Michael Schumacher 'fighting for life' after ski accident


Doctors told journalists that they could not predict what would happen

Michael Schumacher, the seven-time Formula 1 champion, is "fighting for his life" after a ski accident in the French Alps, his doctors say.

The driver remains in a critical condition in hospital in Grenoble with head injuries suffered on Sunday morning at the resort of Meribel.

"We cannot tell you what the outcome will be yet," the team treating him told a news conference on Monday morning.

His family are at his bedside.

Schumacher underwent surgery on arrival at the University Hospital in Grenoble.

He remains in a coma and the medical team treating him said that they are working "hour by hour".

"All we can do is wait," they added.

Photo dated January 14, 2005 shows German former Formula One driver Michael Schumacher skiing in the northern Italian resort of Madonna di Campiglio The German racing champion is a keen skier

Helmet

Prof Jean-Francois Payen told reporters that if Schumacher had not been wearing a protective helmet "he wouldn't be here now".

"We had to operate urgently to release some pressure in his head," the anaesthetist said.

Neurosurgeon Stephan Chabardes said that a post-operative scan had shown "diffuse haemorrhagic legions" on both sides of Schumacher's brain.

The doctors refused to comment on his prognosis.

The 44-year-old German was skiing off-piste with his teenage son when he fell and hit his head on a rock.

A picture shows the "Dent de Burgin" peak in the French ski resort of Meribel, on under which, lower in the mountain slope, Michael Schumacher reportedly had a skiing accident (30 Dec 2013) The accident happened lower down the slope of the 'Dent de Burgin' peak

Following the accident, Schumacher was evacuated to the hospital in the nearby town of Moutiers.

Prof Chabardes said the driver was in an "agitated condition" on arrival in Moutiers and his neurological condition "deteriorated rapidly".

He was taken from Moutiers to the larger facility in Grenoble.

Analysis



After an operation to reduce swelling of the brain, we would place a monitor inside the brain to measure the pressure.

The induced coma Michael Schumacher is in is to try to stabilise the pressure within the brain, to try to prevent secondary brain damage from occurring.

It's likely he will remain in an induced coma for several days, and really the outcome is very, very unclear at this stage.

The agitation suggests that his conscious level when he first came in was deteriorating.

Schumacher is being kept in a coma at a low temperature to facilitate his recovery, Prof Payen said.

The medical team said that the driver's relative youth and the fact that he was operated on without delay count in his favour.

'Good visibility'

Tim Wall, who produces a snow conditions report for La Tania, a neighbouring village to Meribel, told the BBC that skies were clear and visibility good in the area on Sunday.

"There was about 20cm of snow late on Saturday and overnight.

"On Sunday morning the snow was very light and the skies were clear - perfect skiing conditions."

But despite this and a similar snowfall earlier in the week, off-piste snow cover was patchy, he said.

"There have been quite high winds, so there are areas with good snow cover, but where it's exposed there's not much snow.

"There are lots of tree roots sticking out, and rocks. We kept to [more sheltered areas in] the trees and were very careful."

'Fighting spirit'

Michael Schumacher


Michael Schumacher

  • Born: 3 January 1969
  • First GP win: Belgium 1992
  • Last GP win: China 2006
  • Races started: 303
  • Wins: 91 (155 podium finishes)
  • Championships: 7 (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)

Schumacher, who turns 45 on 3 January, retired from F1 for a second time in 2012.

He won seven world championships and secured 91 race victories during his 19-year career.

Schumacher won two titles with Benetton, in 1994 and 1995, before switching to Ferrari in 1996 and going on to win five straight titles from 2000.

He retired in 2006, and was seriously hurt in a motorcycling accident in Spain three years later, during which he suffered neck and spine injuries.

But Schumacher managed to recover and made a comeback in F1 with Mercedes in 2010.

After three seasons which yielded just one podium finish, he quit the sport at the end of last year.

The Mercedes F1 team said their thoughts and prayers were with Schumacher and his family.

The team tweeted that the driver had "amazing fighting spirit".

