Trapped in his own body for 23 years and misdiagnosed as “vegetative,” does this change your mind about Terri Schiavo?
After a horrific car accident twenty-three years ago, Rom Houben was believed to be in a coma. Doctors said he was in a vegetative state and, as a result, couldn’t understand or communicate with those around him.
Almost three years ago, with the help of a super-duper scanner, neurologist Steven Laureys discovered that Houben’s brain functioned normally.
Since then, Houben has been able to work on his motor skills and can finally communicate with one finger and a special touchscreen on his wheelchair.
He says his years spent unable to communicate were like a living hell. He could hear and understand everything, but was unable to show that he understood. Doctors now wonder how many people out there suffering through a “persistent vegetative state” are really conscious and able to understand what is going on around them?
People like Terri Schiavo?
Schiavo was diagnosed as being in a permanent vegetative state for years. When her husband was able to finally honor her wishes and let her go, peacefully, through dehydration – a media/political shitstorm developed pitting family against family and Floridian against Floridian.
I remember that time vividly, disgusted with Republican politicians using this family tragedy as a platform to showboat and seek the spotlight. I supported Terri’s husband, who seemed to have her best interests at heart, and sympathized with her family for their heartbreaking loss.
A part of my support was personal. I felt horrified that I might wind up in such a state and kept alive for years with absolutely no quality of life. This finding in Belgium doesn’t change that. I still wouldn’t want to live in such a manner – it’s almost *more* horrific to think about being conscious and kept prisoner in my body.
Why does death frighten everyone so much? I’m not afraid to die. The real tragedy would be years spent in a hospital bed and not able to laugh or smile or communicate with the people I love.
But this does change my thinking about Schiavo and all such cases. I’m against the killing of sentient beings with four legs. Why wouldn’t I be against the killing of those with two?
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Catherine Durkin Robinson
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she’s crafty
A tragedy to not be able to laugh or smile or communicate, or tell us what to do or what you really think of us. Yes. Tragedy indeed.
This is the danger of using anecdotal situations to change a paradigm.
It seems to me that there’s a difference in action between actively taking a life, or killing, and not going to heroic measures to preserve a life that is failing naturally.
The exact definition of “heroic measures” is the issues, of course, and why living wills are important.
One of the other questions is the definition of communication. It looks like he’s taking part in facilitated communication. This means said communication is debatable.
I agree with all the facebook comments that the biggest lesson to learn from all this is get a living will and talk to your family about your last wishes. Then they will hopefully do what you wish and not feel bad or guilty about it.