Why would an atheist fear a very risky surgery?

You have the choice of a very risky surgery that could kill you on the table or a illness that will take you down slow and painful. As an atheist why would you fear going for the surgery and possibly dying on the table? According to what an atheist believes you won’t know you died or were dead. The last thing you’d remember is greeting ready to be prepped for the surgery, one you are ”put under” there is no further memory, so if one dies as atheist would have it you would just be no more. Would not avoiding the surgery and a painful death __even if you won’t remember that exact moment,__ be worse that maybe going without any memory?