"I Want To Be Sedated" Or do I?

   Today is May 2.  I woke up with no pain, at least not in my knees.  Actually, they're in better shape today, have no idea why.  I started thinking about operations, procedures, and anesthesia.
   The first 3 times I was ever in the hospital, and in line for anesthesia, was for childbirth.  The first time, I was administered Demerol, which caused me to be in a state of sheer oblivion, and stopped all progression of any sort,so the doctor ordered I be given no more drugs until the actual birth.  (The things they did to you after the child was born were evidently worse than the birthing itself.)  The second time, the baby was born so soon after I got to the hospital, whatever anesthesia was given occurred pretty much simultaneously with the birth, so I don't remember much about it.  The third birth occurred in "modern times,"  and I opted for no anesthesia.  It turned out to be not much different than having drugs only at the last few minutes anyway.
    I avoided hospitals and procedures for about another 15 years until I began the ritual of routine colonoscopies, every 5 years.  It was always an outpatient procedure, and I think any sedation was mild and short-lasting since the procedure takes only about 15-20 minutes.
  In 2003, I underwent 3 surgeries: all were  outpatient, and whatever anesthesia was administered for the first operation left me feeling really nauseated.  The surgeon for the next 2 operations promised me she  wouldn't let that happen again, and it didn't, either time.
   In 2009 and 2011, I was lightly sedated for cataract surgery, again a 15-30 minute procedure where you are awake, but "foggy" for the duration of the phacoemulsificaction.
    That brings me up to the last year, which involved my having anesthesia multiple times:  the first, and most ominous, a bladder biopsy; the second, a ureteroscopy with kidney stone removal, then 2 separate  lithotripsies, and the latest colonoscopy.  I can't recall what anesthetics were given, but after one procedure, I felt nauseated.  These procedures were all out-patient, though given the emergency basis of the kidney stone, the surgeon couldn't operate until 5:30 P.M. so I spent the night in the hospital.  Hated it.  The oral surgeon offered Valium, which I declined, laughing gas, which she prefaced by saying it wouldn't really make me laugh, which I also declined, and finally, someone to hold my hand.  No, Thank You. Just let me out of here. 
    So here I am, evaluating.  The past year, I've had more procedures, and more anesthesia, than in my whole life before that.  What if I've reached my limit?  Except for maternity stays, I've never been an in-patient at a hospital, though I did spend that one night after the evening kidney stone retrieval.  I absolutely hated every minute of that horrible room.  So do I really want to experience that again, I ask myself.  Because, as I said before, nobody knows, but you.  I think that's also a song.