Easley's office said the governor was not sedated during the operation and that he joked with surgeons during the procedure, which he was able to watch.
But one of Easley's doctors, Dr. Bill Garrett, said he expects the governor's "mood to change when the nerve block wears off." Garrett cautioned Easley on the eve of his surgery that he wouldn't be able to drive race cars or fist bump with other politicians.
The governor will have to wear a sling for several weeks and undergo rehabilitation.
