(Image source from: Schumacher out of coma)
In an encouraging development that flickered a gleam of hope in the hearts of million of fans, seven times world racing champion Michael Schumacher has finally aroused from his artificially induced coma. The racing legend is now able to breathe without any assistance and has progressively longer waking periods than seen in the last 5 months. Schumi has been discharged from the French Grenoble hospital and is currently lodged at a rehab in a Lausanne hospital near his family home.
Despite the new development, doctors says that his rehabilitation “could take months if not years” and the chances of complete recovery, despite his emergence from the coma, is bleak.
Although the player is able to listen to voices, respond to touches and “communicate with his environment”, medical experts are skeptical about the seven-times world motor racing champion making a full recovery ever.
The somewhat positive news comes 24 weeks after Schumi hit his head on a rock while skiing off-piste in the French Alpine resort of Meribel. The collision split his ski helmet in two and left him with a skull bruise, leading doctors to place him in an induced coma at a hospital in Grenoble.
After months of sporadic updates on his health, his manager finally announced on Monday that Schumi is out of coma and has been moved to the University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), in western Switzerland.
The Lausanne hospital is around 20 miles away from Schumacher’s family home at Gland on the shore of Lake Geneva.
Michael Schumacher has been admitted into a separate, private part of the hospital where he can obtain the highest level of care. One of five university hospitals in Switzerland, CHUV has a department of clinical neurology – considered to be a global leader in brain research.
No sooner the news of Schumi slipping out of com hit the headlines on Monday, fresh goodwill poured in from all corners, including from his last team in Formula One, Mercedes, who wrote: “Encouraging news on Michael’s condition this morning. We couldn’t ask for a better start to the week.”
Britain’s Lewis Hamilton said: “It’s amazing news. Everywhere I go people ask about him, whether it’s the States or Canada. I could be in the petrol station and people ask about him. I always keep him in my thoughts and prayers. It’s a real positive to hear that there’s some progress. I’ve been trying to keep an ear out for what’s going on but not really hearing much improvements. To hear that he’s really in that wake up phase is really encouraging.”
Fernando Alonso tweeted: “Good start of the week with the news of Michael! So happy this is going in the good direction!”
Many commentators noted the poignancy of the football-mad Schumacher waking up just in time for Germany’s Group G opener against Portugal on Monday night. Germany and Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski, said: “What a great news!!! Get well soon Schumi!!! I’m so glad and happy when I just heard it!!”
All said and down, doctors fear that Schumacher’s chances of anything like a full recovery is difficult. And that he could be in a permanent vegetative state and never recover completely.
Gary Hartstein, the former Formula One doctor, wrote: “I cannot but think that if Michael had emerged AT ALL from the minimally conscious state that Sabine so accurately described in April, we’d be told that Michael is leaving for rehab, that he is having problems expressing himself and will work hard to get better. But no, we’re told what we already know, and pretty much told to not ever expect further updates. This all leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. And a huge space of sadness for Michael’s family, and for you, his fans.”
(With inputs from The Telegraph)
AW: Suchorita Choudhury
