Anesthesia: The Last and First Thing You Heard

Nurses General Nursing

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Ok little game. There was a thread started by someone having surgery today and someone stated the last and first thing they heard with anesthesia, so I figured it would be a fun little thread!

I'll go first!

03-09-09

Lap Chole

"Ok feel the edge of the bed here, ok good. Now this side. Do you feel centered?"

nod

CRNA "I am going to push a little medici..."

oxygen off

eyes open

"Ok good, I am going to get you some milk and grahms, then I just need you to pee"

My anesthesiologist came to visit me later and said I did nothing but yammer on when they reversed me about not getting to count backwards :) Thank god it was that and not something goofy about my doc! My mom was so paranoid that she had said something silly during her lap appy that she was more concerned about that on the follow up appointment than the checkup!

Post your stories!

Tait

Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I've had several endoscopic procedures. With the last one, the nurse was actually able to get the IV in my hand (they usually have to go higher). They warned me they were going to start the versed and I felt that stuff burn all the way from my hand to my armpit, felt reassured that it must be a good IV or it wouldn't hurt all the way up. My next memory was being in a large restroom and my husband is trying to put on my bra. This is not a skill he has. He said later that I had been talking for at least a half hour before that, having asked him about 30 times "what did the doctor say?".

And by the way, that vein ached from my hand to my AC area for 3-4 months after the procedure. I learned a lot from that about sympathizing with patients about meds that burn and that they might not just be whiny.

Also, when I had my tonsils out, I remember moments before they pushed in the milky looking stuff (didn't know what it was at the time), someone on the surgical team said she knew me. Of course she was masked and is saying "Hey, we graduated together! It's me, Yvonne!". I had enough time to say "hi!" and then blackness. Then when I woke up from that, I was trying to explain to the PACU nurse "I'm always tachycardic". Apparently, it all came out as mush, but then she knew I was awake.

The last thing I remember hearing before surgery to open up breast abcesses (side effect of radiation therapy for breast cancer): "Oh my God, her blood pressure's gone."

In the recovery room: "Dr. X took biopsies, the cancer's probably back."

I had been given a med I am allergic to in the holding area, had to be intubated before being moved to the OR. The biopsy showed radionecrosis and inflammation, but no more breast cancer. I still have nightmares about that surgery.

Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
I had a bad pregnancy and when my water broke, it was brown. After an emergency c-section I was still heavily sedated. I heard the Paramedics talking about the baby and how it'd only take a few min. to take him to another hospital that had a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I heard the baby's heart monitor as it beeped going down the hall. The baby turned out to have Trisomy 13 and died 12 days later in the hospital.
I am so sorry for your loss dear. That must have been a very difficult experience for you. By the way, what is Trisomy 13?
Specializes in Psychiatrics.

I was having surgery and was 12 at the time....the surgeron was going to tell my mother that I was a good girl...

What I heard was...

"And we'll tell your mom that you were a good girl....good girl....good girl...good" then I was out....

Getting my tonsils out:

Last thing I siad while being in the surgery area "You guys all look like MARSHMELLOWS!" (They had white hats and white drapes on)

First thing I remeber when waking up is that the nurse was helping me sit up and I wished my mother was there because I didnt know this lady and she smelled funny.

When I was 18, I had some neurofibromas removed. As they placed the mask over my face, I heard someone behind my head (probably the scrub nurse) say "oops!". My last thought was 'no 'oops' get me outta here'. Waking up, I remember saying 'ooh, it feels like when they got me drunk' and then, seeing my mom at my bedside, 'oh, momma, don't tell daddy!'.:coollook:

It's fun to see what the patient remembers. I've heard all kinds of things, going out and waking up, in the 20 years I've worked in the OR! I do try to be sure that the last thing a pt hears from me is 'we're going to take good care of you'. I also tell them, as anes. starts pushing the propofol, 'pick out a nice dream'.

Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, ED, Psych.

12/16/09 @ 1400 -Tonsillectomy

MD or Whoever was speaking (couldn't see them) : Okay, you might feel a burning sensation. We are administering the anesthesia right now.

