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Italian coma victim says heard everything (Sicilian Man Wakes up After 2YR Coma; Doctors Gave up)
Reuters ^ | 05 Oct 2005 | Phil Stewart

Posted on 10/05/2005 2:13:46 PM PDT by nickcarraway

ROME, Oct 5 (Reuters) - An Italian man who spent two years supposedly unconscious in a deep coma, written off by doctors as nearly-dead, awoke saying he heard and understood everything happening around him during the long ordeal, his family said.

Salvatore Crisafulli, a father of four, is describing his case as a "miracle" which proves that lost causes are anything but hopeless and his recovery appeared to strengthen the hand of Italians opposed to end-of-life solutions.

His brother even called Crisafulli "an Italian Terri Schiavo case" with reference to the brain-damaged Florida woman who died in March after her feeding tube was removed.

"The doctors said that I wasn't conscious, but I understood everything and I cried in desperation," Crisafulli was quoted as saying in Italian media on Wednesday.

The comments were relayed through his brother in Sicily as Crisafulli, 38, slowly started recovering. He came out of a coma three months ago but only began speaking recently. His first word was "Mamma", his mother told the press.

News of his recovery hit Italy at about the same time as a national bioethics committee defended obligatory care for unconscious patients -- even those who opposed extraordinary medical measures to keep them alive.

The government committee, which acts as a reference point for lawmakers, voted in favour of the stance late last month, but the position paper is still being finalised.

"To feed an unconscious patient through a tube is not a medical act," said the committee's president, Francesco D'Agostino, in reported comments confirmed by his office.

"It's like giving a bottle to a newborn baby who can't be nursed by its mother ... And then we reflect on the Schiavo case. The woman was left to die of starvation."

The Schiavo case was closely followed in Italy, where the Roman Catholic Church demanded doctors keep feeding her, despite the wishes of her husband.

Pope John Paul II died two days after Schiavo, and the Vatican had compared the U.S. state court to an "executioner" for ordering her feeding tube removed.

Salvatore will probably never be the same as he was before the accident, and his mother spoke about his poor speech. But his family says he seems to be alert and aware.

"My brother speaks and remembers. I don't expect that he will be like he was, but it's already a miracle," Pietro said was quoted as saying in Corriere della Sera newspaper.

"And to think that some doctors said that it was all useless and that he would be dead in three, four months."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: coma; emotathon; euthansia; medicine; remeberbepositive; remember; rememberholdand; rememberreadbible; remembersayiloveyou; remembertopray; remembertosing; sicily; terrischiavo
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To: american colleen; Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; ...
Serving the Gospel of life thus means that the family, particularly through its membership of family associations, works to ensure that the laws and institutions of the State in no way violate the right to life, from conception to natural death, but rather protect and promote it.
EVANGELIUM VITAE

Catholic Ping - Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


41 posted on 10/06/2005 6:28:35 AM PDT by NYer
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To: NYer; nickcarraway; 8mmMauser
"And to think that some doctors said that it was all useless and that he would be dead in three, four months."

Amen! Because this man is lucky enough to have a caring family, he will improve. Maybe he won't be the same, but I believe that he will conquer his disabilites with the help of his family.

This is very scary, when you think about it.

42 posted on 10/06/2005 7:17:36 AM PDT by TheSpottedOwl ("President Bush, start building that wall"!)
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To: T.Smith

You're right. Terri wasn't comatose, she was aware and awake. Just knock it off...


43 posted on 10/06/2005 7:19:15 AM PDT by TheSpottedOwl ("President Bush, start building that wall"!)
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To: TXBubba

Perhaps because he was in a coma for two years they were projecting long-term. A week/ your grandma's surgery, that is one thing, a short objective. As a coma drags on and on and the doctors don't see improvement or hope, I imagine one sees it so differently.


44 posted on 10/06/2005 7:58:35 AM PDT by bboop (Facts are your friend.)
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To: TheSpottedOwl
"You're right. Terri wasn't comatose, she was aware and awake. Just knock it off..."

You're delusional. Terri hadn't enough brain to be aware or awake. The Terri supporter's zeal on this site is almost cultish.

