23 year "coma victim" was awake and aware the whole time [Archive]

Judge Smails

11-22-2009, 10:31 PM

There are very few things that I can possibly imagine that might be more horrible than this.

A Belgian man diagnosed as being in a coma for 23 years was actually conscious the whole time. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/6632518/Conscious-man-in-coma-for-23-years.html)

Rom Houbens was simply paralysed and had no way to let doctors caring for him what he was suffering.

"I dreamt myself away," says Houben, now 46, who was misdiagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state after a car crash.

Doctors and nurses in Zolder deemed him a hopeless case whereby his consciousness was considered "extinct".

The former martial arts enthusiast and engineering student was paralysed after a car crash in 1983. He was finally correctly diagnosed three years ago and his case has just come to light in a scientific paper released by the man who "saved" him.

TripleSkeet

11-22-2009, 10:35 PM

I saw this on an episode of Amazing Stories years ago.

Willmore

11-22-2009, 10:36 PM

There are very few things that I can possibly imagine that might be more horrible than this.

A Belgian man diagnosed as being in a coma for 23 years was actually conscious the whole time. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/6632518/Conscious-man-in-coma-for-23-years.html)

Truly.

Come to think of it, he must have been staring at the same ceiling for years at a time. The only time he would have looked away was when his bedsheets were changed and he was washed. The horror of day after day, month after month, year after year ... for 23 years. How he has maintained his sanity is truly miraculous.

foodcourtdruide

11-23-2009, 04:00 AM

This cements it. If I'm ever in a coma just kill me.

K.C.

11-23-2009, 04:11 AM

This cements it. If I'm ever in a coma just kill me.

x2.

Although, he was paralyzed, so I imagine he couldn't feel any part of his body, so I'm sure he felt nothing bodily that you'd feel laying in the same position for 23 years.

I'd be curious to know what the hell this guy thought about for so long.

I also wonder why science isn't exploring these types of cases to create something to keep brains functional after death so we can all enjoy our Futurama head in a jar existence down the line.

A.J.

11-23-2009, 04:23 AM

Reminds me of this:

http://www.panfletonegro.com/volante/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/johnny-got-his-gun-film1.jpg

Hottub

11-23-2009, 04:26 AM

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/505effbbed04c65feef495c6a823ad64/60684.jpg

Willmore

11-23-2009, 06:43 AM

Reminds me of this:

http://www.panfletonegro.com/volante/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/johnny-got-his-gun-film1.jpg

That's one giant boner ... eh ... two giant boners?

Dude!

11-23-2009, 06:47 AM

This cements it. If I'm ever in a coma just kill me.

me too
and shoot me on day 1
of the coma
please, no delays

Hottub

11-23-2009, 06:50 AM

me too
and shoot me on day 1
of the coma
please, no delays

It will be my pleasure, budday.

Dude!

11-23-2009, 06:52 AM

It will be my pleasure, budday.

thanks, just give me
one last blow job
before you pull the trigger

A.J.

11-23-2009, 06:54 AM

It will be my pleasure, budday.

thanks, just give me
one last blow job
before you pull the trigger

Tub's reputation proceeds him! :tongue:

SatCam

11-23-2009, 07:12 AM

Maybe he just didnt want to go to Army?

Willmore

11-23-2009, 07:15 AM

thanks, just give me
one last blow job
before you pull the trigger

Remember the hospital sex scene from Kill Bill? I wonder if over 23 years this guy ever had a similar experience with a nurse .... you never know.

Dude!

11-23-2009, 07:21 AM

Remember the hospital sex scene from Kill Bill? I wonder if over 23 years this guy ever had a similar experience with a nurse .... you never know.

aj posted the scene
from johnny got his gun
same thing there
coma bj

SinA

11-23-2009, 07:27 AM

I get pissed if I can't find the remote and the channel doesn't change for 23 minutes. That must have been hell.

boosterp

11-23-2009, 07:30 AM

Creepy.

hammersavage

11-23-2009, 07:54 AM

Maybe he was just in Army and didn't want to go.

FAKER!

epo

11-23-2009, 07:55 AM

I really envy that level of rest.

K.C.

11-23-2009, 08:04 AM

Maybe he was just in Army and didn't want to go.

FAKER!

He's in a light-to-no coma...could be considered a very heavy nap.

Furtherman

11-23-2009, 08:07 AM

Maybe he just didnt want to go to Army?

Maybe he was just in Army and didn't want to go.

Did he not want to go into the Army?

Melk

11-23-2009, 01:24 PM

Hold on a moment.
How is he able to communicate, now but not then?

sr71blackbird

11-23-2009, 01:34 PM

He is only able to communicate now because someone hooked up a computer thing to his brain to see if there was activity and they found out he was aware of everything, I guess he exhibited all the same things as that girl they pulled the plug on 2 years ago. I hope for her sake she wasnt in a similar state and aware that she was being starved. Her mother swore that she was "in there". I cant remember her name...

GregoryJoseph

11-23-2009, 01:38 PM

Ron compared it to screaming for 23 years and no one could hear you, and I think that's a pretty accurate description.

I can't even imagine what this man went through and how he was able to cope.

sr71blackbird

11-23-2009, 01:41 PM

Terry Schivo?

Kevin

11-23-2009, 02:12 PM

I wonder if that hosp has a massive law suit on thier hands..

iSpider

11-23-2009, 02:21 PM

I knew that prick was faking it when he spat in my face,
after that nice orderly let me in to fuck him...

boosterp

11-23-2009, 02:41 PM

He is only able to communicate now because someone hooked up a computer thing to his brain to see if there was activity and they found out he was aware of everything, I guess he exhibited all the same things as that girl they pulled the plug on 2 years ago. I hope for her sake she wasnt in a similar state and aware that she was being starved. Her mother swore that she was "in there". I cant remember her name...

Terry Schivo?

Very different case. Schivo went through numerous scans. and like this guy had a PET scan. The difference: this guy's brain was relatively healthy and active, her's was atrophied and showed no activity in the primary areas.

cougarjake13

11-23-2009, 05:11 PM

holy fuck thats gotta be fucking horrible to just lay there and not be able to say anything

SatCam

11-23-2009, 06:06 PM

holy fuck thats gotta be fucking horrible to just lay there and not be able to say anything

its like having a fight with my exgirlfriend

Willmore

11-23-2009, 07:15 PM

I'm not religious, but I wonder if that is what purgatory would feel like.

Serpico1103

11-24-2009, 06:27 AM

I wonder if that hosp has a massive law suit on thier hands..

They probably met with their lawyers to do a cost/benefit analysis. Kill him or let him live and possibly pursue a suit.
It seems they were negligent. First person did a test poorly and everyone since relied on those results.

Dude!

11-24-2009, 06:41 AM

They probably met with their lawyers to do a cost/benefit analysis. Kill him or let him live and possibly pursue a suit.
It seems they were negligent. First person did a test poorly and everyone since relied on those results.

i'd welcome your going into
a 23 year coma

if it meant no more posting

Serpico1103

11-24-2009, 06:43 AM

i'd welcome your going into
a 23 year coma

if it meant no more posting

would
you
promise
to
u s e
pun ctu ation
i f
i volun tee r
for my 2 3
year co m a?

Crossweird

11-24-2009, 07:10 AM

The amazing Randi is screaming Shenanigans... http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/783-this-cruel-farce-has-to-stop.html