Schumacher no longer on respirator, but doctors say he needs a miracle (Update)
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| Michael Schumacher |
Doctors treating Michael Schumacher have reportedly told his family that 'only a miracle' can now save the legendary Formula One racer who has been battling for life since his tragic skiing accident on December 29.
According to a report in Britain's Daily Telegraph, wife Corinna and brother Ralph Schumacher have been seeking advice from top brain surgeons across Europe and they have been told that chances of survival are minimal. Quoting sources, the report claims that the 45-year-old Schumacher's family believes doctors treating him in French town of Grenoble have little hope of making any progress. "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 legendary racer suffered a serious head injury when he crashed while skiing with his son and friends in the French Alpine ski resort of Meribel. Schumacher slammed his head during a fall in a boulder-strewn section and the impact broke even his protective helmet into two pieces.
Although medical bulletins have been kept to a minimum, Schumacher's management have repeatedly said that unofficial reports should be considered invalid. This after an Italian newspaper claimed that the seven-time F1 champion was 'breathing without assistance'.
Medical experts around the world broadly agree that chances of Schumacher making a full recovery are minimal. Experts say that artificial comas usually last for up to three weeks and that Schumacher has shown very little progress which dims chances of a recovery. (Also read: Schumi still in the waking up phase, says manager)
03/07/14 (GMM) Michael Schumacher is breathing without the help of a respirator, the authoritative Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed on Friday.
It is a significant possible development in the seven time world champion's situation, more than nine weeks into his coma following a skiing fall in late December.
The F1 legend's manager Sabine Kehm issued an official statement on Friday, warning that any unofficial information about Schumacher's condition is "not valid".
"Michael is still in the wake up phase," the official statement added. "The situation has not changed."
But the Gazzetta article was penned by the highly respected correspondent Pino Allievi, and at the Geneva motor show, Kehm indicated that Schumacher's overall situation has improved.
"Michael is out of danger," she reportedly said, "but the condition is still serious and so it is difficult to say all the risks are gone.
"But it is clear that his condition is no longer as sensitive as at first."
Allievi, meanwhile, wrote that while Schumacher's children have now returned to school, Schumacher's close friends such as Jean Todt and Ross Brawn are alternating at his bedside and speaking to the great German in English, as they did during their ultra-successful Ferrari days.
The report said that during these visits, at which recordings of pit radio conversations and F1 engine sounds are played in order to stimulate his memories, the expression on Schumacher's face sometimes changes.
And when the doctors are in the room, Schumacher reportedly often grimaces, or his arms move.