British retired F1 driver David Coulthard said that "if anyone knows how to muster inner strength and determination then there's no doubt in my mind Michael Schumacher is the man to do it".

He told BBC News that Schumacher was "risk averse" as an F1 competitor, like other drivers - contrary to the popular image of the sport.

"It's all about finding the limits of your car, and staying within the limits," he said.

A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and her government were, like millions of Germans, "extremely shocked to hear of Michael Schumacher's serious skiing accident".

"We hope, with Michael Schumacher and with his family, that he can overcome and recover from his injuries," the spokesman said.

PETRA ASKED THAT I START THIS THREAD FOR HER AND BELOW IS HER COMMENT SHE WISHED PLACED ON IT....

"I would write so with pleasure in this forum a comment! It goes, besides, know him certainly also many in this forum around Michael. Michael Schumacher of the former formula 1 Driver. Yesterday he had a heavy ski accident and is in a coma. I would be glad in such a way if send all Michel Bolton Fans a small thought in the direction of Michael Schumacher. Maybe he becomes healthy then again. Oh my god, he is only 45 years old!!!!"
Let us all send our thoughts and prayers to Michael and his family and hope that he does recover !!!
 
Sylvia.  Your wee Scottish friend    and     Petra Christine our very dear German friend.

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Dear Sylvia!

What would I make only without you in this forum?

With your support and your dear words you have stirred me to tears!

Once again many thanks for your help!

Petra Christine (Germany)

No problem Petra and just to hope that the help he has received was quick enough to turn the tide for him and he will make a 100% recovery but unfortunately, that is all we can do, hope !!! :)

 

Sylvia.   Your wee Scottish friend.

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Spero tanto che possa ritornare il MS di sempre, guarisci presto

claudia - italia

Translation of Claudia's comment above.........

I hope so much that it can return the MS, get well soon
claudia-Italy

HOPE DIES LAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hopes fade for Michael Schumacher's recovery amid fears he may be 'in vegetative state after four-week coma'

Jan. 21, 2014

Stricken Michael Schumacher's family thanked fans around the world  today as fears for his recovery continue to grow.

Wife Corrine used the F1 ace’s website to say: ”We all know: he is a fighter and will not give up!”

And the family added they are being given “strength” by the support from supporters everywhere.

The statement said: ”We are deeply moved that there is no let up in the good wishes for Michael from around the world. That gives us strength. Thank you all of you!”

But the support of 44-year-old Corinne, and his two teenage children, brother and closest friends did not mask growing worries over the seven-times F1 world champion’s health.

He has spent 23 days in an artificial coma and is nowhere near recovery.

Jean-Marc Orgogozo, Professor of Neurology at the University of Bordeaux, said: ”Every day, every week in a coma the chances decline the situation is improving.”

One Austrian website said 45-year-old Schumacher may suffer Apallic Syndrome, or persistent vegetative state.

A persistent vegetative state is one in which patients with severe brain damage are in a state of partial arousal rather than true awareness.

It could mean if doctors did manage to bring him out of the medically-induced coma he could be unable to speak, move or feed himself.

The format.at news website said: “More than three weeks after the tragic skiing accident of the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher, fears grow that he will never make a full recovery.

“For more than three weeks now Schumacher lies in a medically induced coma at the University Hospital in Grenoble. He is fed there with probes, washed daily and moved again and again to avoid a bed sores.”

It goes on to speculate that the “severe damage” he suffered to his brain in a ski accident on December 29 could result in the permanent vegetative state.

Apallic Syndrome is always the result of a severe brain injury.

Schumacher’s condition remains stable but his medical team remain silent about his treatment.

Brain injury patients are placed into artificial comas to reduce the amount of oxygen that flows into the brain, thus making it work less and giving it time to heal.

Such comas usually last for a maximum of two weeks, although there have been instances of patients being under longer.



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/michael-schumacher-may-vege...

Do not let us forget him!

Petra Christine (Germany)

Thanks for up date Petra and whilst it is not looking good, have to hope Michael proves everyone wrong and that he can make a recovery that at least, if not 100%, gives him back a good quality of life !!!   UK boxer Michael Watson managed it so here is hoping Michael Schumacher can achieve what he did. 

