I have had surgery/general many, many times. The only bad part for me was the recovery. A little barfing, a little not being able to fully wake up... that's about it. Lasts a few hours. If you barf a lot, they'll give you something to stop it.
As for the sore throat from breathing tubes and what not, I only had that happen once. I was comatose for seven days and on a respirator. I sounded like froggy for a couple days. When I awoke from the coma, I remember looking up at these intensely bright lights, trying to move my arms and screaming at the top of my lungs. But no sound came out because there were several tubes down my throat. I had no idea where I was or what happened. Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw a nurse come around to my IV and inject it with something. Then I was out again. I woke up a couple more times and it took them telling me several times where I was and what happened to me before I could comprehend it. Then the last time I woke up, I didn't have any tubes in me... well just one. I said I had to pee. The nurse said, go ahead... you have a catheter in you. I pulled up the sheets and looked. I was horrified. But even that didn't hurt... then.
As for the sore throat from breathing tubes and what not, I only had that happen once. I was comatose for seven days and on a respirator. I sounded like froggy for a couple days. When I awoke from the coma, I remember looking up at these intensely bright lights, trying to move my arms and screaming at the top of my lungs. But no sound came out because there were several tubes down my throat. I had no idea where I was or what happened. Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw a nurse come around to my IV and inject it with something. Then I was out again. I woke up a couple more times and it took them telling me several times where I was and what happened to me before I could comprehend it. Then the last time I woke up, I didn't have any tubes in me... well just one. I said I had to pee. The nurse said, go ahead... you have a catheter in you. I pulled up the sheets and looked. I was horrified. But even that didn't hurt... then.