Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Just a week ago, a close friend of mine nearly drowned after he was found unconscious in a beach. They said his heart had stopped for 5 minutes. He was in a critical condition in the first night, but now he is stable for the most part (though he's still in ICU). His heart and lungs are doing fine, but MRI results showed that he has brain damage (not sure to what degree?). He just had tracheostomy to help him breathe better.
He is opening his eyes and looking around, but he isn't speaking. He is physically responding when the doctors are telling him to move his hands or open his mouth. He is very young, only 20. A doctor said he will recover slowly, but I am just a bit wary. Is he in a vegetative state or something? What does his prognosis look like?
Just a week ago, a close friend of mine nearly drowned after he was found unconscious in a beach. They said his heart had stopped for 5 minutes. He was in a critical condition in the first night, but now he is stable for the most part (though he's still in ICU). His heart and lungs are doing fine, but MRI results showed that he has brain damage (not sure to what degree?). He just had tracheostomy to help him breathe better.
He is opening his eyes and looking around, but he isn't speaking. He is physically responding when the doctors are telling him to move his hands or open his mouth. He is very young, only 20. A doctor said he will recover slowly, but I am just a bit wary. Is he in a vegetative state or something? What does his prognosis look like?
A week isn't a very long time. No one here could probably predict it. There are many individual factors that play into it, including the temperature of the water. Hypothermia can protect the brain somewhat. Sorry about your friend.
Last edited by Parnassia; 02-01-2021 at 01:34 PM..
If he is responding to verbal instructions he is certainly not vegetative NOW. Only time can tell how much of a recovery he'll make.
They generally say the prognosis is better the colder the water as that slows the metabolism so less organ damage (including the brain). And he's young...not exactly a kid but I'd think 20 is better than 50. I hope he recovers fully - for both your sakes!
Just a week ago, a close friend of mine nearly drowned after he was found unconscious in a beach. They said his heart had stopped for 5 minutes. He was in a critical condition in the first night, but now he is stable for the most part (though he's still in ICU). His heart and lungs are doing fine, but MRI results showed that he has brain damage (not sure to what degree?). He just had tracheostomy to help him breathe better.
He is opening his eyes and looking around, but he isn't speaking. He is physically responding when the doctors are telling him to move his hands or open his mouth. He is very young, only 20. A doctor said he will recover slowly, but I am just a bit wary. Is he in a vegetative state or something? What does his prognosis look like?
A close friend of mine (34 and healthy) experienced a cardiac event while mowing his lawn. He collapsed and wasn't breathing when his wife found him. She maintained CPR until EMS arrived. He suffered brain damage due to oxygen starvation.
His first two weeks were iffy. He was in a near vegetative state. At some point after that, he began responding by squeezing fingers. He was removed from the ventilator. And within a few weeks, he was able to express some words, but not well. He did clearly call his wife "hot" so that was a good sign.
I don't remember the timeframe exactly after that, but he eventually went into a rehabilitation program. Initially, he could barely speak, could not walk on his own, lost the inability to form short-term memories, and perhaps some other things that I don't recall.
The event happened in July 2020. He was released from rehab in October. He had regained his ability to walk with some limited assistance due to balance and he was able to form coherent sentences (although his words were sometimes slurred). He has made a lot of progress much faster than anyone could have hoped for.
And last week, he messaged me out of the blue, and via message, he sounded like his old self. He promised a call soon.
It may look devastating now but these things can change rapidly. I hope your friend makes a full recovery.
The younger you are, the better your chances. Decades ago a small child was underwater in freezing water for nearly half an hour (Chicago area, maybe around 1970) and he had an amazing recovery. I’ve known people with traumatic brain injuries who became much higher functioning than doctors predicted.
He has been in the ward unit for 2 weeks now (so he's out of ICU). He is wide awake. He is eating and drinking normally. He remembers me and his friends. He is laughing at our jokes. He is also walking, thankfully (I feared that he wouldn't).
However, he is not talking (not sure if this is due to his tracheostomy or his brain?). He is mouthing his words, but there is no sound (though it's almost like a whisper). His movement is a bit jittery and sluggish (he needs help in the toilet and when getting dressed). He can eat by himself, though sometimes he does get dazed. He does act like his "normal self", but I just would hope he would talk and get mobile again. The doctors do seem happy with him.
He will be taken to the brain unit in a week or two, and he will be rehabilitated (from speech to movement).
CORRECTION in the OP: His heart did not stop for 5 minutes. He was submerged in the water for 5 minutes. We don't know how long exactly his heart had stopped. But I'm guessing maybe 3 minutes...
@Mad_Jasper, inspiring to read. So happy for him.
@reneeh63, thanks for the uplifting words.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
