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Family Experiences of Vegetative and Minimally Conscious States

  • Overview
  • Definitions
    • What is a ‘coma’ and ‘what is a ‘vegetative state'?
    • What is the minimally conscious state?
    • What is locked in syndrome?
    • What is brain death?
  • Critical care
    • The injury
    • Taking in information and imagining outcomes
    • Treatment decisions in the Intensive Care Unit
    • Craniotomy and craniectomy
  • Longer term care
    • Experiences on the hospital ward after ICU
    • Rehabilitation centres and care homes
    • Caring at home
    • Recovery
    • A ‘Permanent’ diagnosis
    • Hospital re-admissions
  • Impact on family and friends
    • Hope for the future
    • Grief, mourning and being ‘in limbo’
    • Impact of visiting
    • Determination and pride
    • Exhaustion and frustration
    • Guilt and regret
    • Friendship and support for the family
    • Friends and visiting the patient
    • Impact on children and young people
    • Family unity and differences
    • Reflections on own end of life wishes
  • On-going decisions
    • Decision-making: the legal situation and clinical practice
    • Family experiences of decision-making
    • Resuscitation and DNR
    • ‘Aggressive’ treatment of infections
    • Clinically assisted nutrition and hydration
    • Applying to the court for withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration
    • Experiences of court applications about life-sustaining treatment
  • Death and dying
    • Repeated life-threatening incidents
    • Death and dying
    • Bereavement after severe brain injury
  • Messages
    • Message from families to families
    • Messages for friends and colleagues
    • Messages to the media
    • Messages for healthcare professionals, service providers & policy makers
  • People's Profiles
    • Confirmed Permanent Vegetative diagnosis
    • Minimally Conscious or unconfirmed Vegetative diagnosis
    • Fully conscious
    • Health Professional
  • Resources and Information
  • Credits

Family Experiences of Vegetative and Minimally Conscious States

Profiles - Fully conscious

Peter, Olga & Andrew

Peter and Andrew are the older brothers of Theo. Olga is Theo's sister-in-law (Peter’s wife). Peter previously worked as a DJ, but now both he and Olga concentrate on looking after Peter’s younger brother, Theo. Andrew also visits regularly to give support.

Shona

No details given

Lee

No details given
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