Ace of Spades HQ

November 22, 2009

I Have No Mouth. And I Must Scream.
— Gabriel Malor

A man thought by doctors to be in a vegetative state for 23 years was actually conscious the whole time, it was revealed last night.
Student Rom Houben was misdiagnosed after a car crash left him totally paralysed.
He had no way of letting experts, family or friends know he could hear every word they said.
'I screamed, but there was nothing to hear,' said Mr Houben, now 46.
Doctors used a range of coma tests, recognised worldwide, before reluctantly concluding that his consciousness was 'extinct'.
But three years ago, new hi-tech scans showed his brain was still functioning almost completely normally.

They say he'll still be paralyzed for the rest of his life, but at least now he can communicate and read books while he lies there.

Oy.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 10:13 PM | Comments (65)
Post contains 149 words, total size 1 kb.

1 I Have No Mouth. And I Must Scream.Harlan Ellison?

Posted by: pat at November 22, 2009 10:16 PM (h4Zo6)

2 This is like those tales of opening old coffins and finding deep scratch marks on the inside. Totally effed up.

Posted by: eman at November 22, 2009 10:17 PM (zO1an)

3 Incidentally, this is why I have explicit DNR, "no heroic measures", and "pull the plug" instructions.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at November 22, 2009 10:24 PM (Mi2wf)

4 I know how he feels. I'm a conservative republican.

Posted by: L at November 22, 2009 10:24 PM (40yOy)

Oh yeah, that's a baddie.

I think doctors call that condition being "locked in".

Posted by: Jim in San Diego at November 22, 2009 10:25 PM (H7Rlw)

6 Harlan Ellison?

Got it in one, pat.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at November 22, 2009 10:26 PM (Mi2wf)

7 A little late for Terri Schiavo, I guess.

Posted by: ECM at November 22, 2009 10:28 PM (nYKDd)

Gabe

You left out the best part, the last sentence.

Dr Laureys was not available for comment yesterday and it is not clear why he thought Mr Houben should have the hi-tech screening when so many years had passed.

This is the attitude of people living under with socialized medicine. Rationing is expected and life is cheap. The author was probably wondering why Mr Houben wasn't killed off years prior.

Posted by: Naan at November 22, 2009 10:28 PM (YR3gL)

9 As a commenter in the article noted, an EEG combined with external stimuli would have show this decades ago. The original diagnosis was clearly inept, decades of intervening "care" obviously lackadaisical. Expect more of this kind of thing with ObamaCare.

I rather doubt this is an isolated case. There are undoubtedly at minimum several dozens of people around the world stuck in a similar condition. Equally undoubtedly, at least several of those are being allowed to die killed each year.

Situations like this are like cockroaches -- there is NEVER EVER "just one". Once the first shows up and you start looking, you're going to find a lot of them.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at November 22, 2009 10:31 PM (H3E0/)

10 My best friend has orders to smother me with a pillow. I have instructions to do the same for him. Obamacare would designate him as an organ depot. He'd be used to keep Senators and other VIPs alive.

Posted by: eman at November 22, 2009 10:34 PM (zO1an)

11 Equally undoubtedly, at least several of those are being ~~allowed to die~~ killed each year.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at November 23, 2009 02:31 AM (H3E0/)

Slowly starved to death ... by the same people who claim that pouring water on a terrorist's face is "torture".

Posted by: progressoverpeace at November 22, 2009 10:37 PM (A46hP)

12 Maybe I'm a little paranoid, but I'd predict a sharp spike in mortality of coma patients in the near future. Its no big deal when one of them dies, happens all the time, but its a big lawsuit payout and prestige hit if someone has been stuck like this and is subsequently discovered to not have been in a coma. If they were to simply die suddenly, as happens frequently anyway, no conclusive testing is possible anymore. Problem solved.

"Burying your mistakes" is a time honored tradition.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at November 22, 2009 10:40 PM (H3E0/)

13 Funny story: I had already picked out "I have no mouth. And I must scream." as the non sequitur I was going to put in tomorrow's Top Headline Comments post. Then I found this article.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at November 22, 2009 10:45 PM (Mi2wf)

14 I have orders to be resuscitated by a skilled team of hookers, dressed like Catholic school girls. If that does not work after the first month, then they can pull the plug.

Posted by: Jim in San Diego at November 22, 2009 10:53 PM (H7Rlw)

15 actually own the copy of If that this was first published in. Sits along side my copy of the April 59 issue of F&SF that contains the first printing of Flowers For Algernon.

Posted by: fartbubble at November 22, 2009 10:53 PM (cBeTr)

16 Real life "Johnny got his gun.' Horrible.

Posted by: RWC at November 22, 2009 10:54 PM (/QjtL)

Imagine this guy under government health care.

