Belgian man in false 'coma' for 23 years plans memoirs

Rom Houben, a Belgian man who was wrongly diagnosed as comatose for 23 years, is planning to write a book about his extraordinary story, the doctor who rescued him from isolation said yesterday.

Before his accident in November 1983, the then young man spoke four languages, French, Dutch, English and a bit of German, said Professor Steven Laureys of Liege University.

"Today he is still capable of communicating in these languages," he added.

Since 2006, when his true condition was correctly diagnosed, he has regained enough coordination to allow him to use a finger," when aided, to use a special computer keyboard, Prof. Laureys explained.

"He intends to write about his experiences and I am pleased," the doctor and researcher said.

"Rom has given a face to this scientific reality," he said.

According to recent research by Prof. Laureys and others, Mr Houben's case is by no means unique.

Their studies showed that in too many cases inaccurate coma diagnoses were given - more than 40 per cent in certain categories of sufferers.

These days Mr Houben can even send text messages to his mother from his care home in Heusden-Zolder, in northeast Belgium.

"He is also capable of replying to complicated questions, such as - does he want to keep living?" said Prof. Laureys.

Former engineering student and martial arts enthusiast Mr Houben told the German weekly Der Spiegel that he had meditated to pass the long years trapped in his own body. Using the specially-adapted keyboard to type messages, Mr Houben has been able to describe the ordeal he endured.

"I would scream, but no sound would come out," he said, "I will never forget the day they finally discovered what was wrong - it was my second birth."

He could hear what was being said around him throughout, but was unable to respond.

"I became the witness to my own suffering as doctors and nurses tried to speak to me and eventually gave up," he said.

As far as the possibility of further progress is concerned, "that's difficult to say," he added.