Posted on 07/29/2005 11:18:14 PM PDT by Coleus
In 1998, as 14-year-old Renzo Viscardi of Bethlehem lay in a coma after his heart had stopped from an undiagnosed heart ailment, his parents were told his case was hopeless.
Doctors told Renzo's parents, artist Cheryl Dougan and Lehigh University professor of architecture Tony Viscardi, their son had no brain activity, was in a ''persistent vegetative state'' and they should just accept ''reality'' and institutionalize him.
Now seven years later, Renzo, although still disabled, plays his guitar, is attending classes at Northampton Community College, works part time and is dreaming of his ultimate goal — to live in his own home independent of his parents.
On July 24, the final Hack's Blues Benefit will raise money to help Renzo's parents renovate a house to be wheelchair accessible so Renzo can live on his own.
The blues festival, started by the late Karen Kimber of Bethlehem, owner of Hack's diner, always raised money for Bethlehem families. This year, organizers decided to help Renzo, who also received aid from an earlier Hack's festival.
Independence is one of Renzo's top goals.
''I want to be free,'' said Renzo, who speaks slowly and with effort.
In the airy addition his parents built on their home after Renzo became disabled, the 21-year-old flashes a broad grin at visitors and responds with hand gestures and halting words.
In Renzo's lap is his beloved guitar. Around his room are art projects and the beginnings of a poem written on a chalkboard.
''At the beginning doctors told us what was impossible,'' Dougan said. ''This is about looking ahead at what is possible.''
It is a tribute to the couple's determination that the person who once was written off as ''having no mental life'' now volunteers at Easter Seals Society and has had poetry published in the NCC newspaper.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcall.com ...
Felos is deeply saddened.
Judge Greer is outraged
He was riding on a bus with Jane Fonda?
Of course when something like this happens it just means that he was "misdiagnosed" and never was in a vegetative state in the first place. Ummmm. Yeah.
-Useless Eaters vs The Death Cult--
...and yes, I mean every word of my tagline.
Give it up on the Schiavo thing. Please?
Thanks for the ping, Coleus. The legacy of Terri lives and grows despite the fervant wishes of her detractors.
8mm
They try to slap on the label of PVS to dehumanize and to allow themselves to treat the poor souls like animals so they needn't deal with the humanity of their subjects. The ghouls in Japan during the WWII likewise termed their victims "logs" so they could experiment on them live and shrug it off.
8mm
He recovered within a year. What are chances of recovery after a more extended time?
I'm concerned about the boyscout who was recently hurt and is diagnosed as brain dead, and they will take his organs.
I hope he is truly brain dead.
Just one more of many stories:
When Aldrich awoke in April, doctors still had little hope for her. ''They told me I was going to be a vegetable," she said. ''They said I was going to be blind."
----snip----
''I can't wait to go back to Montreal," to the hospital, she said. ''That way they won't give up on anybody else."
----snip----
http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2005/05/01/woman_fights_back_from_near_fatal_coma/
Exactly.
Your post betrays brain death.
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