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I was observing NIP/TUCK on SABC3 and a scene made be really think, although I have to admit I was scared at the thought of what was happening. I realized how horrifying anesthesia awareness could be if in fact it would happen to me when in surgery for some reason.

I think this is a phobia for every human being. If its not, it will be after it happens. The shock alone will be enough to kill me. But a doctor friend said chances of dying during such an experience are very minimum since your entire body is calmed and that's very unfortunately for you since you can't talk and move in any way but cry and scream inside. Its right there with being buried alive!


You feel the whole process, every knife cute, probe, nip, tuck, drain and stitch. Imagine if you have one of those six hour operations. But the doctor admitted it does happen. Unless your surgery was high risk to begin with and needed you absolutely calm, this may just push you to enter the kingdom early.


The scene was about a women who has serious self esteem issues after she copied “The Carver’s” attacks, by using a bread knife to cut her self with hopes of getting free plastic surgery so that she could be noticed – code for getting a man. She goes under and instead of seeing daisies, she is awake during the entire surgery and can even hear the doctor’s conversation, but her entire body is numb.  KARMA is a mother of a __________

So this got me thinking… how many people does this happen to, in real life and how do you deal with such trauma?


Here are some findings:

A family said the horrifying experience of being conscious during surgery but unable to move or speak led directly to the Beckley minister's suicide. Sizemore, a former coal miner and Baptist minister, was admitted to Raleigh General Hospital on Jan. 19, 2006, for surgery aimed at diagnosing the cause of abdominal pain, according to a lawsuit filed March 13 in Raleigh County Circuit Court.

An anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist who worked for Raleigh Anesthesia Associates gave Sizemore paralyzing drugs to prevent his muscles from jerking and twitching during the surgery, the complaint alleges. But it says they failed to give him general anesthesia to render him unconscious until 29 minutes into the procedure — 16 minutes after the first cut into his abdomen. Sizemore was awake for the procedure, but couldn't speak or move. Feb. 2, 2006, Sizemore killed himself. His family says he had no history of psychological distress before his surgery.


It is reported that some patients -- including people getting heart surgery, emergency surgery, or C-sections -- may be more likely to experience anesthesia awareness. That's because doctors may need to use a lighter dose of anesthetic to keep the patient (or baby, in the case of C-section) stable.

"My toes wouldn't move. My whole body was completely paralyzed. I had no way to let them know I was awake...I felt the doctor take my hand and I thought oh dear god, they're getting ready to cut my hand." That's Jodie Stanley describing being awake during surgery.


Then according to Dr. Peter Sebel of Emory University School of Medicine; “They (patients) may remember sounds or conversations in the operating room or they may have excruciating pain or wake up feeling paralyzed, not being able to respond. It's like being alive, but inside a corpse,". Can imagine how horrifying this must be.

Here are some important points you should address with your doctor before going under:

Operating room brain monitors: Are they available in your facility?

Weight: Your body mass index (BMI) or amount of body fat is a factor. Anecdotally, women and slimmer patients report more awareness.

Age: The older you are, the less anesthesia you need.

Existing disease: Your risk can change, especially with diabetes or cancer.
Medications/herbal supplements: Any medications including herbal supplements can have a big effecton the anesthesia.

Type of surgery: Some surgeries are more susceptible to awareness including cardiac and obstetric operations and acute trauma surgery.




By The Observer

This is not a review of the show. The Observers Reviews and observations of Nip/Tuck will be published soon!

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