Michael Schumacher being "woken up" from induced coma says L'Equipe

There appears to be some light at the end of a rather dark looking tunnel so far with French daily L’Equipe reporting that 7-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher is gradually being “woken up” from a medically induced coma by doctors a month after his near fatal skiing accident in the French Alps.

Schumacher’s spokeswoman, while not denying the reports emerging from France, has asked the public not to pay attention to “speculation”.

Sabine Kehm, Schumacher’s manager, asked the fans of the German legend to remain patient and wait for information from official sources.

“I am stressing again any statement regarding Michael’s health not coming from the doctors treating him, or from his management, must be considered as speculation,” she said. “I repeat, we will not comment on any speculation.”

“Michael’s condition is still considered as stable,” she told Le Dauphiné Libéré, a local newspaper. “I also repeat that Michael’s family is very happy and confident with the work of the team of doctors treating Michael, and they trust them completely.”

Schumacher has been kept in an induced coma for over 4 weeks now following a skiing accident in Meribel when he hit a rock head first. Schumacher has been reported to be in a “stable but critical” condition for some time now although there were reports earlier in the week about him “responding positively” to the process begun this week at the CHU hospital in the south west city of Grenoble.

Doctors in Grenoble have ruled out giving a prognosis for his condition in the coming days and months. But it is medically possible for someone to spend several weeks in an induced coma and make a full recovery.

Professor Jean-Luc Truelle, the former head of the neurology department of the Foch hospital in Suresnes, told L’Equipe that a month is “the maximum period before entering into this phase” of coming out of an artificial coma.

He said the process would start with a sedation phase, the patient then opens his eyes followed by the “re-establishment of some kind of communication, which we verify through simple commands,” such as “open your eyes, shut your eyes, squeeze your hand”.

“Schumacher appears to show this type of re-awakening,” wrote L’Equipe.