Misdiagnosing Permanent Unconsciousness

This is an important story, byline Carol Burczuk, the jist of which needs to be repeated until it finally sinks in: Just because doctors say someone is “unconscious,” it doesn’t mean they really are. Often, people are aware but cannot communicate—as in this story. Note, that people spoke about one of the patients as if he weren’t there—even using the “V-word,” which, disgustingly, the reporter just throws around as if it is okay to denigrate human beings to the level of a radish.(We really need some consciousness raising here!) In any event, it is a long article but it proves that where there is life, there is often hope, and when it comes to consciousness and awareness, we often don’t know what the heck is really going on.

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