Brain-damaged firefighter recovers, 10 years later


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May 3, 2005. 10:34 AM

Brain-damaged firefighter recovers ? 10 years later

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. ? Ten years after a firefighter was left brain-damaged and mostly mute following a 1995 roof collapse, he did something that shocked his family and doctors: He perked up.

"I want to talk to my wife," Donald Herbert said out of the blue on Saturday. Staff members of the nursing home where he has lived for more than seven years rushed to get Linda Herbert on the telephone.

It was the first of many conversations the 44-year-old patient had with his wife, four sons and other family and friends since, said Herbert's uncle, Simon Manka.

"How long have I been away?" Herbert asked.

"We told him almost 10 years," the uncle said. "He thought it was only three months."

Herbert was fighting a house fire Dec. 29, 1995, when the roof collapsed, burying him under debris. After going without air for several minutes, Herbert was comatose for 2-1/2 months and has undergone therapy ever since.

News accounts in the days and years after his injury describe Herbert as blind and with little, if any, memory. Video shows him receiving physical therapy but apparently unable to communicate and with little awareness of his surroundings.

Manka declined to discuss his nephew's current condition, or whether the apparent progress was continuing. The family is seeking privacy while doctors evaluated Herbert, he said.

"He's resting comfortably," the uncle said.

As word of Herbert's progress spread, a steady stream of visitors arrived at the Father Baker Manor nursing home in this Buffalo suburb.

"He stayed up till early morning talking with his boys and catching up on what they've been doing over the last several years," firefighter Anthony Liberatore told WIVB-TV.

Herbert's sons were 14, 13, 11 and 3 when he was injured.

Staff members at the nursing facility recognized the change in Herbert, Manka said, when they heard him speaking and "making specific requests."

"The word of the day was `amazing,' " he said.

Dr. Rose Lynn Sherr of the New York University Medical Center said that when patients recover from brain injuries, they usually do so within two or three years.

"It's almost unheard of after 10 years," she said, "but sometimes things do happen and people suddenly improve and we don't understand why."

Manka said visitors let Herbert set the pace of the conversations and did not bring up the fire in which he was injured.

"The extent and duration of his recovery is not known at this time," Manka said.

"However, we can tell you he did recognize several family members and friends and did call them by name."

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentSe...id=968332188492

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Got to be registered :(

585866529[/snapback]

I posted the entire article. The link is only for credit and verification purposes.

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Amazing. The human body is a complex and deep machine... one day we'll be able to understand little miracles like this I hope!

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Well people as you see that what happened to Terry was the biggest mistake ever.. they dont even know what happened to this guy that recovered after 10 years..so if things like this is possible does it apply only to certain people??? :no:

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Well people as you see that what happened to Terry was the biggest mistake ever.. they dont even know what happened to this guy that recovered after 10 years..so if things like this is possible does it  apply only to certain people??? :no:

585866586[/snapback]

This guy was not in a persistent vegetative state. Terry only had a functioning brain stem. Not all comas are equal.

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I completely agree with Armenian Guy, im not trying to be a flamebait or anything. But if this isnt a wonderful thing that shows there is always hope, i dont know what is. Truly wonderful, it is.

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Well people as you see that what happened to Terry was the biggest mistake ever.. they dont even know what happened to this guy that recovered after 10 years..so if things like this is possible does it  apply only to certain people??? :no:

585866586[/snapback]

Yes, it does only apply to certain people. There have been documented cases of people recovering from this type of brain damage. Unfortunately, there have been zero documented cases of people recovering from PVS. So the 2 cases are not comparable.

And if any of you are ever unfortunate enough to be close to someone in one of these states, sometimes palliative care is a reasonable thing to think about, even if there is some remote chance for full or partial recovery.

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Ugh, there is not always hope. Like fred said, that woman was a vegetable. I knew when I saw this topic on the main page, people were going to compare that woman to this case. I am sure the firefighter has minimal problems in his brain, but nothing that would inhibit the rest of his life. I hope he has a wonderful life as he moves on.

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wow life is so beautiful... image if our brain's code was written in a programming language, that would be insane code.

585866638[/snapback]

:coma

IF injured then heal

WHEN healed then wake up

ELSE goto coma

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