February 8, 2005
CAREFUL, SHE MIGHT HEAR YOU (David Hill, The Bronx):
Brain-Damaged Patients May Still Have Awareness: Study Finds Signs Some Unresponsive People Can Hear, React To Relatives (BENEDICT CAREY, 2/8/2005, The Day)
Thousands of brain-damaged people who are treated as if they are almost completely unaware may in fact hear and register what is going on around them but be unable to respond, a new brain imaging study suggests.The findings, if repeated in follow-up experiments, could have sweeping implications for determining the best care for these patients. Some experts said the study, which appeared Monday in the journal Neurology, could also have consequences for legal cases, when parties dispute the mental state of a patient who is unresponsive.
The research showed that brain-imaging technology could be a powerful tool to help doctors and family members determine whether a person had lost all awareness or was still somewhat mentally engaged, experts said.
“This study gave me goose bumps, because it shows this possibility of this profound isolation, that these people are there, that they've been there all along, even though we've been treating them as if they're not,” said Dr. Joseph Fins, chief of the medical ethics division of New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Center. Fins was not involved in the study but collaborates with its authors on other projects.
Imagine having to lie there as your husband swears up and down that much as he regrets it he's killing you for your own good? Posted by Orrin Judd at February 8, 2005 3:17 PM
My late beloved mother-in-law had no qualms about telling me similiar things right to my face. So I don't have to imagine.
Posted by: h-man at February 8, 2005 3:28 PMImagine having to lie in one place, with no hope of ever moving again, forever, and ever, and ever, and ever.......
Posted by: Ben Lange at February 8, 2005 3:47 PMMr. Lange:
Pipe in some books on tape and it's my idea of Nirvana.
Posted by: oj at February 8, 2005 5:35 PMBen: Gimme a TV and an electrode on my head to change the channel, and I'll be fine, really. At least instead of being treated like part of the furniture, people will make a conscious effort to engage me.
Once technology catches up, maybe a person who's brain-damaged but still aware will be on the same level as people who are paralyzed like Christopher Reeve, who also had "to lie in one place, with no hope of ever moving again" but could continue to live through technology.
Posted by: Just John at February 8, 2005 5:37 PMDang, OJ beat me... Great minds think alike, but one types faster!
Posted by: Just John at February 8, 2005 5:43 PMOrrin:
But what if they were all Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn? Can we ever really trust our kids?
Posted by: Peter B at February 8, 2005 6:24 PMPipe in some books on tape and it's my idea of Nirvana.
Until your butt starts to itch.
If we can send a man to the moon, why can't someone invent a good butt scratching robot.
Posted by: David Cohen at February 8, 2005 8:49 PMDavid:
Michael Hertegen says the Japanese will have great ones soon....
Posted by: oj at February 8, 2005 9:20 PMAnd when they arrive, none of us will ever leave the house again.
Posted by: joe shropshire at February 8, 2005 10:55 PMMan, I'd sure hate it if my butt-scratching robot became sentient and rebelled against his master (which we all know will eventually happen). I've heard of a sneak attack from behind, but that would just be nasty...
Posted by: Just John at February 9, 2005 12:11 AMI wonder if this includes Patty Murray, Jim McDermid(sp?), Barbara Boxer and Ted Kennedy?
Posted by: Genecis at February 9, 2005 11:50 AM