… The truth behind organ donation & organ transplants
Poised to Donate Organs, 21-Year-Old Emerges From Coma.
Sam Schmid, an Arizona college student, was critically wounded in a five-car accident in Tucson, Arizona (Oct 19, 2011).
The 21-year-old’s brain injuries were so severe that the local hospital could not treat him. He was airlifted to the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Phoenix, where specialists performed surgery for a life-threatening aneurysm.
With no responsive signs, staff discussed taking Schmid off life support and broached the subject of organ donation with his family. This was done through subtle discussions “about Sam, his quality of life, what would Sam want if we had to come to a difficult decision”, according to his mother.
“It looked like all the odds were stacked against him,” said neurosurgeon Dr. Robert Spetzler. ... “There was plenty wrong -- he had a hemorrhage, an aneurysm and a stroke from the part of the aneurysm,”. ...“I didn't want to give the family false hope.”
“At some point, I knew we had to make some sort of decision, and I kept praying,” said his mother, who asked for Sam to be given another week.Despite being considered “brain dead”, he was actually very much alive
On October 24 Sam Schmid began to respond, holding up two fingers on command. Despite being considered “brain dead”, he was actually very much alive.
Since then Sam has been in physical rehabilitation and walks with the aid of a walker. His speech, although slow, has improved. He spent Christmas Day at home with his family. Thankfully, Sam has a devoted family, who didn’t give up on him when he was most vulnerable to pressure for “organ donation”.
Sam says: “I see myself leaving the house, going to school, work, basic things like that... I just want my life to be what it used to be.”
(Based on “Poised to Donate Organs, 21-Year-Old Emerges From Coma” by Susan Donaldson James, ABCNews.com. Viewed Mar 16, 2012 at: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/arizona-accident-victim-emerges-coma-poised-donate-organs/story?id=15208351 )
(see also “Arizona coma patient now speaking, walking” by TERRY TANG, Associated Press. Viewed Mar 16, 2012 at: http://www.chron.com/news/article/Arizona-coma-patient-now-speaking-walking-2422244.php# )
(see also “Oklahoma man who was declared dead says he feels ‘pretty good’ ” by NYDailyNews.com. Viewed Apr 17, 2012 at: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/oklahoma-man-declared-dead-feels-pretty-good-article-1.286113 )
