At the Mail Online, Allan Hall reports (November 23, 2009) on the case of a man who was conscious for 23 years, but no one knew because he was paralyzed.
A car crash victim has spoken of the horror he endured for 23 years after he was misdiagnosed as being in a coma when he was conscious the whole time.
Rom Houben, trapped in his paralysed body after a car crash, described his real-life nightmare as he screamed to doctors that he could hear them – but could make no sound.‘I screamed, but there was nothing to hear.
Read more here.
I think doctors should be much more careful with the “persistent vegetative state” (PVS) diagnoses than they sometimes are – if consequences follow. Some people – like Rom Houben, above – can be conscious without being mobile. We aren’t even sure what consciousness is , after all, so why be definitive about who has it?
Here are some more articles about persistent vegetative state:
Is the patient vegetative or minimally conscious
Neuroscience: Can locked-in sufferers tweet, using brain signals alone?
Another “human vegetable” turns out to be wired for thought
Also just up at The Mindful Hack
Sociology: Should you add Satan to your Board of Directors?
Neuroscience and popular culture: Reasons not to buy “neuronovels” for people for Christmas
Neurolaw: Confusing intent with motive is a threat to civil rights
Neuroscience: “The Young and the Bureau”
Spiritual Brain: Me ‘n YouTube: Discussing my “Hot Apple Cider” essay (“Hot Apple Cider” is a project promoted by World Vision to help reduce prejudice against Christians in Canada)