Ten years since the Formula 1 legend’s accident
It’s been exactly 10 years since the horrific accident that was to change her legend’s life forever Formula 1, Michael Schumacherbut also of his family.
It was on December 29, 2013just a year after retiring as an F1 driver, while skiing during a family Christmas holiday with his son Mick (who was 14) in the alpine resort of Meribel (France).
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Ten years later, the main news about Schumacher’s state of health dates back to 2014, when he recovered from a coma and was transferred to Switzerland – first to a hospital in Lausanne and then to his home in Gland in September of that year.
Ten years have passed and many details have “faded” in the time since that December, in the days before and after New Year’s Eve, when journalists waited for the news at the door of the Grenoble hospital.
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The accident
Despite the fact that he was an excellent skier, the fatal accident happened on a simple route. Schumacher was wearing a helmet (with a camera mounted on it) but based on the speed and severity of the impact he was unable to protect himself.
Rescuers arrive by helicopter and take him – initially – to the hospital in Moutiers and then to the one in Grenoble. The brain injuries he suffered were very serious. His condition was dramatic. He was operated on twice, with doctors trying to keep him alive. The doctors succeeded, but the Formula 1 world was and still is in shock…
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Problems in the rescue
Stephane Bozon, the emergency coordinator who rescued Michael Schumacher, recounted the first moments after the crash: “We got the call from the paramedics, who were looking after Michael. We’re told he suffered a serious head injury. I immediately sent the helicopter to the area. I still remember that the emergency medics in the helicopter had problems on the slopes, because of the complicated area where the accident happened».
The helicopter initially flew to the small hospital in Moutiers, but Schumacher’s condition worsened during the journey. Once he lost consciousness and had to be intubated, the pilot was ordered to change course for Grenoble.
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Critical situation
Upon arrival at University Hospital, Schumacher underwent emergency surgery to relieve intracranial pressure on his brain.
Dr. Jean-François Payenhead of neurosurgery, issued a first medical report: “His condition is very serious. For now, we can’t say anything about Michael’s fate. It is too early to comment on the possible effects on the patient. Our goal is to limit the increase in intracranial pressure and ensure that his brain oxygenation is correct».
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On the evening of December 30, Schumacher underwent a second operation. On June 16, 2014, a family statement sent to the media read: “Michael Schumacher leaves hospital to continue his long recovery phase. He is no longer in a coma.” he said without further details.
“His family would like to thank all the people who sent their well wishes to Michael. We are sure they helped him. From now on, we ask that it be understood that his rehabilitation will be done privately.”
During the 170 days he spent in the hospital, news of his recovery went from one extreme to the other: from “small positive signs” to “unsuccessful attempts” to bring him out of a coma, to “momentary states of consciousness.”
At this point, Michael had woken up…
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The improbable scenarios
The disinformation, understandably, continued. At that point a series of reports began again speculating about the possible consequences and the condition of the Formula 1 driver. Had he really woken up? This is what many were wondering, but no one could answer this question.
Technically, yes, Michael was experiencing periods of consciousness that lasted for many hours. Even during his transport, the nurses accompanying him in the ambulance were talking about head movements and open eyes. He was aware of what was going on around him and who was with him.
There were no photos as their cell phones were confiscated so they could not take or record photos. His weight is said to have been about 50 kg, down from 75 kg previously, due to the long period of muscle inactivity.
It was very complicated to know exactly the real situation, although some doctors were already talking about “captivity syndrome”, a condition that occurs in these types of brain-damaged patients. The priority was brain stimulation to restore basic functions such as speech and movement.
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On September 9, 2014, there was another important statement for Schumacher. “From now on, Michael’s recovery will be at home. Considering the injuries he suffered, there has been progress in recent weeks and months. However, there is still a long and complicated road ahead. We would like to express our gratitude to the entire hospital care team for their work. We ask that Michael’s family’s privacy continue to be respected and speculation about his condition avoided».
At the time, it was also rumored that 12 million euros had been invested in equipping an area of ​​Schumacher’s mansion in Gland and that a team of up to 15 people, including doctors and nurses, were constantly looking after the driver.
Treatment in Paris
After five years without news of his condition, in September 2019 news broke that Michael Schumacher was at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris, undergoing a secret stem cell infusion treatment carried out by the cardiovascular surgery department with headed by Dr. Philippe Menasche.
“Le Parisien” reported that the medical center had been turned into a “shelter”. However, he managed to speak to one of the nurses responsible for treating the former German driver. “Yes, he was on my shift,” she explained, “and I can assure you he is conscious,” she revealed.
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After much speculation about the nature of the treatment and that it could be an experimental treatment, cardiologist Menasche denied this: “I don’t perform miracles. With my group, we do not experiment, a hideous term that does not correspond to a serious vision of medicine“, he assured. “Much progress has been made in the last 20 years, but the truth is that we still know very little about stem cells“, he added in response to questions about Schumacher.
Source :Skai
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
