‘Living nightmare’: Woman recalls waking up in handcuffs, being unable to speak after surgery
A woman recalled feeling “trapped in a living nightmare” when she woke up handcuffed and not able to speak from a surgical procedure.
In an interview with PEOPLE Magazine, Kaitlyn Jenkins said that she was left “absolutely terrified” when she regained consciousness after an operation on her brain and spinal cord.
“I was absolutely terrified—it felt like I was trapped in a living nightmare. When I tried to speak and nothing came out, a wave of panic hit me,” she told the publication. “I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t talk, and not knowing what was happening made everything feel even more surreal—like I was stuck in some kind of fever dream.”
Jenkins said she felt even more scared when she “tried to move [her] hands and realized they were restrained.”
“I was handcuffed to the bed and couldn’t move or speak,” she shared.
The media outlet reported that the medical staff opted for “soft restraints” to “prevent her from pulling out the ventilator she had been placed on for respiratory support needs.”
What they did, however, left Jenkins “completely helpless, like a prisoner trapped inside my own body,” as she put it.
Jenkins recalled having to “trace letters” on the hands of her loved ones so she could let them know when she was in pain. “It was exhausting and felt like no one fully understood how scared I was,” she opened up.
According to PEOPLE Magazine, the hospital staff took out her ventilator and soft restraints when she started showing signs she was getting better, like reduced swelling and improved breathing.
She, however, noted that aside from physical recovery, she likewise needed “mental and emotional recovery” from what happened.
Jenkins brought up a lack of communication between her and the hospital prior to her surgery. "In pre-op, the anesthesiologist quickly mentioned that I might wake up with a ventilator, but they didn’t go into detail about what that actually meant,” she said. "This experience has definitely changed my perspective on surgery and medical procedures. I’ve always known surgery is serious, but this made me realize how important patient communication is—especially when you’re already facing something as life-altering as brain or spinal surgery."
She also recalled experiencing complications after the procedure such as osteolysis (destruction of bone tissue), nerve pain, and difficulty walking, which made her stay in the hospital for six more weeks.
"My entire left side was completely numb, and I couldn’t move my left leg. Relearning to walk was already challenging, but frequent episodes of passing out made it even harder and led to more complications," she continued.
Jenkins started walking again in late February. She now undergoes physical and occupational therapy thrice a week and has AFO braces for mobility. She also wears a bone growth stimulator for four hours every day due to osteolysis.
"This experience has been physically exhausting and emotionally taxing. It’s hard not to think about how things might have been different without the complications, but I try to focus on the progress I am making," she said.
"Every step—literally—is a reminder of how much I’ve fought through, and while recovery hasn’t been easy, I’m determined to keep going," she added, expressing her appreciation for her family and her boyfriend whose support "has made the hardest days a little more bearable."
Per PEOPLE Magazine, Jenkins is battling Chiari malformation type 1 and craniocervical instability with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which are diseases targeting her connective tissues, brain, and spine. She's undergone several surgeries and dealt with a "lifetime of chronic pain" due to her health conditions.
