The Neuroscience Of An Unwanted Limb (Video)
ABC TV: For most people, having a limb amputated is one of the worst things they can imagine. But some rare people actually want their limb removed. Jonica Newby explores their strange world – and has an out of body experience while she’s at it.
Narration: One morning, Robert Vickers purchased a large quantity of dry ice, and set about destroying his perfectly healthy left leg.
Robert Vickers: Initially there was a bit of pain. But I guess knowing the outcome, the endorphins or whatever were probably running rampant through my body. And then later in the day when I thought it was just about done, I rang my wife, asked her to come and collect me. My leg was frozen stiff. So she arranged for me to be taken to the hospital. And the next time I woke up it was absolute ecstasy. The leg that I’d wanted to get rid of for all those years was ah just reduced to a, you know, a neat little bandaged stump.
