Comments on: Anesthesia awareness medical malpractice lawsuits http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/ Malpractice, Personal Injury & Accident Lawyers Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:37:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Pat http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-473 Pat Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:29:02 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-473 I was awake during long segments of open heart surgery. The pain I experienced was beyond anything words can describe. I have been diagnosed with PTSD, see a therapist weekly and am taking Zoloft and Welbutrin for depression, Ambien to sleep and Xanax for anxiety, which, at times, is extreme. Last week I had a mole removed from my upper arm. Because I'm on a blood thinner the doctor cauterized my arm to stop the bleeding. The minute I smelled my burning flesh I was back in the operating room, in severe pain, and unable to communicate with anyone. I got hysterical in the dermatologist's exam room and had to run out, half naked, into the hall to get away from the smell. The pain I experienced during the heart surgery was so horrendous I tried to "kill myself" by not breathing, but then remembered that there was a breathing tube down my throat. In my head I kept screaming "SEE ME! LOOK AT ME!" and no one did. The heart surgeon would never speak to me about this experience. The anesthesialogist did come to my room three days after surgery and tell me everything went well. I couldn't believe this!!! I did have a psych. eval. while in the hospital but the reports are very nebulous. I have copies of all medical records pertaining to this surgery and chronological anecdotal records of my hourly and daily experiences, both pre and post op. I was awake during long segments of open heart surgery. The pain I experienced was beyond anything words can describe. I have been diagnosed with PTSD, see a therapist weekly and am taking Zoloft and Welbutrin for depression, Ambien to sleep and Xanax for anxiety, which, at times, is extreme. Last week I had a mole removed from my upper arm. Because I’m on a blood thinner the doctor cauterized my arm to stop the bleeding. The minute I smelled my burning flesh I was back in the operating room, in severe pain, and unable to communicate with anyone. I got hysterical in the dermatologist’s exam room and had to run out, half naked, into the hall to get away from the smell. The pain I experienced during the heart surgery was so horrendous I tried to “kill myself” by not breathing, but then remembered that there was a breathing tube down my throat. In my head I kept screaming “SEE ME! LOOK AT ME!” and no one did. The heart surgeon would never speak to me about this experience. The anesthesialogist did come to my room three days after surgery and tell me everything went well. I couldn’t believe this!!! I did have a psych. eval. while in the hospital but the reports are very nebulous. I have copies of all medical records pertaining to this surgery and chronological anecdotal records of my hourly and daily experiences, both pre and post op.

]]> By: Anna http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-472 Anna Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:37:43 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-472 I had a total right hip arthoplasty on Monday, July 19, 2010. When I woke up in recovery I felt something was wrong, but I didn't say anything. Later that day the physicians assistant asked me if I remembered telling her that It hurt, or words to that effect. I am slowly getting flashes of my surgery, and I feel emotionally vulnerable (EXTREMELY). It was obvious to me and is becoming more clear daily that I woke up when the surgeon was operating on me. I am scared to death, and quite apprehensive about what to say or do next. I had a total right hip arthoplasty on Monday, July 19, 2010. When I woke up in recovery I felt something was wrong, but I didn’t say anything. Later that day the physicians assistant asked me if I remembered telling her that It hurt, or words to that effect. I am slowly getting flashes of my surgery, and I feel emotionally vulnerable (EXTREMELY). It was obvious to me and is becoming more clear daily that I woke up when the surgeon was operating on me. I am scared to death, and quite apprehensive about what to say or do next.

]]> By: Carol Weihrer http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-471 Carol Weihrer Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:45:29 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-471 As President of the Anesthesia Awareness Campaign, Inc., www.anesthesiaawareness.com, I urge all victims of anesthesia awareness to contact this Campaign in addition to anyone else. And I would submit that the 30-year CRNA (or anesthesiologist) just doesn't know who was left awake....... Carol Weihrer 703-437-7327 As President of the Anesthesia Awareness Campaign, Inc., http://www.anesthesiaawareness.com, I urge all victims of anesthesia awareness to contact this Campaign in addition to anyone else.

And I would submit that the 30-year CRNA (or anesthesiologist) just doesn’t know who was left awake…….