On second thought, don't, if you want to have untroubled sleep tonight.

Ellison's story is more about...well, the oncoming government health care is part one. This seems more in line with an "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" story about a guy (Joseph Cotten) totally paralized in a car crash, who was only discovered to be still kinda alive when he cried.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at November 22, 2009 10:55 PM (eNxMU)

18 Sweet Lord. How did he not go mad? And if they thought he was in a coma, would they have used anesthetic for procedures?

Posted by: Shannon at November 22, 2009 11:03 PM (niZOC)

19 Trapped in myself, body my holding cell

Posted by: hobgoblin at November 22, 2009 11:04 PM (uEGS8)

20 This is horrible. But it is a thing to become standard now with the new lawyer health care. I was only in a comma for 3 months. Thankfully, my wife and friends fought for me. The hospital figured I was a veggy. They told the medical staff I would get better. The hospital did do well. They at least gave me a chance. One day, I decided to get out of bed when I came to. Of course, that did not work well. After 2 years I can walk, talk, think, and write you guys. Never give up! No mater what happens!

Posted by: hous bin pharteen at November 22, 2009 11:04 PM (pU4D7)

21 "Real life "Johnny got his gun.' Horrible."

Send this to Metallica, it's about time they did something as bad ass as One.

Posted by: Robert at November 22, 2009 11:05 PM (4ixH5)

hous bin pharteen, that's a great story. Thanks for sharing.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at November 22, 2009 11:07 PM (eNxMU)

23 Unfortunately, having been gone for 3 months, and spending 6 more months in the hospital, what do I find? You guys elected the biggest con-man as President!

Oh. And I still hate dumbass Charles John-stoned.

Posted by: hous bin pharteen at November 22, 2009 11:10 PM (pU4D7)

24 #22 BeckoningChasm Thanks. I don't post for attention. I just post to help people make things better.. If I wanted attention, I would be kissing Charles and Obama's ass.

Posted by: hous bin pharteen at November 22, 2009 11:14 PM (pU4D7)

25 Night folks

Posted by: hous bin pharteen at November 22, 2009 11:15 PM (pU4D7)

As an aside, when future history is written, Harlan Ellison will be known for three things:

1. "The City on the Edge of Forever" Yeah, I know he hates how they took out all his 'controversial' stuff. So what.

2. "I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream." This story still works on every level, even today.

3. Being all mouth, and screaming constantly.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at November 22, 2009 11:20 PM (eNxMU)

27 It's no accident this happened in a country with socialized medicine. The NHS is famous for stuff like this.

Posted by: Fresh Air at November 22, 2009 11:22 PM (uFqVv)

28 This was already posted on the Headlines section of this blog.

Posted by: zeb at November 22, 2009 11:32 PM (qLZ+x)

29 9 As a commenter in the article noted, an EEG combined with external stimuli would have show this decades ago. The original diagnosis was clearly inept, decades of intervening "care" obviously lackadaisical. Expect more of this kind of thing with ObamaCare. I rather doubt this is an isolated case. There are undoubtedly at minimum several dozens of people around the world stuck in a similar condition. Equally undoubtedly, at least several of those are being allowed to die killed each year. Situations like this are like cockroaches -- there is NEVER EVER "just one". Once the first shows up and you start looking, you're going to find a lot of them. Posted by: Purple Avenger at November 23, 2009 02:31 AM (H3E0/) Actually, I DO EEGs and sleep studies both.There are ways to determine if a person is actually alive in the classic sense or actually brain dead. The sad fact is that the person's pupillary reaction,staging of sleep and stimulated brain waves should have been tested in order to get to the bottom of this a long time ago. The man's eyes should have been reactionary to light, for instance, as well as the autonomous reaction of the nerves in the sole of the foot. There are batteries of tests that, properly performed, would determine brain function to the point that an MRI or fMRI could have been justified. Sadly, my services are mostly used for lard assed in-house Hospitalists to bang the medicare cash register drawer again to get more repay. I have my serious doubts if some of the sorry assed mouth breathers I have done testing for even bother to read the neurologist's report when they get it. That clinical indifference routinely demotes this kind of testing to add-on status, when the doctor figures there's nothing else more expensive he can orde and get paid for. Socialized medicine at its best.

Posted by: enter sandman at November 22, 2009 11:34 PM (EerQ9)

30 Things like this make me think of Terri Schiavo.

......

I really, really don't like it when I think of Terri Schiavo.

........

I sincerely hope everyone involved in her suffering....that abomination of humanity.....endures God's worst possible torment.

Posted by: Hawkins1701 at November 22, 2009 11:37 PM (5rmNj)

My same thoughts when I read it. Just horrific.

Oh well, I have a circus trial to prepare for and some aclu guys I need to brief on our case.

