In 2012, Jimi Fritze, a 40-year-old man from Sweden, was paralyzed by a massive stroke. Although he was not able to move, he was conscious and could still hear everything going on around him. It was while lying in a hospital bed that Jimi claims doctors started discussing whether to donate his organs as they were putting him under with a sedative. As he felt himself drift off, the stroke patient felt that he was about to die and would never awaken again.
Stroke Patient Files Complaint Against Swedish Hospital
Jimi Fritze recently filed a complaint with the Swedish National Health and Welfare Board regarding his medical care while at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital. A spokesperson for the hospital sent a statement stating that the hospital was currently investigating the incident. The statement went on to say that “We cannot say much. We cooperate with the [Health and Social Care Inspectorate] about this investigation. We take it very seriously, as with all notifications.” While the stroke patient still struggles to talk, he has stated that he can clearly remember the moment the doctors were discussing his prognosis. He said that he could hear everything happening around him, yet was not able to move to alert the doctors.
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Potential Organ Donation
According to experts, this is not actually that uncommon among stroke patients. Jimi Fritze was on vacation with his girlfriend at the time when the stroke occurred. Luckily, his partner was a nurse and managed to keep his airway open until the ambulance arrived. Doctors at the hospital were discouraged by his scans and told his family to say their goodbyes. Lying in the hospital bed, he could overhear the doctors discussing possible organ donation, despite the fact that he had not yet been declared brain dead.
A Second Opinion
The possibility of organ donation was even discussed with Jimi’s family. Yet, before all medical care was removed from the stroke patient, another doctor weighed in with his opinion on the matter. According to this doctor, the swelling in the stroke patient’s brain actually indicated that he could potentially recover. Eventually, the doctors were able to bring the swelling down, and Fritze subsequently “woke up”. After a few weeks, he was able to communicate with his family again. However, he is still unable to walk, though his speech and mobility are slowly returning.
Hopes To Walk Again
When he first awoke, Fritze was only able to move a single finger. Now, however, he can move part of his body. It is now his wish to be able to learn to walk again, now that his mobility is improving. While physically healing from the stroke, he is also dealing with the emotional turmoil of the whole experience. While a rare occurrence, it does illustrate that many stroke patients are often far more conscious than doctors realize. Even if they appear completely unresponsive, they may still be able to understand everything going on around them.
Stroke Patients Often Recover Unexpectedly
Very often, the brain can appear to have much more permanent damage due to all the swelling. However, as the swelling subsides, their chances of recovery increase. Stroke patients can often look very bad at the start, but end up dramatically improving over the following days. Some stroke patients can also experience “locked-in” syndrome. This is the name given to a condition in which the patient’s body becomes paralyzed, but all the brain’s executive functions remain working. According to experts, it can often be hard to differentiate between permanent damage and this “locked-in” syndrome in the first few hours or days following a stroke.
The Bottom Line
It can often be very difficult for doctors to understand a stroke patient’s prognosis from scans. Even when they can pick up on swelling, this could either mean permanent damage or the potential to heal. One thing is for certain, though. There is the possibility that a stroke patient is still very much conscious, even though they are physically unable to move or communicate. Therefore, it is very important that doctors don’t discuss certain things in front of the patient or make any rash decisions. Who knows what Fritze’s future may have been if the doctor had not given a different opinion?
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