Chandler Thomas
Soc 202 TR 12:30
Blog #13
11/23/2009
6:30pm
A car accident left a then engineering student, Rom Houben, now 46, a quadriplegic in a deep coma. His coma was commonly referred to as a persistent vegetative state. Due to medical science his coma has been finally put to an ultimate end. Brain scanning techniques by Dr. Steven Laureys, a neurological researcher, discovered that Rom's cerebral cortex to still be active. Thus, realizing with shock that Rom was misdiagnosed and fully conscious. He has actually been conscious the entire 23 years he was believed to be comatose. With the use of technology, via computers and specially built keyboards, he is now able to communicate. He's stated that he would "scream, but there was nothing to hear". He sat and watched the doctors and nurses give up on him, no longer talking to him with the hopes of waking him up. This situation has been termed a "much-needed moment" for medical professionals, since 4 out of 10 similar situations are also misdiagnosed. It was a very big moment for Rom's doctors and nurses, much less to Rom himself.
WOW! Stories like this are terribly sad but they also are heartwarming. It's amazing that he's now awake and able to communicate. But its also sad that he suffered in silence for 23 years too. Hopefully, further advances in brain technology will lower the 4 out of 10 misdiagnosed coma rate.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/world/europe/24iht-coma.html?ref=world
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