A husband in China has regained his conscious from a five-year coma after his partner nursed him devotedly more than 20 hours a day for nearly 2,000 days.
Li Zhihua, from Xiangyang in Hubei Province, sustained serious brain injuries in a traffic accident in 2013. His wife became his sole carer afterward and she slept only two to three hours a day in order to clean, feed and talk to him.
The first thing Mr. Li said to his wife after waking up was: ‘Wife, I love you!’
Li Zhihua listens to a song played by his wife in his hospital ward in Hubei, China, on August 21
The man woke up from a five-year coma last year after his wife nursed him day and night
His wife, 57-year-old Zhang Guihuan, said she was not willing to accept the fact that her husband might be in a persistent vegetative state and wanted to prove doctors wrong
Their moving story was reported this week by Chinese news outlets, including Btime.com, Cover News and Pear.
According to reports, Mr. Li was knocked down by a motorbike in August 2013, while riding a scooter to work.
Describing his condition, Dr. Wan Qing’an told reporters: ‘When he was taken to the hospital, he was in a vegetative state. He could not respond to anything.’
His wife, 57-year-old Zhang Guihuan, recalled: ‘The doctor told me it was possible that he would be in a persistent vegetative state.’
She said she was not willing to accept the diagnosis and wanted to prove the doctors wrong.
After Mr. Li regained consciously, he kept staying in the hospital to take recovery programs
Day in day out, the determined spouse stayed next to Mr. Li’s bed to chat with him and play his favorite songs, hoping his condition would improve.
‘These things were very helpful to stimulate his nervous system,’ Dr. Wan said.
The strong-willed woman slept only two to three hours a day and looked after Mr. Li in every aspect possible. As a result, she lost 10 kilograms (22 pounds) during the course.
Ms. Zhang said in order to feed her husband, she had to carefully put food into his mouth and then gently pressed his tongue to let him know that he could eat.
Mr. Li miraculously regained his conscious last year.
The man carried on staying in the hospital in order to undergo recovery treatment.
Footage filmed yesterday shows Ms. Zhang assisting Mr. Li to walk with the help of a frame
Ms. Zhang said: ‘I have never thought about giving up. As long as he is alive, I will keep serving him’. The couple’s moving stories were reported by Chinese news outlets this week
Dr. Wan said though Mr. Li could not pronounce words clearly, he was fully aware of the goings-on around him.
Footage filmed yesterday in the hospital shows the wife assisting Mr. Li to practice walking with the help of a frame.
The video also shows her giving her husband a massage.
Dr. Wan said Mr. Li had made great progress after taking part in the recovery scheme for more than a year.
Speaking of Ms. Zhang, head nurse Xia Li said: ‘[She] taught her partner many movements and patiently demonstrated them to him without any complaint.’
Talking about the future, Ms. Zhang said: ‘I have never thought about giving up. As long as he is alive, I will keep serving him.’
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