In stuff that only seems possible in nightmares, one man was conscious in a vegetative state for months while his doctors debated whether or not to pull him off life support. Richard Marsh suffered a massive stroke in 2009, which left him unable to control his body, yet left him fully cognizant of his surroundings.
Marsh, 60, suffered from the rare “locked-in syndrome,” which is exactly as it sounds: When a patient is locked inside his or her body, unable to communicate with the outside world. Marsh, a former police officer and teacher, was fully aware when doctors debated at the foot of his bed whether or not to take him off of life support. Then, four months and nine days after his debilitating stroke, Marsh walked out of the hospital on his own.
He has since made a 95 percent recovery.
Marsh tearfully remembers the faithfulness of his wife Lili as she refused to unplug the machines keeping him alive. Doctors had informed her that he had a 2 percent chance of survival, and even then, he’d be a vegetable.
“One day they talked to my wife about ending life support,” Marsh recounts in an online video before choking up. “That was, um, that was probably the scariest ... of course she said no,” he said before simultaneously wiping his tears and giggling with apparent love for Lili.
Richard Marsh has made an almost complete recovery since his ordeal. He exercises daily, cooks dinner for his family, and even recently bought a bike to ride through the Napa Valley, California, hills where he resides. It’s hard to believe that three years ago, there was a serious debate as to whether or not to “let nature take its course” by turning off the machines sustaining his body -- the body his mind was trapped within.
Locked-in syndrome is the scariest thing I’ve heard of in a while. It affects 1 percent of stroke-sufferers, and there is no known treatment or cure. I can imagine that the most painful part of the disease isn’t the physical suffering that may be endured, but the possibility of screaming in your mind that you’re still alive while your loved ones make the decision to pull the plug.
Thank you, Richard Marsh, for sharing your story. I know it must be painful, but it is a joy to hear about your journey and see you living each day as fully as you can.
Image via Samuel M. Livingston/Fickr
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Comments 21
I did a college paper on this when I was going to medical school. There was a person who referred to it as "a corpse with living eyes". It is frightening and I even did a small story on it for my final paper because it was so much like a nightmare. :( I feel sorry for this guy having to listen to every word
It is a miracle he walked out like that too. There is very small chances for someone to recover that much after experiencing locked in syndrome. I am happy that he was able to recover so much
I totally agree with you meliscool, when working on mine it was something i came across, it really is horrible, with so few coming out of it :(
This is truly frightening. I am happy for him and his wife that she was able to stand up to the doctors that felt that he should be allowed to die.
Scary
Sorry tuffymama i totally disagree. keping them on life suport is just cruel. Muscles degenerate due to lack of use, you can't stay on a drip forever so you become malnourished, frighteningly thin. You become pale and anaemic, and because a machine is working them your organs begin to give out. It's ugly, and most unneccesarily prolonging suffering.
Agreed, EmmaFrom Eire. I unfortunately had to make that call with my sister to unplug our mom. It would have prolonged the inevitable, so I believe it is cruel to have machines perform the vital functions the body and spirit clearly indicate it can no longer do. It's a sad day when there's more respect for "science" than there is for respect for life and the will of the person actually subject to this.