Posted on 03/19/2005 6:36:26 PM PST by TASMANIANRED
I have the consent of Salamander to post this.
In the interest of clarity for those undecided about Terri's quality of life and her potential for recovery, I post Salamanders story. A fascinating take on the nature of brain injury and its effects on consciousness.
I have no frontal lobe. It was destroyed in an accident in 1981. All that's filling up the space is scar tissue and spinal fluid. Apparently I'm still functioning and "thinking" to some extent. I won't bore you with the details of the damage I also sustained in my temporal and parietal lobes and cerebellum.
Suffice it to say that I was declared "hopeless" by the doctors in the hospital and that *if* I ever awoke, I'd be a "vegetable" for life. They told my parents that injuries *much* less severe than my own usually killed people, outright.
After an 11 day hospital "death watch", I simply awoke and asked for a cheeseburger. There was no gradual "improvement" in health. I just woke up and that was it. [I had my cheeseburger and walked out of the hospital that same day and went out to dinner and dancing, that night] Miracle? Probably. With the exception of anosmia and a balance problem [inner ear bones damaged too], I was "fine". I have to work a little harder to recall things due to short-term memory problems and my fine motor control isn't as fine as it used to be, but and I *am* "functioning and thinking to some extent".
I hope you understand now why I am so disgusted by people who say that "this part or the other of her brain is missing and therefore there is no hope". I am lacking major parts which are supposedly "vital" to consciousness and "self" yet here am I, lucid and functioning superbly.
My point is, there is always -hope- and science doesn't even begin to understand how the brain can "reroute circuitry" to compensate for damaged areas.
Having nearly been like Terri, myself, I have a vested interest in her welfare.
She deserves an attempt at rehabilitation. She deserves physical and mental stimulation. The brain will "atrophy" when deprived of such things and my doctors have flat-out told me that my own efforts to "exercise" my mind, post-injury are responsible for the fact that I am "firing on [almost] all cylinders", today.
I ~could~ have "been her" and she could yet have a chance to "be me"....or at least greatly improved, if only her adoring spouse would allow her that chance.
PING
I never heard this story before thanks for posting.
I don't know if I need a frontal lobe but THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IS ON ABC tonight. I wonder if Judge Greer is holed up in the hotel watching The Ten Commandments. Probably not since he doesn't let them affect his judgment. GEORGE GREER IS EXACT OPPOSITE OF JUDGE ROY MOORE.
John / Billybob
Awesome post. On a side note, if you wanna laugh or raise your blood pressure, depending on how you look at things, here's the DUmmies trying to make scientific arguments as to why Terri should be killed. Quite amusing.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3300402&mesg_id=3300402
You're welcome, sir.
I pray to God that some will read it and have a change of heart.
Even more prayers for her can only be a good thing.
The best "side-effect" was uncharacteristic empathy for the "underdog".
I became much more aware and compassionate towards others.
For that blessing, I am grateful.
Case studies of normal people with virtually no brains at all, no pun intended:
http://www.alternativescience.com/no_brainer.htm
"if you wanna laugh or raise your blood pressure, depending on how you look at things, here's the DUmmies trying to make scientific arguments as to why Terri should be killed."
Sadly enough, we don't need to venture over to DU for posters who are advocating Terri's death. Quite a few Freepers are as well. :-(
Yeah, it is a sad thing.
"does Salamander have current high-res MRI and PET images we could take a look at?"
I do but I'd sooner post pix of myself first thing in the morning than publicly post -those-....LOL!
[I mean, good grief, how much more "personal" can you get than looking at the inside of a woman's cranium?]
I was declared "hopeless" by the doctors in the hospital and that *if* I ever awoke, I'd be a "vegetable" for life.
So how did it turn out? :-)
(I can't believe noone else said it.)
L
Terri ping! If anyone would like to be added to or removed from my Terri ping list, please let me know by FReepmail!
Thanks....both of you. :)
I just talked Salamander into it. Her story stand on it's own merits.
Never let the prejudice of a Physician dictate your outcome.
It's a lot better than photo's of a pelvic.
Eeeuuuuuwwwwa.
You have quite a sense of humor.
My first thought was "through a feeding tube..." sorry, I have a few brain problems of my own.
Thanks for the post and ping
I would have demanded steak and lobster, with a side of mandarin duck!
I should not have wrote that, now I am hungry.
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