Something Wonderful to Be Thankful For

Three years ago a Belgian man, who was “misdiagnosed” as being in a “persistent vegitative state” (I hate that term.  We are never vegetables.) was found to have near normal brain functioning.  Because he, at age 20, was partially paralyzed from an auto accident 23 years ago, the doctors say that his condition inhibited their ability to discover his true state.  He was conscious the whole time, heard every word spoken to him and was unable to communicate.  Imagine that!  What the poor man must have suffered!
 
 Steven Laureys of the University of Liege Coma Science Group called it “locked-in syndrome” and said that new imaging technology will help doctors perform better diagnoses of comatose patients.  Meanwhile, Rom Houben, the patient, is overjoyed that he can communicate via a special touchscreen on his wheelchair, interact with friends and family and read books while lying in bed.  His mother never gave up on him, refusing to allow doctors to quit caring for him.  She took him to the United States five times but got no help until she went to Dr. Laureys.
 
The article published this week says: “A coma is a state of unconsciousness in which the eyes are closed and the patient cannot be roused. A vegetative state is a condition in which the eyes are open and can move, and the patient has periods of sleep and periods of wakefulness, but remains unconscious and cannot reason or respond.”  Well, if the person can’t respond, how do people know he can’t reason?
 
Houben’s correct diagnosis actually occurred three years ago, but only recently came to light after publication in a medical journal of a study on people with consciousness disorders.  Why was this not discovered and reported by the media before now?  The study found that about 43% of patients are misdiagnosed as being in a “persistent vegitative state” and that rate is the same as 15 years ago.  Something is very wrong in the approach to diagnosing brain functioning in apparently comatose patients if this is true.
 
Houben is now writing a book.  Doctors say he will never get better than he is now, but his mother, 73, says she is not giving up and will continue to seek ways of helping him function better.
 
From all the verifiable stories of people who have emerged from so-called comas and who report being able to hear everything going on around them, we should be very careful not to allow them to be starved and dehydrated to death as was Terry Schiavo and Nancy Cruzan. And what a wonderful mother Houben has.  She is truly an example for all mothers, moving heaven and earth to help her boy. 
 
Some people are already trying to debunk this story, claiming that Houben is not really communicating via the touchscreen, that it is the “facilitator” who is actually doing it, but PET scans clearly show an almost normally functioning brain.  Somebody is definitely home in Houben’s head, and he needs no facilitator to press “yes” and “no” buttons with his feet.
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Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 joy, pro-life

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