Michael Schumacher 'fighting for life'

[Charnwood]

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

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

I'm sure we all wish him well and a full recovery from this horrendous accident whilst ski-ing with his son.

[vaalae]

Very scary that you can have an accident like this, be seemingly ok (walking away, shrugging it off) and then lapse into real trouble.

That racer's spirit will never leave him so he'll push the envelope, but he's strong as an ox so if anyone can pull though it'll be him.

I hear they are investigating why there weren't bigger run off areas (these are apparently legally required)

[Herbivore]

I thought he was off piste, in which case there wouldn't be run off areas as such? Either way, as you say, it's pretty scary how easily something like this can happen and the massive consequences of it. Each day that passes without complications is a positive though, so hopefully he can make a full recovery.

[vaalae]

I thought he was off piste, in which case there wouldn't be run off areas as such? Either way, as you say, it's pretty scary how easily something like this can happen and the massive consequences of it. Each day that passes without complications is a positive though, so hopefully he can make a full recovery.

Yeah at first I thought he was fine, it sounded precautionary...scary.

[Charnwood]

I thought he was off piste, in which case there wouldn't be run off areas as such? Either way, as you say, it's pretty scary how easily something like this can happen and the massive consequences of it. Each day that passes without complications is a positive though, so hopefully he can make a full recovery.

Yeah at first I thought he was fine, it sounded precautionary...scary.

It would appear he's still in a pretty bad way and whilst his condition is being described as stable he is still in an induced coma and remains in a critical state. I think his situation is still life threatening and a long way off the full recovery we all hope and pray for.

[arana peligrosa]

Wish Michael every success in his recovery. No fan of F1 but a name you can instantly recognize regardless of sporting interest. I was sorry to hear of this news.

[Charnwood]

Exactly one month since a ski accident left him with critical head injuries, Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher remains in a medically induced coma in a French hospital.

However, no official update has been given about the seven-time world champion's condition since 6 January.

In the interim, there have been a range of reports in the media worldwide, including claims that he will be in a permanent vegetative state for the rest of his life - claims the 45-year-old's management have dismissed as speculation.

However, with millions of fans and the motorsport community desperate for information, the official silence has left a number of unanswered questions about his condition, but the big question is, will he ever recover sufficiently to enjoy a normal life.

[Charnwood]

From the BBC today;

One month after his skiing accident, Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher is still in a medically induced coma, his manager has said.

Sabine Kehm told the BBC the seven-time world champion remained in a "stable" condition at a clinic in Grenoble.

She has rejected as "speculation" a French media report saying Schumacher was being woken from his coma.

The German suffered a severe head injury on 29 December when he fell and hit a rock in the French Alps.

Surgeons have performed two operations to remove blood clots around Schumacher's brain. He is being kept asleep to reduce swelling.

Full article (see link below)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25943192

[Bluemike]

I am starting to believe that this is as good as it gets for the poor guy. It just seems to long to be kept in this induced coma.

[arana peligrosa]

Whatever difficulties we may be facing in life, stories such as this can put things into a different perspective. Wish him every success once again in this battle and best wishes to his friends and family.

[Charnwood]

According to latest reports Doctors treating Michael Schumacher and other medical experts have told his family that "only a miracle" can save him, sources have claimed.

He is still being treated for serious head injuries in hospital in Grenoble where he has been in an artificially induced coma for a total of 69 days.

Sources close to his family say the 45-year-old driver's wife Corinna and his brother, Ralf Schumacher, have been consulting brain specialists throughout Europe and have been told that his chances of recovery are minimal.

The family is said to be concerned that the French doctors treating Schumacher have little hope that he will recover and now assume that he will remain in a vegetative state for the rest of his life.

The prospects for Michael Schumacher appear to have deteriorated over recent weeks and the situation doesn't look good.

[The Don]

Such a terrible thing to happen and for the family to go through

[arana peligrosa]

It's such a tragic story whenever you read through it. Makes no difference if you've got zero interest in Formula 1, the fact remains it's something you wouldn't wish on anyone. I'd offer again every success of Mr Schumacher making a full recovery but it looks more dire with each update. Say again that incidents such as this does bring a new perspective on whatever problems we ourselves may be enduring.

[Bluemike]

It's a very delicate subject but being in a vegetive state for the rest of his life puts nothing but strain and heartache on his loved ones and in truth and purely in my opinion he would be better not to have survived the accident. So so sad.

[vaalae]

Shocking how this story has developed, people per se really are a very delicate brain on a stem.

He was "ok" immediately after it happened, then slipped away. You'd think it'd be all or nothing.

I've seen this happen, very scary. Wish him all the best of recoveries, but now not looking likely at all.

Agree with your last point Mike, on a level it seems a callous thing to say, but it's what we'd probably wish for ourselves if we were in that state.

The whole concept of "vegetative state" is frighteningly vague.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... ought.html

I'm sure this man would have vehemently wanted to avoid this state when he was alive and well, but now that he is communicating with the outside world again I imagine the prospect of dying now would frighten him, and by inference the preciousness of his ongoing life even in such a "reduced" state would be apparent, even though at a time it wouldn't have been.

Personally I found this a really chilling story, to my mind it's unlikely that he was the sole miracle "survivor" and others in a similar state have tragically had their lives ended. To think that loved ones have taken medical advice, which was given with the best of intentions and using the best analysis available. Really got to be so careful in this area, and hope that technology can catch up quickly.

Sorry all, this got pretty heavy pretty quickly - this from a broadly euthanasia supporting atheist.

[Charnwood]

At last some very encouraging news.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29130742

[J4ck22]

This whole thing hit me pretty hard. Despite being far more into football these days, I was really into F1 as a kid which happened to be when Schumacher was in his prime and I practically idolised him. When he initially retired my interest in F1 just faded away, it wasn't the same to me. It probably sounds stupid, but I'm just glad that progress is being made, especially when at one point it seemed like all hope was gone for him.