Schumacher family told ‘only a miracle can bring him back’

Mar 21, 2014: Relatives of Germany’s comatose Formula One champion, Michael Schumacher will “not allow themselves to be discouraged” despite reports that the driver’s chances of emerging fully recovered from ten weeks of unconsciousness are minimal, his manager has insisted.

Schumacher suffered a serious head injury after striking a rock during a skiing accident in the French resort of Meribel in late December. He is being treated in hospital in Grenoble where he is in an artificially induced coma. His family including his 45-year-old wife Corinna, is maintaining a bedside vigil.

Officially, the injured driver is now in a “wake up” phase as doctors gradually reduce the dose of drugs they are giving him in an attempt to bring him out of his coma. Yet signs of a recovery have been minimal.

“His family is incredibly strong, they won’t let themselves be discouraged,” the driver’s manager Sabine Kehm, told Germany’s RTL television channel from Grenoble on Sunday.

“They are here every day. They are brave, they accept the situation and try to carry on together with Michael. I have to say the family is coping magnificently. I have great respect and admiration for them,” she added.

Kehm said she had no new developments to report concerning Schumacher’s medical condition. “Michael is still in a wake up phase – this means that he has not yet woken up,” she said. “We are still waiting for this to happen but we have learned to accept that it can take a long time.”

His manager also declined to elaborate on reports earlier in the week, that Schumacher had made some “encouraging” signs. She said such developments were a purely private matter for the family.

Her comments followed reports last week that doctors had told Schumacher’s family that his chances of recovery were minimal.

“The family has been told that only a miracle can bring him back now,” a senior German journalist reporting on the Schumacher case said.

Sources close to his family said the Corinna Schumacher and the driver’s brother, Ralf Schumacher had been consulting brain specialists throughout Europe and had been told that Schumacher’s chances of recovery were very slim. Experts have pointed out that most artificial comas last for an average of three weeks.

Last month, Germany’s Focus magazine reported that complications had obliged doctors to halt Schumacher’s wake up process and that the driver had been put back into a coma. Schumacher’s management team denied the report.

 

 

source: independent.ie