A patient was declared brain dead, yet he woke up to go home with his family.
Zach Dunlap had been in a terrible vehicle accident. While in the hospital, doctors had pronounced him brain dead. Even a brain scan indicated no activity. Yet, to everyone's surprise, Zach woke up and later went home to his family. He has talked about it on NBC's Today show.
I will say that there is nothing wrong with medical miracles. They can be uplifting. Medicine is a science, basing clinical decisions on facts backed by evidence, but it's also an imperfect science. Now and then, a patient can surprise people. He or she may be an outlier whose symptoms, signs, and prognosis do not fit the textbook expectations.
Of course, doctors should still rely on their knowledge to guide their decisions, just as long as they don't forget the importance of time. A physician should not give up treatment prematurely, even if it seems like much time has passed. For any condition that requires a gradual recovery, the best thing for doctors, patients, and families to do is to allow plenty of time, hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.
I don't know the details of Zach's case to see if this miracle can be explained. In any event, Zach and his family have much to be grateful for.
