Morphine

Named after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams.

On the positive side: It tells the receptors in the brain to dull pain and to produce a sense of euphoria which relieves fear and anxiety. It's too bad they don't give it to you in the weeks leading up to surgery to relieve the fear and anxiety of what's coming.

On the negative side: Morphine's sedating effects impair physical and mental performance and decrease hunger.  My question is .. how much of what I say and do in the first couple of days after surgery can I blame  on the morphine?  Surely it's a great excuse to sleep through the hospital visit by the boring neighbour or to say complete gibberish to the yahoo from the office.  And really .... is decreased hunger ever a negative side effect?


I don't think I've had morphine before, and those who have, tell me I'd remember if I did.  Here's to hoping it does its job because the pain of the first few days of recovery is the only thing causing me anxiety. I trust the neurosurgeon to do his thing, and I trust the rest of the medical team to do what's right ..... I just need to trust the painkillers to do their thing.

But if the side effects of morphine turn me into a drooling, incoherent, spaced out crazy person - take video :)