Jim Baen is still unconscious after the stroke

[julesjones]

New update at the Baen Bar this morning. I'm not registered, but pnh reposted a copy at Making Light:
http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/007658.html#131263

Main news is:
"As many of you know, last Monday Jim suffered a stroke. The doctors describe it as a massive bilateral stroke in the thalamus. Jim has not regained consciousness and his condition has become severe. He is resting comfortably now, and appears to be in no pain; however the doctors' prognosis is grave."

Not good. :-(

Comments

[twisting-path.livejournal.com]

Thanks as I was wondering if his condition had changed.

My mom died of strokes--a fate that terrifies me. How old is he do you know?

C

[julesjones]

Wikipedia says born 1943, so 63 - not that old these days. His wiki entry has already been updated to reflect the latest news:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Baen

Though mjlayman has reminded people that she came back from her stroke after *six weeks* in coma:
http://james-nicoll.livejournal.com/378930.html?thread=3894578#t3894578
She's physically disabled, and she says she did suffer some mental impairment, but "some" is relative - she's still a very bright woman.

[twisting-path.livejournal.com]

That is amazing that she was able to come back. My mom was not so fortunate. And you bet 63 is way too young for him to suffer from a stroke. That's how old my mom was when she had her worst.

C who will go look at the info

[twisting-path.livejournal.com]

Her entry is protected--that is fine, not going to intrude. But let's hope that that Wikipedia entry will need positive editing.

I have sleep apnea--my doctor believes my mom did also, and it was untreated and led to her strokes. I am rigorous in following my treatment correctly, but know it can happen to anyone, anytime, any age.

C

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

My very superficial understanding of strokes is that the sooner the victim gets treatment the better his/her chance of a good recovery. The first hour or so is crucial.

[(Anonymous)]

Baen has been in a coma for many days now. This makes the chance of recovery increasingly remote. Only 15% of adults who are in coma for even a few hours make a complete recovery.

The position of his stroke, in the thalamus, raises the possibility that it damaged his ascending reticular activating system, which goes from the brainstem through the thalamus and on to the cortex. If that happened, his coma would be irreversible -- the RAS is the brain's 'on' switch without which consciousness is impossible.

[strix-an-stones.livejournal.com]

When I was in neuro-rehabilition for head trauma there were a few who emerged from comas but it was a long and heartbreaking process. I don't know all the science as you obviously do, but I remember the fear and sadness of not knowing my own mind. It's hard for everyone.

[julesjones]

Ah, sorry - I didn't realise that James had locked his post (and thus the comments). Marilee does talk about her stroke and its aftermath in public, so I didn't think to check. As she's said somewhere else, she had a whole cascade of medical problems, one leading to the next, of which the stroke was just one problem late in the cascade - and if it had been just the stroke and coma she would still be able to work. She actually recovered remarkably well from that part of the complete system failure.