Prince Friso in Critical Condition Following Skiing Accident: February 17, 2012

[COUNTESS]

Yes, you are right. Very sad for all.

 

[Roslyn]

There was no mention as to whether or not he was still on a respirator. If he is not, and is breathing on his own, he could continue as he is indefinitely. What a terrible way to "live" because it is not really living, but there really is no alternative except to let nature take its course.

I agree. This is very sad for everyone concerned, I think.

 

[carlota]

I doubt they have taken the decision on whether to let nature follow its course or to continue to assist him. They say they will reach a decision on where care will be provided so I guess that is the course they seem to want to take. But indeed, the phrase on no longer needing care makes me wonder.

 

[GracieGiraffe]

It is a cryptic message, but it does not strike me as positive news, whether he is going to receive the very best long term care or they are allowing "nature to take its course."

 

[rominet09]

I don't know what to hope except the impossible : that he would be back in consciousness?
I feel they have brought him back for him to die in his country. With his whole family. After all his wife and children live in London.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I've only read the news and will just have to wait and see what further information the palace may release over the next few days.

 

[COUNTESS]

I agree with you all, it is very cryptic. I think Wellington Hospital explained that there was no more "treatment" that could give and of course, he was taking up a bed that someone who might benefit from treatment, could use. That they brought him back home, is up for conjecture.

 

[biru]

Wish for the best for prince Friso and his family.

 

[camelot23ca]

Is saying he "no longer requires hospital treatment" just a nice way of saying there is nothing more that can be done and he has been brought home to let his life run out its natural course?

They don't seem to be implying that in the press release, IMO. They're saying he's spending the summer in one place and they'll reconsider their options longer term. If they didn't actually think there was going to be a longer term then why add those details?

A specialized hospital like the one in London aims to actively get patients back to their best possible condition, whether that's through medication, rehab, physiotherapy, respiratory therapy, etc. I suspect Friso has plateaued and any further treatment will be 'maintenance', so to speak, of his current condition.

 

[MarNoe]

This is a bit technical, but it's a good article about MCS or minimal consciousness state -


Minimally conscious state - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Lee27]

Based on the above article -- Prince Friso is no where near death. He has greater brain function that I had been led to believe. The Prince is no Teri Schavo.
There are clinical trials on treatments - some appear promising.

 

[Mirabel]

He still has massive brain damage due to oxygen deprivation.
I can't imagine anyone wishing to live like that, if s/he had the choice.

 

[sm1939]

I feel so sorry for princess mabel

 

[scooter]

Based on the above article -- Prince Friso is no where near death. He has greater brain function that I had been led to believe. The Prince is no Teri Schavo.
There are clinical trials on treatments - some appear promising.

To which clinical trials do you refer to to treat Brain Anoxia of 45+ minutes? I am not aware of them. Can you share them with us? Thanks!

 

[Roslyn]

To which clinical trials do you refer to to treat Brain Anoxia of 45+ minutes? I am not aware of them. Can you share them with us? Thanks!

I'm guessing there's wouldn't be many participants in that trial.

 

[Lee27]

If you read the Wiki article on minimum consciousness mentioned in the post before mine you would understand my post

 

[PrincessKaimi]

Actually, I find it even more distressing. He won't die on his own, as he doesn't need machines. Minimal consciousness states are not good. They are just above a vegetative state and below the functioning of any normal infant or even a severely brain-handicapped infant.

What clinical trials are being done? Brain cell/stem cell nerve regeneration? Cortical cells are a long way off from being reproduced, but even if they were, he wouldn't be "himself," those new neurons would have to learn all over again to do everything he's learned since childhood.

It's a terrible situation, very sad. My heart goes out to Princess Mabel, and to him, too. I've never thought that the spirits of the people in hospital who were minimally conscious were still there, but that's a personal belief - it is very hard to let go of a body that isn't functioning. If the spirit is still there, it's sad to think how trapped it is. His heart and lungs are probably still healthy and will last a long time...

 

[COUNTESS]

I am not sure he is off a respirator. The minimally conscious are not good candidates for much and are hardly above vegetative states. There is, always, research going on, but I doubt that a man deprived of oxygen for 50 minutes or so would be in that kind of research. I, suspect, he move to Holland was to "bring him home". Otherwise he would be in some "trial" now. There would have been no reason to bring him anywhere, except his next care facility.

 

[Meraude]

Based on the above article -- Prince Friso is no where near death. He has greater brain function that I had been led to believe. The Prince is no Teri Schavo.
There are clinical trials on treatments - some appear promising.

If you have read the article then you know that they are using the Disability Rating Scale (DRS) to judge how much the patients can do, and the scale is from 30 (dead) to 0 (no disability). We know that Friso is not a 30, nor a 0, but the public have not been informed where on the scale his abilities are today, so we don't know how much brain functions he has.

As for the recovery rate of patients with MCS, only 3 out of 100 patients have reached full recovery, and all three of them had suffered traumatic brain injuries. In the case of Friso he sufffered a non-traumatic brain injury and as the Wikipedia article clearly states:

In summary, those with minimally conscious state and non-traumatic brain injuries will not progress as well as those with traumatic brain injuries

As for the Terri Schavo case, of the five doctors who examined her during the trial, three judged that she was in a persistent vegetative state while two judged that she was in a minimally conscious state.

 

[COUNTESS]

If you have read the article then you know that they are using the Disability Rating Scale (DRS) to judge how much the patients can do, and the scale is from 30 (dead) to 0 (no disability). We know that Friso is not a 30, nor a 0, but the public have not been informed where on the scale his abilities are today, so we don't know how much brain functions he has.

As for the recovery rate of patients with MCS, only 3 out of 100 patients have reached full recovery, and all three of them had suffered traumatic brain injuries. In the case of Friso he sufffered a non-traumatic brain injury and as the Wikipedia article clearly states:


As for the Terri Schavo case, of the five doctors who examined her during the trial, three judged that she was in a persistent vegetative state while two judged that she was in a minimally conscious state.

Very perceptive. Also, 3 of the doctors claimed she followed objects, but after autopsy she was deemed blind. This is tremendously difficult material for many, but, I am sure, for the family. That they have fought up until this point to keep him alive, is quite understandable. Perhaps, he can sustain on his own, I do not know. I wish them well and peace, that this tale of "recovery" is spread, discomforts me. As I, believe, IMHO, that where he is now is not reversible.