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The family decided to turn off the ventilator. Doctors predicted he would die within hours. Instead, James began breathing on his own. His mother stood vigil, waiting for the end.
''On the seventh day, I said, 'No more,' " Kim said. ''I told the doctors, 'You made a mistake.' "

They are always making mistakes! In fact, it is very difficult to assess exactly the state of someone with a brain injury.

A month later, James blurted out his first word since the accident -- ''Mom" -- and began the slow climb out of what doctors had called a persistent vegetative state. Now at Middleboro Skilled Care Center, a nursing home specializing in head injuries, James, 22, is entirely dependent on others. He is unable to see more than shadows and has little control of his body. Yet, he understands more than he can express. He roars at jokes and follows the sound of his mother's voice.

I have heard other stories like this, of people who do come back - at least partially. And some stoke victims say that they were aware of everything, while people talked across them and assumed they were insensible.

As someone who actually has an AVM (google it), I have experienced seizures of various types, inability to swallow at times, non-responsive episodes. My seizures are of the aphasiac and dysphasiac in nature, limiting my ability for verbal communication BUT I am able to type on a computer regarding my situation/state of mind.
It's an inconvenience, it's a disability, it's a life altering condition but it's never prevented me from enjoying life.
Altered states of consciousness, whether by means of religious ecstasy, medical cause or drug induced maintain the human perspective. I wouldn't bet the ranch on it but I am pretty sure Mrs. Schiavo is aware of her surroundings from a human perspective.
It may be insensitive to refer to Mrs. Schiavo as an organism but in truth, whether divine as Man, any organism will fight for it's survival. The closer one is to death, the harder one fights for life.