Night guys. Buffy & Yoshi are taking names. Gotta make sure that new facility will hold all of you crazy racists.

Posted by: E.Holder at November 22, 2009 11:46 PM (LhCVS)

32 Please, for God's sake don't post threads like this. I'm bummed out over the seemingly inevitable impoverishment of my country - and her permanent dimunition as a world power - by Obamacare as it is. I don't need to share some poor soul's private hell.

Posted by: CoolCzech at November 22, 2009 11:59 PM (QECjC)

33 "This seems more in line with an "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" story about a guy (Joseph Cotten) totally paralized in a car crash, who was only discovered to be still kinda alive when he cried. " I think that was originally a Robeert Bloch story.

Posted by: Yehudit at November 23, 2009 12:02 AM (ZSfhB)

And this is what the ole psychiatrist Hasan can sort of look forward too being paralyzed...

guess Hasan will have to wait for that sweet release and his conversations with the other idiot in Yemen on the other side with his inventory of hirsuit virgins.... has anyone ever said what those virgins are?

I mean they could be goats right?

Are they killing off virgins to keep the supply in allahland up to snuff? How does that work? Or are there enough that just kick the bucket by natural causes to keep the bench warm?

What if you get all the ugly ones? I mean a virgin is a virgin. Or an old one?

Anyway, I guess the Hero Cop was his Virgin Nazi... "no virgins for you" at least until he wastes away in paralysis for a few years... if his psychiatric psychosis doesn't drive him nuts as to "why, allah, why? if he is such a wise and loving god?" will "enshahallah" satisfy his continued void of consumation? How unfair is allah! One and Disposable Heroes by Metallica comes to mind. I mean I know he can talk, but he can't clench his "gun". Such agony! Guess allah has disposable heroes too.

Think Hasan will get many visitors or a computer to work with?

Posted by: Joe Schumuckateli at November 23, 2009 12:47 AM (OLQku)

35 If you'd've let us handle it, he wouldn't have suffered so much.

Posted by: The Democrats at November 23, 2009 02:53 AM (eRJUD)

1938 book....1971 movie...

"Johnny Got His Gun"

Posted by: steve at November 23, 2009 03:28 AM (nd0uY)

37 sigh.....

Posted by: phoenixgirl at November 23, 2009 03:52 AM (ucxC/)

38 Couldn't you have found a way to use ""Repent, Harlequin", Said the Tick-Tock Man" instead? Oh sure, it would have been a little harder to work that into the story in question, but just think how awesome you would have felt afterward.

Posted by: physics geek at November 23, 2009 04:10 AM (MT22W)

39 #10, a buddy of mine has a suppressed .22 for such a contingency. We don't want any mistakes.

Posted by: SGT Dan at November 23, 2009 04:24 AM (ZP+gj)

40 johnny got his gun

Posted by: jcp at November 23, 2009 04:38 AM (DHNp4)

41 I enjoyed the second part to "I have no mouth.." It was called "I have no butthole, and I have to fart".

Posted by: The Drizzle at November 23, 2009 04:48 AM (PEr+c)

42 Good thing this poor chap wasn't in the Soviet Union, he'd wind up in an all-you-can-eat-bob place.

Sorry.

Posted by: Barbarian at November 23, 2009 04:52 AM (EL+OC)

43 Doctors used a range of coma tests, recognised worldwide, before reluctantly concluding that his consciousness was 'extinct'.

See? Just like global warming, the science was settled on the state of his consciousness. Uh, wait...

Posted by: Al Gore at November 23, 2009 04:56 AM (GSeVd)

44 Wow. I have no problems. None.

Posted by: Bugler at November 23, 2009 05:03 AM (YCVBL)

45 The science is settled, the experts have ruled.

You're dead, Mr. Smith.

No, no, don't argue, you denier.

Posted by: NYT Book Review at November 23, 2009 05:04 AM (MMC8r)

46 Did anyone else notice that he's happy to be alive? He's not asking to be put out of his misery.

Posted by: JohnJ at November 23, 2009 05:25 AM (QVlNv)

47 Did anyone else notice that he's happy to be alive? He's not asking to be put out of his misery.

Yes. I did. He's one tough SOB to go through all those years and not go mad. And to still want to live on. Damn.. that's hardcore.

Posted by: IreneFingIrene at November 23, 2009 05:39 AM (lhxhu)

48 At first they thought he was a senior member of the Dem.Senate but since then they discovered that he really has a functioning brain.

Posted by: harleycowboy at November 23, 2009 05:57 AM (JKGfQ)

49 40 years ago I read 'Johnny Get Your Gun'. It was a simular story line except it was fiction. Wow that poor guy endured all those years. Makes you want to count your blessings. Crap now I see yous guys beat me to it and I had the title wrong.

