A brain injury expert claims that if Michael Schumacher survives following his skiing accident, he will no longer be the exact same person.
Dr. Richard Greenwood along with seven other French doctors have begun tests on the seven-times Formula One world champion, having been in an artificially induced coma following a skiing accident two weeks ago. Schumacher has had a surgery to remove a small part of his skull in a bid to relieve pressure on his brain but he is still in a critical condition. Dr. Greenwood from the University College London Hospital said successful rehabilitation would mean adjusting to a very different life.
"If Schumacher survives, he will not be Schumacher. He will be Joe Bloggs. His rehabilitation will only be effective if he comes to terms with being Bloggs. That is a very, very hard process to take people through. They need to come to terms with their limitations - the fact they have changed." Greenwood spoke at the launch of a study which found people who suffered traumatic injuries were three times more likely to die prematurely compared to those who had not. He tested 220,000 participants in his study which was published in the journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry.
Schumacher was involved in a skiing accident where he lost his balance and crashed, thus leaving him in a critical condition with head injuries. Investigators confirmed that they have already ruled out problems with his skis, trail conditions and signage. Schumacher's speed was also ruled out as a significant factor in the December 29 accident that took place at Meribel in the French Alps.
