Patient trapped in a 23-year 'coma' was conscious all along

Daily Mail [UK] ^ | 23rd November 2009 | Allan Hall

[EternalVigilance]

A man thought by doctors to be in a vegetative state for 23 years was actually conscious the whole time, it was revealed last night.

Student Rom Houben was misdiagnosed after a car crash left him totally paralysed.

He had no way of letting experts, family or friends know he could hear every word they said.

Rom Houben was trapped in a coma for 23 years and had no way of letting anyone know he could hear what they were saying (pictured posed by model)

'I screamed, but there was nothing to hear,' said Mr Houben, now 46.

[omega4179]

Obamacare=NHS

[thecabal]

Should have starved him to death, it would have been the humane thing to do. /s

[Star Traveler]

Now that’s a nightmare scenario for anyone...

[ProtectOurFreedom]

You wouldn’t make it 3 months in a coma under obamadeth. They will take those scarce resources and make them available to some other “higher” purpose. The government will pull your plug and you won’t be able to stop them.

[EternalVigilance]

Personhood ping...

[Sherman Logan]

Remarkable he retained his sanity. I don’t think I could.

[dbehsman]

Lucky thing for this guy that he wasn’t in Florida.

[Star Traveler]

Yes indeed... I know what you mean...

[omega4179]

Just finished the article, he is an incredibly strong person!!

[Mr. Jazzy]

Wow.

[MHGinTN]

Has anyone asked any of these patients when they start communicating with them if they feel anything in their extremties even though they cannot control them? Or do they feel hunger or thirst or indigestion? ... I don’t think I’ve ever read the answers to those questions posed to one of these amazing folks.

[Avoiding_Sulla]

Thanks EV.

Evidence for fighting the death cult ghouls who are way too eager to pull plugs.

[1010RD]

Here's my favorite line:

Supporters of euthanasia and assisted suicide argue that people who have lain in persistent vegetative states for years should be given the opportunity to have crucial medical support withdrawn because of the 'indignity' of their condition.

Talk about newspeak. The 'opportunity' to die. It is beyond sick. The mind of liberals just doesn't work right.

[TheBattman]

And how many supposedly in a “permanent vegetative state” are in a similar situation?

[The Phantom FReeper]

Patients with locked-in syndrome have completely intact mentation and can retain sensation. It’s a very scary thing.

[Repeal The 17th]

Wasn’t there a ‘twilight zone’ episode about this?

[PghBaldy]

Before my dad died, he was in a coma-like state, but I assumed he could hear. My idiot family of course did not and continued their distressing talk. God bless this man and all who suffer in silence.

[mamelukesabre]

4 days in a hospital bed with a neck injury is about all I could stand. by day 3 I was fighting with the nurses about yanking out IVs and getting out of bed to use the REAL bathroom BY MYSELF.

[crescen7]

yeah, i think it was called “The Obama Administration”

[BallyBill]

Don't know if that was a Twilight Zone or an Alfred Hitchcock, they guy let out a single tear and they realized he wasn't dead.

[mamelukesabre]

That was death.

The twilight episode claimed even after death you retained consciousness, hearing, and pain sensing abilities for a certain period of time...a few days or so.

I think. It was a long time ago.

[MHGinTN]

I would love to ghjost write a book for one of these folks, to let the world know yet again the perspective of one locked in to inert but conscious.

[Delta 21]

Yeah. And we are in it!!

[Repeal The 17th]

“...the guy let out a single tear and they realized he wasn’t dead...”
-
That’s the one I’m thinking about.
The guy was paralyzed and everyone thought he was dead
but just as the autopsy was about to begin,
the attendant noticed a tear running down his cheek.

[goseminoles]

How is he speaking now if he’s paralyzed?

[Lancey Howard]

Under the Democrats’ Mengelecare, this guy would have had his plug pulled long, long ago.

[never4get]

OMG, you are not kidding...

[Salvation]

Ping!

[tioga]

read the article......he has a special computer he taps out on to communicate....not sure how he taps though.

[goat granny]

One of the first things your taught in nursing school is the hearing is the last sense to go, so don't say anything when taking care of a comatose patient that could be detrimental to them....

Something for all to remember when visiting a patient in the hospital that may be in a coma...I took care of little 7 year old dying of brain cancer and as I talked to him while taking care of him, I swear he smiled at me...When I told his mother she said he smiles at her when she holds and rocks him...but he never came out of the coma. Died several weeks later......REMEMBER THIS WHEN VISITING PATIENTS....

[buccaneer81]

Should have starved him to death, it would have been the humane thing to do. /s

Actually, in this case, it would be what I would've wanted.

[OneWingedShark]

>Remarkable he retained his sanity. I don’t think I could.

I was thinking along the same line.

[Jemian]

He had no way of letting experts, family or friends know he could hear every word they said.

The same is true for those coming out of anesthesia. Hearing returns FIRST!!!! Be very careful what you say around patients. They might be able to hear and understand.

[Sherman Logan]

Nope. I’m not sure I could last much more than a week under such circumstances.

As somebody said here, a truly nightmarish scenario.

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

I have heard of patients waking up under anesthesia but they couldn’t speak or move only hear and FEEL. How terrible to go through surgery being able to feel it but not respond.

[Marie Antoinette]

Ping as requested. :)

[Albion Wilde]

Ping!

[peggybac]

Makes me think of the book, “Johnny Got His Gun.” The novel still haunts me.

[ASOC]

a nightmare for certain.

I have asked the wife & all the kids to stare at eyes, ears, toes, everything and look for

... -— ...

If they can get that, I’m good to go (an old school “know code” ham)

[GeronL]

we were kind of debating this kind of thing in an online class

[muawiyah]

We could do that now if you’d only hold still for it.

[Ditter]

Thank you for that tip. I WILL remember.

[word_warrior_bob]

I was checking the thread for a mention of it “Johnny Got His Gun”, it was a movie too.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067277/

[buccaneer81]

At least Teri Schiavo was showing signs of life. She was most definitely murdered. But this poor guy, was it worth it under his circumstances?

[doorgunner69]

Read the article. I cannot believe the poor guy is still sane.......what do you do with your mind all that time.

And did no one notice the slept occasionally? Body pattern are quite different then, and he most certainly slept. Sound like crappy socialized medicine to me................

[MinuteGal]

A real Edgar Allen Poe tale.

Leni

[To Hell With Poverty]

Not to mention inspiration for the *best Metallica song evar*!

[Cacique]

Another candidate for retroactive abortion...

[AnAmericanMother]

Yep, I figure that even in extremis, I can always send

_._.

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