It seemed like quite some time had gone by since Toni heard from Memorial, but perhaps no news was good news. Toni had been very busy trying to manage a major oil refining business with many needed things calling for her immediate attention. In her business even one hour can make a difference in earning or losing thousands of dollars because the market is always in a volatile transitory state. However thinking about Bob she decided to call the hospital to see if there were any updates on him.
“Hello, may I please be connected to Dr. Mitchell or Dr. Murray.”
“Dr. Murray here.”
“Hi doctor, this is Toni Riccio, Bob’s fiancée. I haven’t heard from you so I thought I’d check in to see how Bob is doing.”
“Toni there hasn’t been much change in Bob, but you might want to come and read to him; it’s always good to stimulate brain cells by creating sound waves - such as in reading. No one can tell the effect except it is known that sometimes a person in a coma will come out of it with proper prodding.”
“Thank you doctor. I’ll be there shortly. Should I ask for you when I arrive?
“I will be here doing my rounds, if you have need of my services, please have me paged.”
After the conversation with the doctor, Toni completed her domestic chores and then drove to Memorial Hospital. She entered through her usual passageway and made her way to the intensive care unit. Soon after entering his room she noticed all was quiet except for a nurse who was placing some cloths on a table in the corner of the room. She greeted Toni, having recognized her from past visits and told her to call her should she need anything. Toni moved over to Bob’s bed and noticed that all tubes had been removed and he seemed to be in a more restful state. Reaching over she grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently to see if there was any response. To her shock she felt a twitch so she excitedly summoned the nurse.
“His hand,” Toni pointed, “ I squeezed his hand and swore it twitched.”
The nurse checked the monitors and confirmed that there was indeed a brain-wave pattern that was noted indicating that some reflex response was initiated. She quickly called in Dr. Murray.
When Toni saw the doctor walk in she wailed, “He moved doctor. I squeezed his hand and felt a twitch.”
Dr. Murray checked the monitor as did the nurse and confirmed the same findings. He noted Bob’s chart and told Toni it was a good sign because the passageway from the brain through the spinal cord was open, at least enough for an electrical response to Bob’s hand. He encouraged Toni to continue to hold his hand while reading or talking to him, then perhaps there might be other signs of him coming out of his coma. Toni thanked the doctor as he walked out the door to finish his rounds. Toni affixed herself over Bob in such a way that she was lined up with his eyes. She moved her eyes from left to right and asked Bob to follow. Again she was taken aback because Bob, after several tries was able to look from his left to his right. Toni repeated this test several more times and each time Bob responded favorably. Then without notice Bob spoke. “What is that bright light coming out of your head?”
“Bob, oh Bob, you can talk. Oh thank you. But I don’t have any light coming out of my head, it must be the light from the room you see.”
“The bright light coming is too brilliant and it hurts. It’s a tunnel and there is something pulling on me to enter. I feel that I must enter because it is so peaceful. I must go.”
All of a sudden Toni realized what this bright light represented and demanded that Bob fight the light and not yield no matter how nice it looks. She knew that once a person decides to follow the light there is very little chance to return.
“Bob, please, this light is not yours. It isn’t your turn because you and I have too much to do and you can’t leave yet, so please resist and the light will go away; you must.”
As quickly as it had begun the utterances ceased and Bob changed and became quiet. Toni squeezed his hand and told him that he had won - that he had saved himself from being drawn into the light. Again Toni summoned the nurse and again the monitors were read. This time there was a great deal of brain-wave activity confirming Toni’s account of what had just taken place. The doctor was asked to come in and further notations were made. Dr. Murray was very pleased at what he heard and wished he had been on hand to have witnessed it - that way he might have been able to make an educated guess as to what had taken place. He did say that just the fact that Bob was able to yell out and respond to some unknown stimulus was a very good sign+*9 no matter what he saw or thought he saw; it indicated consciousness.
“Please stay with Bob and keep his mind open if you can. I will be close at hand should another event occur.” The doctor left the room and Toni resumed her position at the side of the bed. She was very happy to see Bob aware of his surroundings, but frightened at the thought that had she not been there, he might have left this existence and entered into another realm. She spent most of the evening at his side and only left when she was assured he was asleep and the monitors were quiet.