I’ve been coming across a lot of stories lately about women being taken advantage of while having surgeries under anesthesia. I’m having a dental surgery very soon under general anesthesia with a male provider and I can’t help but start to feel some anxiety. I’ll be bringing a family member with me, but I’m not sure if they will let her stay in the room for the whole surgery.
I really don’t like the thought of being in a vulnerable position where I don’t have awareness of what’s happening to me. I feel like most people might think I’m being “paranoid” and that nothing is likely to happen during a dental surgery. But I’ve learned that you can NEVER be too trusting. There are stories of women who had been assaulted during dental surgeries before when the nurse left the room and they were alone with the doctor.
I feel like I need to at least try to do something in advance to protect myself while sedated. Maybe I can wear a spandex bodysuit under my clothes - the “all into one” shape wear type of suits that are a bit hard to get into and to take off. Someone with bad intentions might decide it’s not worth the trouble to take the suit off me and put it back on. Or wear two pairs of underwear, and intentionally wear one pair inside out so that I would know immediately if my clothing had been tampered with. Or just try both methods honestly, can never be too safe.