What's the longest coma survivor?

Elaine Esposito

Esposito holds the record for the world's longest coma. She went in for a routine operation, the removal of her appendix, as a six-year-old on August 6, 1941. But she never woke from the general anaesthetic, staying in a coma for 37 years and 111 days, before dying in 1978.

What is the longest time someone has been in a coma and woke up?

Wallis's wife, Sandi, and new born daughter, Amber, were left to question if they would ever see Wallis "alive" again. Their questions were answered on June 11, 2003, as, incredibly, Wallis awoke from his 19-year coma — making him the survivor of the longest coma on record, matched, in years, by only one other person.

What's the longest a person has been in a coma?

Elaine Esposito (December 3, 1934 – November 25, 1978) held the record for the longest period of time in a coma according to Guinness World Records, having lost consciousness in 1941 and eventually dying in that condition more than 37 years later.

Do u age in a coma?

the cellular mechanism for ageing has been associated with progressive shortening of telomere length on the ends of each chromosome with each cell cycle.. in the contect of this, a coma wouldnt necessarily keep you young, but you would age just the same.

Does your hair grow in a coma?

Bodily functions

In a coma the hair still grows, and muscles mass still responds to stimulus—nurses often move coma patients to keep their muscles from atrophying. There's still a lot going on in the body, even if it doesn't look that way.

11/25/07: Awakening

What's the shortest a coma can last?

Typically, a coma does not last more than a few days or couple of weeks. In some rare cases, a person might stay in a coma for several weeks, months or even years. Depending on what caused the person to go into a coma, some patients are able to return to their normal lives after leaving the hospital.

Do you dream in coma?

Patients in a coma appear unconscious. They do not respond to touch, sound or pain, and cannot be awakened. Their brains often show no signs of the normal sleep-wakefulness cycle, which means they are unlikely to be dreaming.

Is being in a coma like sleeping?

A coma is a prolonged state of unconsciousness. During a coma, a person is unresponsive to their environment. The person is alive and looks like they are sleeping. However, unlike in a deep sleep, the person cannot be awakened by any stimulation, including pain.

How do people in comas eat?

Because patients who are in a coma can't eat or drink on their own, they receive nutrients and liquids through a vein or feeding tube so that they don't starve or dehydrate. Coma patients may also receive electrolytes -- salt and other substances that help regulate body processes.

What do coma survivors remember?

More commonly, people remember things that never happened. It's hard to characterize the different mental experiences that people have while in a coma. Some of them may be dreams, others are hallucinations.

Can a person in a coma cry?

A comatose patient may open his eyes, move and even cry while still remaining unconscious. His brain-stem reflexes are attached to a nonfunctioning cortex. Reflex without reflection. Many professionals speak of this condition as a ''persistent vegetative state.

Do coma patients pee and poop?

Skin breakdown and ulcers occur commonly, since the person is unable to move and is incontinent, with no ability to control passage of urine or stool. Once formed, these wounds are very difficult to heal on a permanent basis.

What waking up from a coma is like?

People who do wake up from a coma usually come round gradually. They may be very agitated and confused to begin with. Some people will make a full recovery and be completely unaffected by the coma. Others will have disabilities caused by the damage to their brain.

How long can you be in a coma before they pull the plug?

"Pulling the plug" would render the patient unable to breathe, and the heart would stop beating within minutes, he said. But if a patient is not brain dead and instead has suffered a catastrophic neurological brain injury, DiGeorgia said, he or she could breathe spontaneously for one or two days before dying.

What does a coma feel like?

People in a coma are completely unresponsive. They do not move, do not react to light or sound and cannot feel pain. Their eyes are closed. The brain responds to extreme trauma by effectively 'shutting down'.

Can you breathe on your own in a coma?

Someone in a coma will also have very reduced basic reflexes such as coughing and swallowing. They may be able to breathe on their own, although some people require a machine to help them breathe.

What is a light coma?

Coma can be defined as a state of unarousable unresponsiveness. The comatose patient cannot be aroused and a purposeful response cannot be provoked. Patients in a light coma respond to noxious stimuli with a variety of protective reflexes, whereas patients in a deep coma do not respond to pain.

Do you lose memory after a coma?

When your survivor emerges from her coma, she likely will have little or no short-term memory. She may be disoriented, agitated, angry, impulsive, or extremely emotional. She may be disinhibited, demonstrating a complete disregard for social conventions.

Is a food coma real?

Postprandial somnolence, or a food coma, is the feeling of tiredness after eating a meal. It's also commonly known as the “post-lunch dip,” as many people notice the effects in the early afternoon following lunch (1). You may experience the following symptoms: sleepiness.

Can you wake up from a coma speaking another language?

Reuben Nsemoh, a teenager from Atlanta, has made international headlines after waking up from a coma speaking fluent Spanish – a language he only had a basic understanding of before. As well as this, the 16-year-old said he struggled to speak English after suffering concussion during a football game.

Can you have your period while in a coma?

A persistent vegetative state includes those who seem awake but show no signs of awareness, while a minimally conscious state can include periods in which some response — such as moving a finger when asked — can be noted. Colloquially, all three categories are often described as comas.

How do you poop in ICU?

Hospital staff are used to dealing with the toileting needs of patients who are confined to bed or who have limited mobility. It is best to get up and use the toilet (rather than a bed pan or urine bottle) if you can. Sitting on the toilet makes it easier to empty your bladder or bowel.

What's the first best way to wake someone up from a coma?

Why do coma patients open their eyes?

Classically, return of eye-opening after brain injury is thought to indicate recovery of consciousness or progression to UWS (i.e., wakefulness without clinical signs of awareness).

How do I know if Im in a coma?

A coma is similar to a dream-like state because the individual is alive but not conscious. A coma occurs when there is little to no brain activity. The patient is unable to respond to touch, sound, and other stimuli. It is also rare for someone in a coma to cough, sneeze, or communicate in any way.