NationStates Jolt Archive

After six years in a persistent vegetative state, a woman woke up and talked to reporters and even ate cake. She had some trouble talking though, but...

Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070308/ap_on_fe_st/woman_awake)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A woman who went into a vegetative state more than six years ago awoke this week for three days and spoke with her family and a local television station before slipping back.

"I'm fine," Christa Lilly told her mother on Sunday — her first words in eight months. She has awakened four other times for briefer periods since suffering a heart attack and stroke in November of 2000.

"I think it's wonderful. It makes me so happy," Lilly told television station KKTV-TV. She also got to see youngest daughter, Chelcey, now 12 years old, and three grandchildren.

Before her relapse on Wednesday, Lilly told the station her biggest frustration was learning how to talk again.

After years of being fed from a tube, eating was no problem. "I've been eating cake," she said.

Her neurologist, Dr. Randall Bjork, said he couldn't explain how or why she awoke.

"I'm just not able to explain this on the basis of what we know about persistent vegetative states," he said.

A vegetative state is much like a coma except Lilly's eyes remain open. Bjork said that he's never seen a similar quality of awakening.

Bjork said that unlike the much publicized case of
Terri Schiavo, Lilly is minimally conscious. He said she could awake again.

After Lilly relapsed her mother and caregiver Minnie Smith said: "The good Lord let me know she's alright, he brings her back to visit every so often and I'm thankful for that."

...she fell back three days later. However, she might be back again and is not like Terri Schiavo or whatever. :)

Caaaaaaaaaaaaaake!

After six years in a persistent vegetative state, a woman woke up and talked to reporters and even ate cake. She had some trouble talking though, but...

Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070308/ap_on_fe_st/woman_awake)



...she fell back three days later. However, she might be back again and is not like Terri Schiavo or whatever. :)

good for her i guess, i hope she wakes up permanently.

Very weird. Generally speaking, brains don't just work for a few days every once in a while then just shut down again.

Unless you're a congressman. :D

Seems like she might be coming around. Hopefully she does.

*says a prayer*

Seems like she might be coming around. Hopefully she does.

*says a prayer*

On first glance, I thought you said "Hopefully she dies."

And that's terrible.

On first glance, I thought you said "Hopefully she dies."

And that's terrible.

What is?

What is?

The fact that I at first thought your post said that.

Lol, looks like her brain is running tests to see if it should start function normaly again.

This is her fourth time waking up. Her doctor is totally perplexed.

Lol, looks like her brain is running tests to see if it should start function normaly again.Yeah, checking what government is in office...

Do they ever ask those people what it's like to be in a coma/veg state? I'm curious.

You know it always make me feel secure about maybe ending up in the hospital when you hear medical stories where the doctor says "I can't explain it". Gives you such confidence.

You know it always make me feel secure about maybe ending up in the hospital when you hear medical stories where the doctor says "I can't explain it". Gives you such confidence.

*shrugs* The mind is a complex thing. You want the doctor to lie? :P

When I read the post, it kind of reminded me of "Girlfriend in a Coma" by Douglas Coupland.

*shrugs* The mind is a complex thing. You want the doctor to lie? :P

Well, getting an "I don't know what's wrong with you" isn't something that you want to hear. Getting the answer, even if bad, is preferable, at least you will know what is wrong instead of having an unknown hanging over you.

Well, hearing "I don't know what's wrong with you" isn't something that you want to hear. Getting the answer, even if bad, is preferable, at least you will know what is wrong instead of having an unknown hanging over you.

Well, if you don't know what's wrong, how can you tell someone?

Imagine what you might do to a person if you tell them their condition is terminal or presently irreversible, and it turns out that it's not. That could be an extremely disruptive and psychologically damaging thing to do to a person.

Well, if you don't know what's wrong, how can you tell someone?

Imagine what you might do to a person if you tell them their condition is terminal or presently irreversible, and it turns out that it's not. That could be an extremely disruptive and psychologically damaging thing to do to a person.

I'm not suggesting the doctor guess the condition and tell the patient that. I simply would find it uncomfortable to say the least to have some health issue, have multiple tests run on you and the doctors remain clueless. I can't fathom how this wouldn't be unnerving.

I'm not suggesting the doctor guess the condition and tell the patient that. I simply would find it uncomfortable to say the least to have some health issue, have multiple tests run on you and the doctors remain clueless. I can't fathom how this wouldn't be unnerving.

There is still much to learn about the human body.

There is still much to learn about the human body.

*shrugs*

Doesn't make it any less unnerving.

You know it always make me feel secure about maybe ending up in the hospital when you hear medical stories where the doctor says "I can't explain it". Gives you such confidence.

heh, yeah. I mean I understand that this is bizzare and almost unheard of, but it's vaguely disconcerning for a doctor to go "ya know what...I really don't have a clue"

Maybe she's faking.

Caaaaaaaaaaaaaake!

LOL

Lol, looks like her brain is running tests to see if it should start function normaly again.

I will take this opportunity to prophecy that she will wake up when a Republican is no longer in charge of the White House.

If I'm wrong, no one is likely to remember this, so I think I'm on pretty solid ground.

Maybe she's faking.

No. The faking ones try not to sound like they're in a coma.

No. The faking ones try not to sound like they're in a coma.

Did I say she was faking being in a coma? No.

*inserts tasteless Terry Schivo joke*

heh, yeah. I mean I understand that this is bizzare and almost unheard of, but it's vaguely disconcerning for a doctor to go "ya know what...I really don't have a clue"

They should call Dr. House. He'll figure it out in less than an hour. :D


...I love that show more than life itself. Damn FOX to the darkest depths of media-conglomerate hell for bumping it for 2 weeks for more insipid American Idol.

They should call Dr. House. He'll figure it out in less than an hour. :D


...I love that show more than life itself. Damn FOX to the darkest depths of media-conglomerate hell for bumping it for 2 weeks for more insipid American Idol.

Last night's episode wa great. Who ever thought he'd FAKE CANCER

Last night's episode wa great. Who ever thought he'd FAKE CANCER

Especially just to get high...but that's such a classic House thing to do. I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Seems like she might be coming around. Hopefully she does.

*says a prayer*

Oh good, that'll help.