Man trapped in coma for 23 years was conscious for entire time

Reminds me of the book/anti-war novel by Dalton Trumbo "Johnny Got His Gun". Horrific to think that something like this could actually happen.

This is the most terrifying thing anyone has ever been through.

He has been to hell and survived!

This is very weird .He is trapped in his own body.

os that is a crazy story. No food, no nothing other than for that small do. So is he still in that state? Is he dead or alive. RSVP.

Oneup why do you wonder? Had they not gotten better technology they wouldn't have found out that he understood everything they said around him. Most or maybe all hospitals should have this posting put up on their buletinboards where doctors & nurses can see it.

All I can say is I hope he has insurance and this must have been one of the worst things any human could experience.

WOW! Imagine 23 years locked inside your body! That is scarier than anything...

This is my absolute worst fear. Worst than being buried alive.

if nothing else, this will make you appreciate even the simplest things you have in your life.

I'm amazed he's still sane.

Wow, I'd go insane.

I cannot imagine being in a worse situation. This poor man. Makes me want to quit whining indefinitely.

If ever there was an argument in favor of "not pulling the plug" this is it.

terrible...did someone say back pay on disability?

This is what nightmares are made of. I can not imagine what kind of hell his mind went through. wanting to say something or to scream that hurts or worst I'm awake and I feel pain.

I feel very lucky that I didn't end up this way. My mother and I were in a roll-over in her Datsun 280ZX when I was two, and I now have a plate in my head from the one skull fracture that didn't heal out of three that I sustained. She thanks god, I thank the doctors and nurses.

I can't imagine what it must have been like to be conscious that whole time. He should tell his story. It must be very interesting.

next time I'm a little bored, will try to remember this guy

Unbelievable! I wonder if he was in pain too? What a sad and amazing story!

Wow....that's horrible, he must have had so many dreams. I saw a scary movie like this by Steven King.

This reminds me of that old metallica song "one"

... and that's my definition of hell.

can you say "massive lawsuit?"

Truly horrifying!

Very little could be worse to survive through.

Oh, this is horrible. I can't even imagine the frustration... I'm glad they've discovered that he was really there, but I would think that the experience of being conscious but unable to communicate for so long would be traumatizing.

Pure Terror

It's called "locked in".
When I worked in rehab on the Brain Injury floor I used to introduce myself to coma patients and tell them exactly what I was going to do and why I was doing it, giving them cues as I went along. When you treat coma patients as if they can hear you you can see the difference and feel them relax if they're 'in there'.
Sometimes if you gave them a mild analgesic before am/pm care it also helped because their joints are stiff and painful with someone else moving them, even if it's a trained and gentle professional.
You really have to view every case individually and with out prejudice because sometimes loved ones can see things that are there and other times it's only wishful thinking.
I hope his caregivers treated him with loving and gentle care. He'll know which ones did.

Good luck and God Bless him.

Thats so scary, I don't even know what to think about that. I mean, the guy was like a ghost, he knew what was going on, but could do nothing about it, he might as well just been dead. Now thats freaky.

scary!

worse than the metallica video One!

poor fella :(

UrbanGypsy, it would have been overwhelming for a boredom-prone mind. Other kinds of minds stay incredibly active and even positive in like circumstances.

Wow, the boredom must have been overwhelming ._.

Jesus, this guy was lying there "Johnny Got His Gun" style for longer than I've been alive. That's truly a sobering thought... It would have been absolutely horrific to lie there and hear people deciding that it was time for you to be unplugged and die... the fear and anticipation, and possible wishes to the counter, I can't even begin to imagine it all...

OMG that sucks!

It's funny that people want to use this to discredit the "right to die" movement, but I personally don't think it would have been worth being stuck like that for 23 years, and then only be able to tap my finger. The first thing I would have typed out was "kill me ASAP, and F@#! you all for not doing it earlier!".

He's incredibly lucky that he didn't have some sort of "right to die" pact. It's horrible to think of him being able to hear conversations going on around him & not being able to do anything about it.

I knew a crazy guitar player who was catatonic, laying in someone's dinning room for a year and a half. One night some hippy couple starting getting it on in there and he got himself over and had his way with the both of them. Then went back.
That was the story.

doctors seem to fail alot...

This is "Johnny got his gun" minus the war...

Anyone who hasn't read it should, and that's all I'm gonna say about this story.

Certainly enough to drive you mad, but would you rather be dead?

I do not know how to even begin to comprehend this kind of life. I am thinking we may have a possible candidate for a mission to mars.

I'm surprised the man was still sane after all these years. An amazing turn of events.

Incredible story, isn't it? I love his positive attitude and how he sees the realisation that he knew everything that was going on (and the therapy that followed) as a rebirth.

If it was me, I'd have 23 years of overheard conversations and unflattering comments that I'd want to pull my family and friends up on.

Chilling indeed.

These kinds of stories make me wonder if all of the technology we have to keep people alive is really beneficial.

the stuff of nightmares

23 years stuck doing nothing......that must be hell.....

The "someone ALWAYS has it worse" principal inaction.

sheer horror!

wow... 23 years.. this is sad..

This is my worst fear.

WHAT!

That is an amazing story. Very sobering too to read first thing ing the morning.