Comments on: Awakenings: Return To Life

Some Minimally Conscious People Are Actually Re-Awakening Thanks To Drug Therapies

[jnewlon61]

I was very fascinated by this story. My son had a car accident 11 months ago and is a minimally conscious state. He does understand what you say to him and is following more and more with his eyes and blinking when you ask him question. I have always believed there is hope for him and refused to give up. He is 26 years old and has a young intelligent brain. He got off of the ventilator 2 months after his accident and then off the trach acouple of months after that. He is breathing on his own and has shown suttle improvments in awareness and alertness through the grace of god. I would like to have more information on this research and who to contact for help for my son.

[pashon365]

It is with much angst that I type these words for fear of crying yet again. I watched the story that aired last evening after my ex husband called and told me it was on. The story had not gotten off the ground before I saw the firefighter surrounded by his family and I broke down in tears. Not because it was so touching, but because my own child, now 19, has lived that way his entire life and I have been defenseless to do anything about it. I was 15 when I had him and 16 when the doctors told me that he would be dead by the time he turned 5. They didn''t know why his brain wasn''t developing.

For 13 yrs I was his mother and care provider. My mother was with me, and still is, helping me to take care of him -- only now he is living in a nursing home where he can get care around the clock.

I gave up believing that my son would ever throw a ball or hold his own spoon or even whisper my name - or even acknowledge my presence -- I accepted everything about him, even now.

Thank you for airing that story because even in the face of hopelessness and frustration -- my soul was made full and restored by the hopes of those that were able to see their babies eyes affixed upon them -- if only for a while. I would give my very life to hear my son whisper my name -- my life. But, if that never happens -- after seeing what other people have experienced I will rest in knowing that someone has enjoyed that privilege -- even if it''s not me.

Thank you and God bless.

Tashana in Columbus, OH.

[deemsnyd]

XLIB OR MCVet,

Someone please explain to me which horrible religious sect tried to make money from Teri''s case, and worse yet, is trying to protect people in this vegetative state!! We need to know so we can all protect ourselves from the dreaded Christains. (If it was them)

[shirleyanng]

amazing!!! Love stories like this, makes a person believe in miracles!

[xlib]

Too little to late for terri schiavo. Love the way the left slams the right for voicing thier opinions yet it''s ok for them to do the same. As for family and schiavo, her hubby had moved on long ago while her parents wanted to care for her. So, just who was overly zealous in this??

[deemsnyd]

The only thing I see a problem with in this is the fundies in the Religious Reich. They will take this as justification to yet again try to interfer with families and their personal decisions. THAT we can all count on folks as surely as the sun came up this morning one of these Toe Tappers is already working up a way to get money out of his "Followers" and that will most certainly include "Protecting" those in this condition. Sieg Heil and Amen.

Posted by MCVet

MCVet, OMG, Which religious affiliation did this? What was their angle? Please explain!!!

[teetarsha]

I am so happy that the news finally aired a positive show about loved ones dealing with brain injuries. My mother suffered a ruptured aneursym of the brain nine years ago. She was comatose for about 4 months and we decided to bring her home and take care of her ourselves instead of placing her in a nursing. She came home with a trach and a feeding tube in her stomach. The trach has been removed but she remains with the feeding tube. She can''t talk or walk...however she does point and make noises. My constant prayer is one day she will just blurt out my name or something. We have not given up hope. I am going to mention Ambien to her doctor when we go for her next visit.

[rjkte]

I find it interesting how some meds act in reverse in certain situations and I think more research should be done in this area. For example, I have chronic fatigue... because of chronic pain, I take a narcotic every morning (which *should* make me tired). No it doesn''t, BUT on the days that I don''t take the narcotic, I am overwhelmed by fatigue. Also, it seems the same concept applied to how they treat kids with ADHD (not that I agree with zipping them up on amphetamines). It is a fascinating concept.

[ruthannmyers]

i have a 30 year old daughter, that when she was 16, a drunk driver caused a car accident and she ended up in coma for 9 months, when she woke up, they told me she had brain stem sherring. i would like to get hold of the dr and ask him if this would help her. she is like terri in fl.

[saulharris3]

I have a 18 year old son who has a brain injury.
He has "Hydocheplus". He lived a normal life until
Dec 2002 (13 at the time), his shunt malfunction, then develop into 4 strokes which left him total disable. he can not walk or talk and has a feeding tube. After the first 2 to 3 months he regain his verbal skills which the doctors could not believe.
Then he suffer a massive seizure which the doctor had
to put his brain in a semi-coma state. Once out the
semi-coma state he has never spoken another word, that''s been almost 5 years. How would I get in touch
with Dr. Schiff and get more info on "Ambien"?
[e-mail]/
THANK YOU!!!

[mcvet]

The only thing I see a problem with in this is the fundies in the Religious Reich. They will take this as justification to yet again try to interfer with families and their personal decisions. THAT we can all count on folks as surely as the sun came up this morning one of these Toe Tappers is already working up a way to get money out of his "Followers" and that will most certainly include "Protecting" those in this condition. Sieg Heil and Amen.

