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Patient trapped in a 23-year 'coma' was conscious all along
Daily Mail [UK] ^ | 23rd November 2009 | Allan Hall

Posted on 11/22/2009 5:51:33 PM PST by 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.

46-year-old Rom Houbne 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)

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.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: coma; conscious; deathcultivation; johnnygothisgun; life; moralabsolutes; patient; prolife; schiavo; terri; trapped; vegetativestate
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To: Repeal The 17th
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.
21 posted on 11/22/2009 6:18:25 PM PST by BallyBill (Serial Hit-N-Run poster)
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To: Repeal The 17th

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.


22 posted on 11/22/2009 6:18:34 PM PST by mamelukesabre (Pray for Obama...Psalms 109:8)
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To: The Phantom FReeper

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.


23 posted on 11/22/2009 6:20:29 PM PST by MHGinTN (Obots, believing they cannot be deceived, it is impossible to convince them when they are deceived.)
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To: Repeal The 17th

Yeah. And we are in it!!


24 posted on 11/22/2009 6:20:38 PM PST by Delta 21 (If you cant tell if I'm being sarcastic...maybe I'm not.)
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To: BallyBill

“...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.


25 posted on 11/22/2009 6:24:52 PM PST by Repeal The 17th (I AM JIM THOMPSON!)
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To: EternalVigilance

How is he speaking now if he’s paralyzed?


26 posted on 11/22/2009 6:26:13 PM PST by goseminoles
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To: EternalVigilance

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


27 posted on 11/22/2009 6:28:27 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Sherman Logan

OMG, you are not kidding...


28 posted on 11/22/2009 6:29:15 PM PST by never4get (We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid)
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To: wagglebee

Ping!


29 posted on 11/22/2009 6:30:58 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: goseminoles

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


30 posted on 11/22/2009 6:30:58 PM PST by tioga
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To: EternalVigilance
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....

31 posted on 11/22/2009 6:33:15 PM PST by goat granny
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To: thecabal
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.

32 posted on 11/22/2009 6:34:13 PM PST by buccaneer81 (ECOMCON)
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To: Sherman Logan

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

I was thinking along the same line.


33 posted on 11/22/2009 6:34:16 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: EternalVigilance
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.

34 posted on 11/22/2009 6:35:18 PM PST by Jemian
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To: never4get

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

As somebody said here, a truly nightmarish scenario.


35 posted on 11/22/2009 6:36:09 PM PST by Sherman Logan ("The price of freedom is the toleration of imperfections." Thomas Sowell)
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To: Jemian

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.


36 posted on 11/22/2009 6:42:22 PM PST by christianhomeschoolmommaof3 (Best thing about Cash for Clunkers is that 90% of the Obama bumper stickers are now off the road.)
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To: Big Giant Head

Ping as requested. :)


37 posted on 11/22/2009 6:43:06 PM PST by Marie Antoinette (Proud Clinton-hater since 1998.)
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To: wagglebee

Ping!


38 posted on 11/22/2009 6:45:28 PM PST by Albion Wilde (Obama makes Bush his blame czar. --Mark Steyn)
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To: EternalVigilance

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


39 posted on 11/22/2009 6:46:28 PM PST by peggybac
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To: EternalVigilance

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)


40 posted on 11/22/2009 6:52:09 PM PST by ASOC (Cave quid dicis, quando, et cui)
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