People in comas may have normal brain functioning

His brain doesn't seem to have the strength, as it were, to reflect continually on itself and its surroundings the way a healthy brain does, ready to engage the world in an instant. An ambiguous signal isn't enough to provoke him.

I just want it stated here for the record: If I go into a vegetative state, for chrissake leave me alone. Vegetative states are just different, there's no reason to kill me/have me killed. Maybe I'm just tired and want to chill out under the surface for a while. If doctors tell you I'm in pain, that's fine - pain is the body's way of learning, the body's preparation for the long term. Don't deprive me of the long term.

:: Posted by salas
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