45 posted on 10/06/2005 9:50:04 AM PDT by T.Smith
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To: T.Smith

Yes, anyone who doesn't agree with you is obviously delusional.


46 posted on 10/06/2005 9:54:52 AM PDT by TheSpottedOwl ("President Bush, start building that wall"!)
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To: bboop

Our understanding was that the length of time did not matter. She was on a floor with other patients who were also in comas..not due to surgery. In fact, we were there one evening when a young man, who had been in a coma for several months as a result of a motorcycle accident, "woke up". That is one of the reasons the nurses and such were so conscientious about telling us that people can hear in comas. We were visiting with families in the rooms of our various loved ones throughout the days. I really don't buy the idea that the Italian doctors didn't know this.


47 posted on 10/06/2005 11:17:18 AM PDT by TXBubba ( Democrats: If they don't abort you then they will tax you to death.)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
Amazing story!

And evidence that only the Lord knows His plan for our life, and its timeline.

48 posted on 10/06/2005 12:46:43 PM PDT by Ciexyz (Let us always remember, the Lord is in control.)
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To: TheSpottedOwl
"Yes, anyone who doesn't agree with you is obviously delusional."

Anyone who chooses to ignore basic science is delusional.

49 posted on 10/06/2005 1:28:57 PM PDT by T.Smith
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To: 2ndMostConservativeBrdMember; afraidfortherepublic; Alas; al_c; american colleen; annalex; ...

In coma for 2 years, patient says he heard all

Italian man awoke after being declared nearly dead by doctors

Crisafulli's mother Angela kisses her son at his home in Catania
Salvatore Crisafulli's mother, Angela, kisses her son at his home in the Sicilian city of Catania. Crisafulli emerged from a deep coma, caused by a 2003 road accident, three months ago but only began speaking recently.
 
 
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9599492/

50 posted on 10/06/2005 3:57:03 PM PDT by Coleus (I support ethical, effective and safe stem cell research and use: adult, umbilical cord, bone marrow)
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To: Coleus

Nice picture Coleus.


51 posted on 10/06/2005 5:19:56 PM PDT by fatima (Have a beer-It is good for everything.Beer Mod. freepathon.)
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To: Coleus
at his home in the Sicilian city of Catania

For a minute, I thought that said "the Sicilian city of Catatonia."

Wonderful that the young man is recovering.

52 posted on 10/06/2005 5:36:23 PM PDT by Tax-chick (When bad things happen, conservatives get over it!)
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To: nickcarraway; floriduh voter

Ping!


53 posted on 10/06/2005 5:39:42 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: TXBubba

My mother also had a brain tumor, and had the same experience. She has recounted conversations that the nursing staff had, including dirty jokes they told. Trust me, my mother didn't imagine dirty jokes. She was a Dean of Women at a Christian College.


54 posted on 10/06/2005 5:42:35 PM PDT by Miss Marple (Lord, please look after Mozart Lover's son and keep him strong.)
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To: nickcarraway

Thanks for the great story.

It seems that doctors are ALWAYS giving up.


55 posted on 10/06/2005 7:04:58 PM PDT by Sun (Hillary Clinton is pro-ILLEGAL immigration. Don't let her fool you. She has a D- /F immigr. rating.)
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To: Coleus
"It's like giving a bottle to a newborn baby who can't be nursed by its mother ..." Sadly, the term 'newborn' means nothing to the advocates for killing the inconvenient. It is a proven fact that the almost born are no different from the newborn, but the death advocates cancel the life of the preborn for the convenience and empowerment of killing them off to avoid responsibility. And what more godlike act is there than the power to kill at whim, for the lieberal mindset. Changing that perspective is impossible ... for man, but we may pray God will do it for those not lost to their selfishness.
56 posted on 10/06/2005 8:30:53 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)
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To: Coleus

Prayers offered up for this man's full recovery.


57 posted on 10/06/2005 10:01:44 PM PDT by Ciexyz (Let us always remember, the Lord is in control.)
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To: nickcarraway; Coleus

Pity Terri didn't have that chance.


58 posted on 10/07/2005 5:39:07 PM PDT by Irish_Thatcherite (~~~A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!~~~)
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