[janzee2]

I found this story very interesting. The reason is that while I or anyone I know suffers from a brain injury, I take occasionally take Ambien to help me sleep. What I''ve notice is that if I''m not in bed while the Ambien takes effect - playing on the computer, etc., I find that I have a sudden surge of enery (although sleepy) and will start to do other things such as re-arranging books in a bookshelf and other things like that that I would normally do at bedtime. Ater watching your show I am now thinking thatthis due to taking the Ambien. I would be interested to know if there are others that have these experiences where the brain suddenly become actibe.

[grammawhamma]

insrd: I would find a doctor to try the Ambien. There is no reason not to try it.

[grammawhamma]

I''m a RN. Hope is always a good thing and I see all the hope pouring out on these posts by people who have loved ones who are in a comatose state. Miracles do happen...this I don''t deny. Talk to your loved ones (even when you get no response)...I think they can hear you and can comprehend what you are saying.

But on the other hand...I think it''s wrong to keep your loved ones alive by artificial means for years and years just waiting for a cure or just because you want them to continue to live.

Put yourself in their shoes...would you want that kind of life? Waiting to be turned every two hours to prevent bed sores, diapered, washed, fed thru a tube, maybe even breathing on a vent? I am a patient advocate and I am not saying this for financial reasons.

Posters: it is important to decide and discuss your "Living Will" when you are still healthy and young and then hope your family follows your wishes in the event something happens to you.

My best wishes to all the posters who have ill loved ones.

[gwiltz]

Two years ago my son was a passenger in a car which struck a tree. He was in coma like state with a head injury for over 8 mths total. The first two mths were a deep coma which he had started to emerge from after being given a drug called Provigal (used mainly for elderly people with narcolepsy.) Moving his right side only he was able to hold and track pictures with his eyes. He would turn his head when his name was called. He transfered hospital and the new doctor took him off that drug and he went back in to a vegetative state for 6 mths. Months after he emerged from his coma the second time was given Ambien by the same doctor one night to help him sleep. That night he was bouncing off the walls. I was sleeping in a chair next to the bed with my head close to the bottom of his bed. He kept tapping me on the head with his foot, pulling himself up to a sitting postion and moaning in a silly way (he was having fun). He also seemed to understand simple commands. None of this he could do before. Since that day he has had slow progress but still can not sit up on his own like that night. I have asked the doctor to give him the Ambien but he said he could not do that unless it was for sleep. I think it is time to find a doctor will!

[canon2501]

My Mom fell into a coma about three months ago. We were told that the cause was unknown but that she has encephalitis and will not recover. She was at cedars with some of the best doctors and they tried all conventional medicines, given they did not know the cause. She is unconscious in a nursing home and without any medication, only a feeding tube. She is 68 years old. If anyone has any info on the studies or treatments that may help I would greatly appreciate. She is a wonderful loving woman.

David

[canon2501]

My Mom fell into a coma about three months ago. We were told that the cause was unknown but that she has encephalitis and will not recover. She was at cedars with some of the best doctors and they tried all conventional medicines, given they did not know the cause. She is unconscious in a nursing home and without any medication, only a feeding tube. She is 68 years old. If anyone has any info on the studies or treatments that may help I would greatly appreciate. She is a wonderful loving woman.

David

[jpsomers1]

My sister, Lesley, suffered a head injury from a car accident in 1990, and has been in an incapacitated state ever since until Thanksgiving Day, when she passed away.
I am optimistic for all those who could be candidates for such therapy, but devastated I did not know about this treamtment to persue it as a possibility for my sister.
I am having a very difficult time with this under the circumstances, and would appreciate any input that you may have in regards to this treatment, or general thoughts, for that matter.
[e-mail]

[clean_air]

TO: PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE SPECIALIST IN OHIO USA
I truely resent the words spoken by Pediatric Critical Care Specialist from Ohio USA. My daughter is a severely brain injured girl living her life in a geriatric nursing home. This was not my dream for my child, rather this is my nightmare.We are not looking for an "excuse" to keep our loved ones alive by the health care system. We are looking for answers, research, cures, etc for our loves ones, much like the hope and research for cures for cancer, strokes, spinal cord injury, etc.
Please rethink, just why are you in the health care profession? Are you God to decide which of your patients should be kept alive by the healthcare system?
Perhaps you could encourage research for TBI in your field of work, instead of thinking these injuried patients are a burden on our health care system.
Shame on you! I would hope my loved one is never your patient.
P.S. I, also, am also in the healthcare field, and all my patients are deserving of equal health care services.

[aj19871]

Dear sirs. I just watched your show on the brain and the use of ambien. I have a severly disabled son 20 years old that has seizures, he lost 99% of his abilty to speak after having brain surgey in 1999. Could ambien possible help my son? Is is possible to speak to Dr. Schiff or is thier a way for me to contact someone at cornell medical center? Thanks Tony M.