Woman Wakes Up From Surgery Handcuffed and Unable to Speak (Exclusive)

• Kaitlyn Jenkins found herself on a ventilator and handcuffed following a craniocervical fusion surgery, an experience she calls a "living nightmare"
• Though being placed on a ventilator was a likely outcome for this surgery, Jenkins says she didn't feel properly informed prior to the procedure
• She is now an advocate for patient communication and uses her social media to talk about her experiences

Waking up in the hospital after surgery is an unsettling experience in itself, but for Kaitlyn Jenkins, the moment she regained consciousness after brain and spinal cord surgery turned into an unexpected "nightmare."

The 21-year-old suffers from Chiari malformation type 1, craniocervical instability (CCI), and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). These conditions, which affect her connective tissues, brain and spine, have led to numerous surgeries and a lifetime of chronic pain. 

After years of searching for answers, Jenkins finally found a neurosurgeon in New York who specialized in her condition and recommended craniocervical fusion surgery. But no one prepared her for the horrifying experience that awaited her upon waking up from the procedure. 

“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. 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 tells PEOPLE exclusively. 

“When I tried to move my hands and realized they were restrained — what my hospital called 'bracelet reminders' — the fear intensified. I was handcuffed to the bed and couldn’t move or speak.” 

The medical team had used soft restraints to prevent her from pulling out the ventilator she had been placed on for respiratory support needs. But for Jenkins, who was only 20 at the time, the experience was jarring. “In that moment, I felt completely helpless, like a prisoner trapped inside my own body,” she says. 

She even resorted to tracing letters on her mother’s hand when she couldn’t speak, asking for her boyfriend.

“I needed him by my side — he’s been with me through every step of this journey,” she says. Her immediate reaction was to scribble an “R” on her mom’s hand, symbolizing his name. 

“I couldn’t ask questions or let anyone know I was in pain, which only made the panic worse. I tried my best to communicate by tracing letters on my mom’s hand, but it was exhausting and felt like no one fully understood how scared I was,” Jenkins explains. 

“I wish the hospital had a better system for patients to communicate when they’re on a ventilator and restrained — because in those moments, not being able to express myself made an already terrifying experience even harder to endure.”

Eventually, after the swelling had reduced and her ability to breathe on her own was assessed, the medical team removed both the ventilator and the soft restraints. However, the emotional impact of the experience lingered long after the physical restraints were removed. 

“It’s not just a physical recovery; there’s a mental and emotional recovery that takes time, too,” Jenkins says. 

What struck her the most was the lack of communication leading up to the 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,” Jenkins recalls. 

Since she had already undergone two brain surgeries without needing a ventilator, she didn’t think much of it, leaving her unprepared for the reality of waking up restrained and unable to speak. 

“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 tells PEOPLE. 

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Following the surgery, complications and additional health issues have led to further setbacks. Jenkins has endured issues such as osteolysis (the breakdown of bone tissue), nerve pain, and difficulty walking – all of which have made recovery slow and unpredictable. 

“I spent six weeks in the hospital due to complications — 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,” Jenkins says. 

“One particularly bad pass-out episode during physical therapy, when my PT didn’t catch me, resulted in the back of my head hitting the table. That fall caused damage that now requires me to catheterize myself daily — a lasting consequence I never expected. Another passing-out episode caused occipital neuralgia, which now brings constant nerve pain.”

On Feb. 28, Jenkins began walking again, but due to the numbness in her left hand and leg, she struggles with drop foot. Jenkins relies on AFO braces to maintain mobility and attends physical and occupational therapy three times a week.  

As a result of her osteolysis, three screws used during surgery came loose, and she now wears a bone growth stimulator four hours a day, hoping her bones will grow and fuse faster than the rate at which they are breaking down. 

Nevertheless, her determination and support system have helped keep her going. 

“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 says.  

“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. My family and my boyfriend have been my rock through all of this, and their support has made the hardest days a little more bearable.”

But for Jenkins, this journey is not just about physical healing. Her experience has changed her perspective on surgery and patient communication. She now advocates for more transparent conversations between medical teams and patients, especially when the risks and after-effects of surgery can be so overwhelming. 

"I’ve learned that while these experiences can be traumatizing, they also reveal how strong you are and how much the people who love you are willing to fight for you," she says. Despite the fear and unrelenting complications, Jenkins remains hopeful and determined to fight and take control of her health over time.