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Off topic, sort of. I had the pleasure of meeting a woman a few years ago. She is a resident of the nursing home where my grandmother lived.

This woman had a severe fever as a child (5 years old) and was left with severe brain damage. Her parents cared for her for 30 years until their deaths.

She was always considered in a vegetative state, as her doctor for those many years proclaimed. She moaned and grunted but rarely showed eye contact, so he said. There was never any therapy, because the doctor said it was pointless. (He is dead now also)

She was a quad but could be fed, (but was vegetative????)….ahem! until she moved to the nursing home, over 15 years ago.

At this time the “doctor” suggested to the “Home” they have a feeding tube inserted to make “their job” easier.

After 2 years there, they realized she actually could move her right arm a little. Then the CNA’s started to feed her jello and pudding and even mashed potatoes. Soon after, they started limited physical and speech therapy.

Today, this woman still has to sit up in a hospital bed, and cannot make complete words. However, the staff at this home has made a picture book for her, and she can communicate pain, pleasure, and have simple conversations, by pointing to the pictures in the book. She understands everything you say and laughs at jokes. Although she will never be “so called normal” she is very happy and excited when people stop to talk to her.

Can you imagine laying there like a vegetable for 30 years of your life, and within a few years of getting help being able to laugh and communicate?

From what I understand even at home her parents kept her in a hospital bed and only visited her to feed her and change her, and take her out in the sun once and a while. They had other children and felt they deserved all their attention..because the Dr. basically told them she had no quality of life......so sad!