The Coma Story

Coma is a state of unconsciousness where a person cannot be awakened, the person fails to respond normally to stimuli or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep routine; and does not carry out voluntary actions.

This is a story of a girl sharing her experience on how coma was for her

On July 27, 2013 I went through alcohol withdrawals at 20 years old and went into alcoholic seizures.

I remember I was standing outside of a mom and pop baby store in Grass Valley, California and I suddenly felt like there was a truck parked on my chest. I just couldn't breathe at all. I was working as a canvasser at the time outside this store fundraising, and I remember I yelled across the street for my coworker. I told them to go to my car parked 4 blocks away and find my inhaler, hidden somewhere inside.

By this time, I had doubled over and fell to my hands and knees. The owner of the shop came outside and asked me if I was ok and if I needed an ambulance. I am extremely grateful that she did not listen to my protests and called anyway. I remember another man picked me up over his shoulder and brought me inside the house. Then I remember being on my back with paramedics all around me. One was screaming at the other that “I don't care what the f'in machine says, he's blue” or something to that effect before intubating me.

Then it gets groggy. I came in and out of consciousness in the ambulance. I remember I kept asking to smoke a cigarette every time I came to.

Then I woke up in the hospital bed. I was in the ER and there were nurses and doctors around me. The room was a mess. The crash cart was out and very clearly used. And I remember one of them saying “we almost lost you there” they had brought me back from death, but only temporarily. The next thing I remember was my parents coming to my room, with a big mac, large fries, and Dr. Pepper from McDonald's. I vividly remember eating the burger and most of the fries. I can taste that last sip of dr pepper I had.

The next instant I was waking up in a different hospital bed with restraints on me and people looking at me trying to explain what happened. It was now 4 days later and I was in Sacramento. They had put me into a medically induced coma because of the severity of my seizures. I was within inches of my life. 4 days had passed and I hadn't even known. I was confused and scared and I felt alone. How did it pass by so quickly. I Couldn't remember anything but that sip of dr pepper I had. But it felt like just a second ago.

I do also vividly remember hearing a soothing voice tell me “you're going to be alright, it's not your time” I couldn't tell you when I heard it or where, but I choose to attribute that to my higher power and it comforts me to think that today.

Hamzeh Ayyad