitely something at the back of your mind telling you something fairly awful happened. Of course your mind knows this anyway - you know you had surgery and have the scars - so it could all be an illusion.