coma

 

Foxnews - An engineering student thought to be in a coma for 23 years was actually conscious the whole time, it has emerged. Rom Houben was misdiagnosed as being in a vegetative state after a car crash left him totally paralyzed. But, in actuality, he was trapped in his own body the whole time with no way of letting friends and family know he could hear every word they were saying. The 46-year-old, who can now tap out computerized messages and read books on a device above his hospital bed, has revealed: “I screamed, but there was nothing to hear. “All that time I literally dreamed of a better life. Frustration is too small a word to describe what I felt,” he said. “I shall never forget the day when they discovered what was truly wrong with me — it was my second birth. I want to read, talk with my friends via the computer and enjoy life now people know I am not dead.” His misdiagnosis was discovered by neurological expert, Dr. Steven Laureys, who fears there may be similar cases all over the world.

I know what everybody is thinking. This has to be the worst possible thing that can happen to a person right? I mean people thinking you’re in a coma when you’re really alive. Yikes. But actually it may be a blessing in disguise relatively speaking of course. Because what’s the only thing that can make being paralyzed seem not that bad? Probably this exact situation. Like if everybody knew he could communicate the whole time then what would he have to live for right now? Probably nothing. But instead like he said it’s like he’s been reborn. So in a way he feels lucky to a degree. Granted I’m sure he wouldn’t want to go through this whole ordeal again but now that he did it’s like he has a new lease on life.