Life in a coma

National Catholic Reporter, Nov 5, 2004 by Tessie Blanchard

I am writing in response to the article "Do you pray for life or death?" (NCR, Sept. 24).

I was involved in an automobile accident when I was 18. I remember many things from when I was in a coma/persistent vegetative state, though like Terri Schiavo I appeared to be unaware of what was happening to me. Initially, I had an awareness of being very calm and peaceful with no sense of time. I remember having a rash on my body that burned severely, but I was unable to communicate this to anyone. Then I remember having trouble breathing when I had pneumonia and thinking I would smother to death. I remember being able to breathe after the tracheotomy and thinking, "What a miracle. I can breathe again." I remember when I had pneumonia, being put on a tilting bed and feeling the misery of being packed in ice and wondering why I was being so cruelly treated. Then I remember my dad screaming, "Tessie, squeeze my hand." I always say that I wanted him to be quiet, so I squeezed his hand. That was what woke me up. I was in this condition for five weeks.

As a direct result of this experience, I strongly believe that the feeding tube should never be withheld from people in a persistent vegetative state or coma condition unless there is a living will indicating otherwise.

TESSIE BLANCHARD

Baton Rouge, La.