Me: (Had burning chest pains) Doctor, I feel a burning......Out Like a Light

IN PACU @ 1530

Nurse: Take deep breaths

Me: I Need something for pain

Nurse: On a 0-10 Scale, What is your pain level?

Me: 10 - Help a brotha out (lol - even under anesthesia I am still ghetto)

Specializes in Telemetry/Cardiac/Neuro.

lap chole on saturday

last thing said, in response to crna saying she was giving me versed - 'oh i like versed, makes you forget'. out

first thing heard when i woke up - 'come on beth, take deep breaths for me, breathe!' seems my o2 sats were a tad low & i was being lazy with my breathing. the pacu nurses sat me up & had me cough, which solved the problem.

first thing said - 'pain'

No personal experiences, but have seen several family members go in/come out of surgery... here are just a few funny things they said:

My father-in-law, right after being given versed (I think): "Cock...cock...cockadoodle doo & pepe la peu!"

Trying to get my mom to use her incentive spirometer, still groggy from anesthesia: Me - "suck in, mom" Mom - *pant, pause* "Blow?" Me - "no, suck" Mom - *pant, pause* "Blow?" This went on for awhile LOL Same surgery, we were trying to get her to wake up (had bad reaction the anesthesia, we later found out), I kept saying "Mom, mom... ROBIN!" Then she'd wake up and glare at me... I'd say it again, same thing would happen. After the third time, she looked at my dad and said "I don't like her calling me that!", then back out she went LOL And she also quoted Harry Potter books she never read and said the doctor and nurses were plotting to kill her... was a very funky few days!

After my husband's lap chole, the CNA - a woman I knew well and worked with - was taking his vitals, and his temp read as 94.1... she looks at me with this WTH look on her face. His temp normally runs low, around 95 (don't ask me why), but it took forever to convince her he wasn't dying or something LOL

There are many more, but these are some of the best :D

Specializes in Postpartum.

12/09 Lap chole.

Nurse gave me versed in holding area. Told my DH bye and we went down the hall. Halfway there this conversation happened.

Her: You feeling that versed?

Me: Nope I think you gave me saline and kept it for yourself.

Her: OH Lord!

Get to OR and I jump on the table and get comfy.

MD: You comfy?

Me: Not really, but I am guessing I won't care in a minute.

Nurse: I gave her versed....Didn't phase her.

MD: hmmmmm. I am pushing meds now hon.

Me: Hey That Burns! (while I hold my hand up.)

MD: (chuckling) You won't care in a minute. Catch her ARM!

OUT

Wake up mid sentence talking to the PACU nurse about how evil my nurse manager is. Did I mention I work at the same hospital I had surgery in? After I realized what I was saying, I swore her to secrecy...LOL.

Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

Tubal ligation: Me: Watch my breathing... gone. After? 5 hours of trying to wake up, then my mom was there.

Lithotripsy, I didn't know how modern that procedure had gotten. The versed was so cool, the trash can grew eyeballs (preop room) and the walls grew paisley things. I yammered on to my husband about how to have sex on a gurney without turning it over (I really don't know how to do this) and luckily shut up on the way to surgery. Got mischievous with the mask and held my breath so I could listen and watch. A head appeared over me: "You are going to sleep one way or another missy" and gone. After was several rounds of "how do you feel?" and I'd say "pukey" and be out again. Woke up in preop room. On the way out to the car, I yelled "tweety bird" at a cardiologist.

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, home-care.

2008 - Aortic valve replacement

"when do I get the good drugs"

"Right after you answer all the questions we need to ask" '

"OK, we are taking you to the OR" OUT

Waking up at 2am and looking at a HUGE clock.. Thinking "WOW this is what open heart surgery feels like" OUT

Pulling the tubes out of my lungs "OK now, take a deep breath"

Thinking "Wow, I've made it this far already"

Trying to get out of bed to urinate, while I had a cather.

Standing at my bed to urinate, with the cather in.

Great drugs..... Kind nurses.... Great doctors...

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