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that's ing insane I freak out when I wake up with sleep paralysis ever now and then but to suffer for 23 years
For 23 years Rom Houben was trapped in his own body, unable to communicate with his doctors or family. They presumed he was in a vegetative state following a near-fatal car crash in 1983.
But then doctors used a state-of-the-art scanning system on the brain of the martial arts enthusiast, which showed it was functioning almost normally.
"I had dreamed myself away," said Houben, now 46, whose real "state" was discovered three years ago and has just been made public by the doctor who rescued him.
Steven Laureys, a neurologist at the University of Liège in Belgium, has published a scientific paper saying Houben could be one of many falsely diagnosed coma cases around the world.
Houben is being cared for at a facility near Brussels and now communicates via a computer with a special keyboard activated with his right hand, which is capable of minimal movement. He said his body was paralysed when he came round after his accident. Although he could hear every word his doctors spoke, he could not communicate with them.
"I screamed, but there was nothing to hear," he said, via his keyboard.
Houben then suffered years of being effectively trapped in his own body as care personnel and doctors at the hospital in Zolder tried to communicate with him, but eventually gave up hope that he would ever come round.
The moment it was discovered he was not in a vegetative state, said Houben, it was like being born again. "I'll never forget the day that they discovered me, it was my second birth."
Experts say Laureys' findings are likely to reopen the debate over when the decision should be made to terminate the lives of those in comas who appear to be unconscious but might have almost fully-functioning brains.
Belgian doctors used an internationally accepted scale to monitor Houben's state over the years. Known as the Glasgow Coma Scale, it requires assessment of the eyes, verbal and motor responses. But they failed to assess him correctly and missed signs that his brain was still functioning.
Laureys, who is head of the coma science group and neurology department at Liège University hospital, concluded coma patients are diagnosed falsely "on a disturbingly regular basis". In around 40% of cases diagnosed as vegetative, more careful examination shows there is still some level of consciousness. He examined 44 patients believed to be in a vegetative state, and found that 18 of them responded to communication.
"Once someone is labelled as being without consciousness, it is very hard to get rid of that," he told Spiegel magazine, calling for a systematic overhaul of the methods of diagnosis.
Laureys said patients who are not fully unconscious can often be treated and are capable of making considerable progress.
Around a fifth of patients who suffer serious head and brain injuries spend more than three weeks in a coma. Of those, between 15% and 25% are, technically speaking, still alive but remain in a state of unconsciousness, never to wake up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009...-coma-23-years
that's ing insane I freak out when I wake up with sleep paralysis ever now and then but to suffer for 23 years
i thought i had mono once for an entire year, turns out i was just really bored
Jesus! that has to be the worst thing that could happen to you. Imagine being unable to move but fully concious for that amount of time, and no one to communicate with. Enough to drive you insane. The fact that he isn't is a miracle in itself.
wow...i hope they start checking everybody!
reminds me of Metallica's 'One' video
how did this dude not go insane?!
When I read that it sent chills up my spine.
I had to make the family decision back in 2000 to unplug my dad because they said he was in a vegetative state. This article disturbs me.
the field of consciousness studies is absolutely fascinating.
I went ahead and put ONE on in tribute to that .
That's honestly scarier than death.
holy ..
did they not think he was in a coma for 3 years or is this story from 2006? why dont the numbers add up?
Yeah, that pic really looks like "he's" communicating, too. His eyes are shut, his head is lolled to the side, and his caregiver is holding his "communicating hand" with hers.
Jesus christ thats horrible. I'd be terrified.
they discovered he wasn't in a coma 3 years ago and the story is just now getting out for whatever reason.
Reminds me of Metallica's song 'One'.
Amazing that this guy's mind survived 23 years.
Thats scary, I would go crazy
yeah, after seeing the pic, i don't know why he's not communicating for someone to tape his ing eyes open during the day.
hey 4cc, it is just a matter of time before you are just cc?
is cc for circus charlie?
i head he was the mookie crew unofficial leader...unofficially.
You beat me to it
That was the 1st thing that came to mind
wow, reminds me of that Metallica Video "One"
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