Sylvia.  Your wee Scottish friend.

27

Have just heard on our news that doctors are slowly wakening Michael from his induced coma and it is being reported that he is responding.....keeping fingers crossed !!!!

Sylvia.  Your wee Scottish friend.

27

Hello Sylvia,

Yes, one writes that Michael is in the waking phase!

Nevertheless, his manager denies the reports. She says, only if the doctors or the management stepped before the cameras and report be right the announcements.

I believe, the public is hungry for news. And because it gives to report nothing new, untruthfulness is strewn! Unfortunately!

Deutscher Text übersetzt durch Google:

Manager denied "L'Equipe" report
Of Michael Schumacher manager Sabine Kehm has called a report of the French sports newspaper "L'Equipe" on the topical state of the Formula-one-record world champion speculation. The sheet had reported that the 45-year-old is slowly got from the artificial coma.

„Pure speculation”
"I stress once more that any statements about the Michael's state of health which do not come from the treating doctor's team or his management are to be evaluated as a speculation", informed Kehm in a written statement on Wednesday. "I repeat that we will not comment on speculations", she confirmed.

„A determining week”
The sports newspaper devoted itself one month after shoemaker's heavy ski accident under the headline "A determining week" on two sides to the destiny of the former racing driver. Without confirmation by the management or the treating doctors one said that shoemaker has reacted positively to the Aufwachprozess. Kehm immediately reacted with a statement in trilingual issue.

HOPE DIES LAST!!!!

Petra Christine (Germany)

Now I do not understand the world any more.

Now, nevertheless, the manager of Michael has confirmed that Michael is slowly fetched back from the coma.
I think, we will wait, until a responsible person steps before a camera.

Petra Christine (Germany)

Thanks for up date Petra and it will take a few days, or many hours at least, to bring him completely out of induced coma because that is how they do it but even if he has just moved his eyelids it is considered responsive and they know there is definite function in the brain and as long as it doesn't start to swell again as they bring him round then that is a very positive and good sign.....whole process could take weeks before they know exactly how he is.   Keeping fingers crossed and trying to send good vibes to Michael for definitely, where there is life, there is hope; has to be !!! :) 

Sylvia.   Your wee Scottish friend.

27

Why can't they just pull the plug and let him die instead? If he becomes a vegetable it's on them. Death is a way out.  I know someone who became a vegetable after being struck by lightning. It's no way to live. I know his children would be lost without him. But they need to decide which is better death or vegetative state. As much as I hate for people to die and i'm not trying to sound mean but for humane reasons i want Michael Shumacher to die.

To my knowledge it has never been said, at any time, that Michael Schumacher is, or was, on a life support system so there has never been a plug to be pulled.

Below article was written yesterday on Michael's condition............

  

Michael Schumacher still in wake-up phase of recovery from coma after skiing accident

Posted Fri 14 Feb 2014, 4:58am AEDT

Former Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher is still in the wake-up phase from an artificial coma at a Grenoble hospital, his agent said on Friday morning.

The 45-year-old German has undergone two operations since sustaining brain injuries after slamming his head on a rock while skiing off-piste in the French Alps resort of Meribel on December 29.

The seven-times world champion was in a stable but critical condition until late January and doctors started lowering his sedation level two weeks ago to wake him up progressively.

"As often in such situations no day is like the next. The family is thankful for one's understanding that they would not wish to disclose medical details in order to protect Michael's privacy," Schumacher's agent Sabine Kehm said in a statement.

"As assured from the beginning, we will continue to communicate any decisive new information on Michael's health state. We are aware that the wake-up phase can take a long time.

"The family continues to strongly believe in Michael's recovery and place all their trust in the doctors ... The important thing is not the speed of the recovery but that Michael's healing process progresses in a continuous and controlled way."

Schumacher, who quit the sport in 2012 after a disappointing three-year comeback with Mercedes following an earlier retirement from Ferrari at the end of 2006, won a record 91 grands prix.

Sylvia.   Your wee Scottish friend.

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