Contact With A Coma Patient

[Thebogeyman]

Having been down this road myself with a parent in their final days I understood it was common practise talk to the patient , they may not respond but they can hear you.

As my wife and I stood round the bed that night on 11th January 2007 I would like to think that the small talk we indulged in round her bed would be a comfort as they gradually slipped away.

You can imagine my horror reading this

http://www.theonion.com/articles/study-f...cru,27035/

This is .... well , I dont quite know what to say in all honesty.

This is the first occassion I have come across this study and the results of same. My own thoughts here again stray to the visions / experiences of Hell that some patients recall whilst in this condition ? To be consigned to the eternal fire ?

I dont know what to think here ..... can take comfort in the following reports which appear to contradict the above although the above is dated Janaury 2012

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/100510_coma.htm

http://www.nacd.org/journal/article5.php

The latter reports do put forward the case strongly that contact with the patient is a positive experience and assists the necessary " strings " within the brain to reroute or reattach.

Scary ..... REAL scary ..... I would sincerely wish that in the final moments they were brought comfort and not the excrutiating pain as claimed in the report.

[BurningTorch]

That's really confusing. I suppose I can understand the pain of not being able to communicate with loved ones when you know they're there, but equally, their voices might be a source of comfort and might help you fight harder against the coma. I suppose it depends on the person's physical state (strength-wise), their state of mind at the time and their character (some people are more prone to anxiety and might therefore be very anxious at not being able to communicate.)

You need this, Bogeys:

[Thebogeyman]

Thanks BT but I am sure that her passing was easy .... just have that feeling but it is disturbing reading and there is the Devils Alternative here.

Do you just turn and forget them as has been suggested ... or sit and talk as you would do for a loved one ?

To me the latter seems to have positive results regards a patients recovery. Whatever the MRI scan indicates regards the activity within the pain receptors of the brain is intriguing though , would really wish to know what is going on there

[BurningTorch]

It certainly is interesting.