Woman wakes up & is talking after 20 years in a coma

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I don't believe that you are plucked from your life at age 18 and in a coma for 20 years by chance or bad luck. I would venture to say that there are HUGE reasons for this to have happened and for her to have been the one it happened to. I'll bet she has valuable info for the rest of us that don't have to be her, but how very spectatular to be her. Time will tell.

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one can imagine how twisted her body has become during the coma. personally, i have to vote with tweety.

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one can imagine how twisted her body has become during the coma. personally, i have to vote with tweety.

Hmmm...personally I don't know, I guess its hard to say without walking a mile in her shoes. To be given a second chance at living like that is just amazing. I do understand what you're saying though.

I would personally be happy to be able to spend the rest of my life with my family...watching my kids grow, knowing my grandkids, even if my body was now deformed and practically useless.

My stepson was born with a severe case of spina bifida and his body could be called "twisted" but I gotta tell you, he's a very happy 15 yo guy and quite happy to be alive. Yes, he's in a wheelchair but does sports, racing and goes skiing. I don't think he'd rather not be here.

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That's a wonderful story. Thanks for the link.:heartbeat :)

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Just goes to show we know so very little about the brain and what it process and what it does not. We as nurses always need to be compassionate even if we think the pt is not all there. I don't know that I would rather be dead but I would certainly hope not to be alone or neglected.

I agree things happen to each of us for a reason. I hope we get the chance to learn a lot from her experience. I personally think that would be a wonderful gift to healthcare professionals everywhere.

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
That's an amazing story.

Speaking as someone who has had a TBI and in a coma for a week, be careful what you say. I remember the ICU docs discussing my prognosis with my family. I'd showed them! 10% chance of survival much less gain back anything useful my foot!!

Since I experienced expressive aphasia after my injury, the nurses assumed that sincce I wasn't making sense, that I possibly couldn't understand. You know what it's like to be asking something for pain, have a nurse look you in the eye and say, "I can't understand a thing you're saying", then proceed to walk out of the room? :angryfire

I know that I did a lot of cussing during my ICU stay, but it was in aphasic so no one understood it anyhow. :p

Wow, BabyRN2B.............you were blessed indeed ! Awesome. So truly pleased all turned out so well for you ! Bet YOU are, too, eh? :p Love it.

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I've seen a lot of friends, acquaintances and relatives undergo what many would call an unacceptably low quality of life. It is easy for us as able-bodied and able-minded individuals to envision the loss that we would feel in the same circumstances and therefore dismiss what quality of life they do have. I have a younger brother who is severely mentally retarded and has other health problems. Yet until his bipolar disorder developed, he was one of the happiest people I knew. People who experience a gradual loss of function often tell me that what they thought would be humiliating or unacceptable is not as horrible as they thought. I'm not suggesting anyone's opinion is wrong, just that few of us have 'walked a day in their shoes'. I highly recommend "Tuesdays with Morrie" as providing some insight into this issue.

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I've seen a lot of friends, acquaintances and relatives undergo what many would call an unacceptably low quality of life. It is easy for us as able-bodied and able-minded individuals to envision the loss that we would feel in the same circumstances and therefore dismiss what quality of life they do have. I have a younger brother who is severely mentally retarded and has other health problems. Yet until his bipolar disorder developed, he was one of the happiest people I knew. People who experience a gradual loss of function often tell me that what they thought would be humiliating or unacceptable is not as horrible as they thought. I'm not suggesting anyone's opinion is wrong, just that few of us have 'walked a day in their shoes'. I highly recommend "Tuesdays with Morrie" as providing some insight into this issue.

Yeah, I'm not sure this is all black and white and it IS easy for those of us who are able-bodied and have our minds to think it would be awful . .

I personally have a niece with spina bifida and would not wish her away for anything. Disabled doesn't mean not valuable.

Also, read in the paper this morning and also saw on the news last night the story about Jim Kelly, the Hall of Fame Quarterback who lost his 8 year old son Hunter to respiratory failure. He was born with Krabbe disease, an inherited degenerative disorder of the central and peripheral nervous systems and has no known cure. Hunter was given no more than 3 years to live but made it to 8. Last night they showed Jim's speech as he was inducted into the Hall of Fame and he dedicated it to his son Hunter, his voice broke with tears of pride, they showed his son in a wheelchair, his body disfigured by the disease, his mom leaning over kissing him, his siblings by his side.

I'm sure Hunter's life was hard . . ... but how to make it so black and white that his life isn't worthwhile . .. ?

This is just a generic question - not directed at anyone.

I too would like to be around to see my kids grow up and get married and have kids . . . if my body was paralyzed, I still would choose to stay.

There is a woman where I work who had a stroke, is paralyzed, sits sideways in her chair, mumbles, has the use of one hand so she can drink her coffee and eat her ice cream bar . . but she makes a huge mess and all her personal needs must be tended to by others. . .. .it is hard partly because her family is no where to be found. But she lights up when you say hello to her or bring her a cup of coffee ... I wouldn't want to be in her place . . . or would I if the alternative was not seeing my 4 year old anymore?

steph

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Chalk it up to the difficulty in expressing oneself over the internet.

I'm amazed and happy for the family that they get to speak to her after giving up hope.

But I wasn't joking. I wouldn't want to be her, either awake or in a coma for 20 years. But let's not go there, that's too much off topic. No offense taken, but wanted to clarify that.

The thing is you wouldn't care. you wouldn't be the same person you are now, I think. You can't say what you would want in that situation because it is so different from anything you've experienced, I assume.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Peds, OB, L/D, Ortho.

Wow!!!

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Specializes in Rehab, Step-down,Tele,Hospice.

Gave me goosebumps

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How awful that she didnt use the non verbal clues to your pain I just cant imagine anything more horrible or cruel :stone

It's just that she knew that I must have been in some pain because in the accident, my right humerus was absolutely shattered. They had to wait to fix it until the brain swelling went down - they had to evacuate a very large subdural hematoma and there were some complications from that.

I had met on of the fellows who worked with me immediately following the accident. He told me that he did not expect me to ever walk and talk again. He told me this after I walked into his office on my own accord. :)

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