"In a few minutes the anesthesiologist will go over the procedure with you," she said. "Ask him to add caffeine to your line."

Then, indeed when I met with the anesthesiologist, he also laughed -- but agreed that I would be able to mainline my caffeine.

When I got to my private room, the nurses brought me all of the coffee that I wanted. While generally it was the typically weak American brew that can't compare with what I make at home, one nurse had so much pity on me that she brought me a cup of Starbucks coffee. It was almost as good as mine.

During the whole time I was at the hospital I never once experienced a headache. And I was able to maintain exactly the same weight as I had before they operated.