Spanish mom fights to keep young daughter alive in coma for seven years

Feb 12, 2009 / 17:44 pm

The Pro-Life Institution of Valencia in Spain reported this week on the dramatic case of a 22 year-old woman who has been in a coma for seven years and whose mother is fighting daily for her life, in stark contrast with the father of Italian woman Eluana Englaro, who chose to end the life of his daughter.

According to the Institution, the woman, whose name has been changed to “Patricia” to protect her privacy, has been caring for her daughter since she fell into a coma seven years ago after a moped accident.

Patricia said, “Each morning I thank God for giving her to me one more day. It never occurs to me not to feed her, and I have stopped being afraid when she suffers a respiratory crisis or [of the thought] that she could die at any moment, since I continually put her in the hands of the Holy Spirit.”

Like Eluana Englaro, her daughter cannot eat, speak or move.

“From day one I wanted her to be at home with me. The problem is that not everyone can assume the expenses that this entails,” Patricia said. “Nobody can imagine how much this makes a parent suffer. Therefore my desire is to keep my daughter in the best conditions possible, no matter what the cost,” she added.

She said she gives her daughter liquefied food because “it is what’s best for her,” and that each day is “it’s a little bit easier than the beginning” to face the situation.

As a result of the accident, her daughter was left with brain damage caused by a cardiac arrest. Doctors told the family the 15 year-old girl would remain in an irreversible coma and that she would never be herself again.

But her mother has never given up.

“Given her situation, she is doing well, although everything is very complex. She is healthy and stable. In addition, by being at home she gets sick less and has fewer respiratory crises,” Patricia said.