Posted by: sonnyspats at November 23, 2009 06:21 AM (kM/ZI)

50 Just my own preference, but If I'm ever "locked in" like this guy, and there is no hope of changing the situation, pull the whatever. Shoot me.

Posted by: SarahW at November 23, 2009 08:08 AM (CSrvi)

51 One, featuring footage from Johnny Got His Gun:

I can't remember anything
can't tell if this is true or dream
deep down inside I feel to scream
this terrible silence stops me

now that the war is through with me
I'm waking up, I cannot see
that there's not much left of me
nothing is real but pain now

hold my breath as I wish for death
oh please God, wake me

back in the womb it's much too real
in pumps life that I must feel
but can't look forward to reveal
look to the time when I'll live

fed through the tube that sticks in me
just like a wartime novelty
tied to machines that make me be
cut this life off from me

hold my breath as I wish for death
oh please God, wake me

now the world is gone I'm just one
oh God, help me hold my breath as I wish for death

darkness imprisoning me
all that I see
absolute horror
I cannot live
I cannot die
trapped in myself
body my holding cell

landmine has taken my sight
taken my speech
taken my hearing
taken my arms
taken my legs
taken my soul
left me with life in hell

Posted by: Metallica at November 23, 2009 08:41 AM (8/DeP)

@10 My best friend has orders to smother me with a pillow.

Screw Ellison. That's Ken Kesey, right there.

Posted by: comatus at November 23, 2009 08:49 AM (/VEEI)

53 omg...that short stroy scaredf the sht outta me when i was in 6th grade.

Posted by: freakether3 at November 23, 2009 09:27 AM (w3ZFS)

54 I did read in a book by Ramachandran once that people paralyzed like this fellow are often not very worried about it and are strangely peaceful and content. As if not having the body sending messages to the brain all the time was some how a mood enhancer.

Posted by: SarahW at November 23, 2009 11:23 AM (CSrvi)

55 Dr. House has diagnosed and treated locked-in syndrome twice in the last six years. I think in one case he smelled the critical diagnostic clue in the patient's pee. In the other, the patient manipulated his heartbeats to say "Jane, get me off this crazy thing" in Morse code.

If such scientific illiterates as TV writers know about this, how in hell can medical professionals miss it?

There ought to be a rule that every long-term case like this is revisited annually from scratch by a completely independent and disinterested physician. Going in blind with no reference to the existing chart. Like an accounting audit.

Posted by: Little Miss Spellcheck at November 23, 2009 01:10 PM (xqhoO)

56 Posted by: Naan at November 23, 2009 02:28 AM (YR3gL)

Guilty. I was wondering that...

It's a wonder he's still sane.

Posted by: Shannow at November 23, 2009 03:43 PM (LJcef)

57 burberry scarf | CD Keys

Posted by: jason at November 23, 2009 05:37 PM (x70Q/)

58 I wonder what sort of things people said in front of him, all that time.

Posted by: Charliemax at November 23, 2009 09:30 PM (deFA4)

59 This man's affliction is called "locked-in syndrome." When I was lobbying the Florida Senate in 2005, trying to get a bill passed that would have stopped Terri Schiavo's dehydration, I met two individuals who had, like Terri, been in conditions labeled "persistent vegetative state," but had come out of them. One of them, Kate Adamson (whose book Kate's Journey describes her experiences), informed us that PVS is inaccurate (the term was invented by a pro-euthanasia activist), and that the proper name is "locked-in syndrome." The doctors thought she was as good as dead, and began the same process that poor Terri Schiavo suffered: starvation and dehydration. Fortunately for Kate, her husband aggressively intervened, and pushed relentlessly until the process was stopped. Kate said she was conscious and aware the entire time, and in the most excruciating pain imaginable. Imagine what it would feel like for every cell in your body to be deprived of water....

"Locked-in syndrome" was also what happened to Jean-Dominique Bauby, a magazine editor who was completely paralyzed from a car accident, but whose intelligence, hearing and wit were completely intact. He learned to communicate by blinking his eye to signal which letter he wanted from a list read to him in which letters were listed in order of their frequency in the language (e.g., "e" was first). He even 'dictated" a book this way, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, later made by artist/director Julian Schnabel into one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen.

Finally, I recommend a book, Conversations with the Voiceless by John Wessells, a man who ministers to comatose people.... You will be amazed. Many comatose people eventually come out of their comas---and they recount things that happened, conversations they heard, songs that were sung to them, all while they'd been comatose. These people are not dead, they are not unaware. In many cases, they hear and understand what you say to them.

In 2006, a comatose man came out of a coma after being administered a sleeping drug, of all things. New things are being discovered all the time.

Nothing is hopeless. Life is a mystery. Handle with care.

Posted by: Kathy from Kansas at November 23, 2009 11:50 PM (eBpsW)

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