Carol Weihrer
703-437-7327

]]> By: steve http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-470 steve Sat, 25 Oct 2008 23:10:22 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-470 I had a lipoma in the front of my neck about the size of a plum. I went into surgery 3 days ago to have it removed. I'm not someone who has a story of not being able to communicate the fact that I was awake during the procedure. Once I was in the recovery room I got up to use the bathroom and was quite surprised to see a small cut in between my eyes as well as a small abrasion on my forehead near my hairline. I asked the nearest nurse what had happened to me. She summoned the anesthesiologist nurse that had "taken care of me". She started off by telling me how stong I am. The cuts I had on my face came from her fingernails when she was trying to keep me from getting off the table. She said my breathing at one point became somewhat shallow and she grabbed my chin to open up my airway. At that moment I woke up and tried to get up and yelled at them to get off me. During that struggle I recieved the cuts to my face. She also told me I had told her to stop talking to me like im a 12 year old. Clearly I wasn't to pleased to be waking up in a room full of strangers with masks on that were cutting my neck open! I'm thinking someone should be losing their job. I had a lipoma in the front of my neck about the size of a plum. I went into surgery 3 days ago to have it removed. I’m not someone who has a story of not being able to communicate the fact that I was awake during the procedure. Once I was in the recovery room I got up to use the bathroom and was quite surprised to see a small cut in between my eyes as well as a small abrasion on my forehead near my hairline. I asked the nearest nurse what had happened to me. She summoned the anesthesiologist nurse that had “taken care of me”. She started off by telling me how stong I am. The cuts I had on my face came from her fingernails when she was trying to keep me from getting off the table. She said my breathing at one point became somewhat shallow and she grabbed my chin to open up my airway. At that moment I woke up and tried to get up and yelled at them to get off me. During that struggle I recieved the cuts to my face. She also told me I had told her to stop talking to me like im a 12 year old. Clearly I wasn’t to pleased to be waking up in a room full of strangers with masks on that were cutting my neck open! I’m thinking someone should be losing their job.

]]> By: Shane http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-469 Shane Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:51:53 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-469 Linda, My mother has went through this and until you have or someone in your family has you need to be compassionate. I see you just follow the party lines of "It can't be OUR Fault." WHen you read medical records and see that mistakes are make and they contiue the surgery after someone has been bucking and even listed as crying...then you can talk. Until then you need to have compassion. I am sure glad in my surgeries I have had better CRNA's than you, who have all told me, the only reason it happens, is because the Anesthiaologist doesn't perform their job properly. Linda,

My mother has went through this and until you have or someone in your family has you need to be compassionate. I see you just follow the party lines of “It can’t be OUR Fault.” WHen you read medical records and see that mistakes are make and they contiue the surgery after someone has been bucking and even listed as crying…then you can talk. Until then you need to have compassion. I am sure glad in my surgeries I have had better CRNA’s than you, who have all told me, the only reason it happens, is because the Anesthiaologist doesn’t perform their job properly.

]]> By: Linda Fernandes http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-468 Linda Fernandes Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:57:29 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-468 I have been a CRNA for 30 yrs. To my knowledge none of my pts. have had anes. awareness! When reporting cases of anes. awareness*abd. pt.*was it an emergency case? was the bowel perforated? was the pt. septic?*all of these and more reasons would establish why the pt. had little anes in the first part of the surgery. Keeping the pt. alive is the first and foremost goal of of very anes. care provider. Did the eye pt. have a block with sedation*pain is from an inadequate block by the surgeon?*More facts should be reported not only the pt. had awareness. Anesthesia care providers DO NOT intentionally make sure that their pt.s do not have adequate anesthesia! For those who have awareness, there is ALWAYS more to the case than what is presented to the public. I have been a CRNA for 30 yrs. To my knowledge none of my pts. have had anes. awareness! When reporting cases of anes. awareness*abd. pt.*was it an emergency case? was the bowel perforated? was the pt. septic?*all of these and more reasons would establish why the pt. had little anes in the first part of the surgery. Keeping the pt. alive is the first and foremost goal of of very anes. care provider. Did the eye pt. have a block with sedation*pain is from an inadequate block by the surgeon?*More facts should be reported not only the pt. had awareness. Anesthesia care providers DO NOT intentionally make sure that their pt.s do not have adequate anesthesia! For those who have awareness, there is ALWAYS more to the case than what is presented to the public.

]]> By: Anesthesia Problems - Awareness During Surgery - Medical Malpractice Lawyers | Legal News & Updates Blog - Saiontz, Kirk & Miles http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-467 Anesthesia Problems - Awareness During Surgery - Medical Malpractice Lawyers | Legal News & Updates Blog - Saiontz, Kirk & Miles Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:40:11 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/04/15/anesthesia-awareness/#comment-467 [...] Anesthesia awareness is a problem which could occur if the anesthesia is ineffective, improperly delivered or poorly controlled. It describes a state where the patient could be partially or fully awake during surgery, hearing sounds and feeling pain from the procedure. Many who have experienced the anesthesia problems describe it as the worst experience of their life, and psychologists often equate the emotional trauma to that of a rape victim. [...] [...] Anesthesia awareness is a problem which could occur if the anesthesia is ineffective, improperly delivered or poorly controlled. It describes a state where the patient could be partially or fully awake during surgery, hearing sounds and feeling pain from the procedure. Many who have experienced the anesthesia problems describe it as the worst experience of their life, and psychologists often equate the emotional trauma to that of a rape victim. [...]

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