Michael Schumacher has recovered from pneumonia, family believe that he will recover

Michael Schumacher

F1 great Michael Schumacher who is currently in coma has recovered from the pneumonia which he had picked up in the French hospital according to reports.

According to latest reports the 7-time Formula One champion had already overcome the pneumonia by the time the reports of his condition emerged. The news has come after a statement was released by Schumacher’s family which read, that they firmly believe that the 45-year old will recover from the life-threatening injury he suffered from the December 29th skiing accident.

They also said that ‘speed’ was not the most important element of Schumacher’s recovery, rather it was the progress in a continuous and controlled way.

The statement said: ‘Michael’s family would like to again express their sincere thanks for the continuous sympathy coming from all over the world. The good wishes they receive help the family and we are convinced they also help Michael, who still is in a waking up process.’

‘As often in such situation, no day is like the next. The family is thankful for ones understanding that they would not wish to disclose medical details in order to protect Michael’s privacy.

‘As assured from the beginning we will continue to communicate any decisive new information on Michael’s health state. We are aware that the wake up phase can take a long time.

‘The family continues to strongly believe in Michael’s recovery and place all their trust in the doctors, nurses and nursing auxiliaries team.

‘The important thing is not the speed of the recovery but that Michael’s healing process progresses in a continuous and controlled way.”

Schumacher was skiing in the French resort of Meribel when the incident occurred. He owns a chalet there.

He encountered some rocky patch where he skiied into a rack before catapulting and banging his head on to another rock. The impact of the accident was so high that his helmet split into two. A camera on the helmet which he was wearing has recorded all of the accident.

The German has been kept under constant surveillance so as to detect even the slightest of movements. Investigators said that Schumacher who is a very competent skier had not been skiing at excessive speed.

Two operations so far has been performed by the surgeons on Schumacher to relieve pressure from his brain, at the Grenoble University Hospital where he was airlifted to.

The pneumonia that Schumacher had picked up could have been fatal to his life, and it’s reassuring that he has recovered from it.

Andreas Pingel, medical director of the Centre for Spine Surgery and Neuro-Traumatology at the BG Hospital in Frankfurt told Germany’s Focus Magazine only last week: ‘About 30 to 50 per cent of all patients who lie in a coma as long as Michael Schumacher has, get it.’

A tube through the mouth, helps the German receive food, while oxygen is provided via a hose from a machine next to his bed. His joints are also messaged about 3 times a day to prevent bed sores and atrophy.

The coma had suppressed his reflex of swallowing along with his respiratory drive, and a close watch is required to monitor whether he’s recovering or not.

To prevent the possibility of thrombosis, his blood is also thinned while and he is regularly turned and even stoop straight up to ensure blood flow to all parts. An air-filled special mattress has been made available to him to prevent any sores due to pressure and his urinary tract is under constant vigilance to prevent potentially fatal infection.