Doctor says former F1 champion Michael Schumacher is 'fighting for his life'

[Adam]

Doctor says former F1 champion Michael Schumacher is 'fighting for his life'

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion race car driver Michael Schumacher remained in critical condition and was "fighting for his life" Monday after suffering head injuries in a skiing accident in France.

Chief anesthesiologist Jean-Francois Payen told reporters Monday that the seven-time champion is still in a medically-induced coma and said "We cannot tell you what the outcome will be yet."

"He is in a critical state in terms of cerebral resuscitation," he added. "We are working hour by hour."

Schumacher suffered the injuries Sunday morning while skiing at the Meribel resort in the French Alps. He was taken to University Hospital in Grenoble, France, where he underwent surgery immediately upon arrival.

The Grenoble medical team was being very cautious about Schumacher's prognosis. Working to relieve the pressure on his brain, they lowered his body temperature to between 93.2 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit as part of the medically induced coma.

The hospital said Schumacher was wearing a helmet when suffered his fall.

Damn. That's a shame. Hope he gets better soon.

[Gingersnap]

There's a pretty huge controversy over helmets for skiing. They really do isolate the skier from his or her environment and I think it's more difficult to judge speed with a helmet. It's more difficult for me and I'm a cautious downhill skier.

[Adam]

Not good news.

That's a damn shame.

[Novaheart]

Can anyone recall someone being severely damaged by waterskiing? Propeller accidents dont count.

[Adam]

Can anyone recall someone being severely damaged by waterskiing? Propeller accidents dont count.

Yep.

[scott]

Can anyone recall someone being severely damaged by waterskiing? Propeller accidents dont count.

Yep.

Well not really, that was a RACE at high speeds.

There are very few deaths and injuries from amateur waterskiing. So little that there aren't even accurate statistics kept.

[Adam]

Well not really, that was a RACE at high speeds.

There are very few deaths and injuries from amateur waterskiing. So little that there aren't even accurate statistics kept.

Well, that's true, though that wasn't really the way Nova asked the question.

By the numbers, I would probably say that serious (as in life-threatening) snowskiing injuries are probably pretty rare, too. Sure, there are occasional broken legs and whatnot, but you really just don't hear about that many people who die from skiing. Avalanches are a different story. But just by the numbers, there must be tens of millions of people who go skiing somewhere in the U.S. every year, and very very few of them die on the slopes. Even getting a broken leg or ankle or whatever on the slopes is pretty rare these days. If I were to bet, I would say that there are probably more people who drown while swimming than die while skiing, when normed for populations of both.

[Novaheart]

Well, that's true, though that wasn't really the way Nova asked the question.

By the numbers, I would probably say that serious (as in life-threatening) snowskiing injuries are probably pretty rare, too. Sure, there are occasional broken legs and whatnot, but you really just don't hear about that many people who die from skiing. Avalanches are a different story. But just by the numbers, there must be tens of millions of people who go skiing somewhere in the U.S. every year, and very very few of them die on the slopes. Even getting a broken leg or ankle or whatever on the slopes is pretty rare these days. If I were to bet, I would say that there are probably more people who drown while swimming than die while skiing, when normed for populations of both.

At least snow skiing is a real sport. Driving a car, a skill perhaps but not a sport.

[Adam]

At least snow skiing is a real sport. Driving a car, a skill perhaps but not a sport.

I suppose that depends upon how one defines "sport." Bowling is a "sport" by the definition of whether or not you can get a college scholarship to do it. Same with golf and chess. Curling is a "sport" by Olympic standards, but there's definitely a whole lot more physical exertion in an auto race than there is in curling. For that matter, there's a whole lot more physical exertion in an auto race than there is in bobsledding or skeleton, also. Poker appears on ESPN all the time, but I don't know that it should really be considered a "sport." Rifle is a sport according to the NCAA, but most people think of it as a passtime or a way to defend oneself.

[Novaheart]

I suppose that depends upon how one defines "sport." Bowling is a "sport" by the definition of whether or not you can get a college scholarship to do it. Same with golf and chess. Curling is a "sport" by Olympic standards, but there's definitely a whole lot more physical exertion in an auto race than there is in curling. For that matter, there's a whole lot more physical exertion in an auto race than there is in bobsledding or skeleton, also. Poker appears on ESPN all the time, but I don't know that it should really be considered a "sport." Rifle is a sport according to the NCAA, but most people think of it as a passtime or a way to defend oneself.

I

a game, not a sport


game and game

stupid game

children's fun at professional expense

card game

contest of skill

[Adam]

Better news. He's out of the coma, out of the ICU, and moved to a rehabilitation hospital. Still a long way to go, but the prospects are far less grim than before, at least.

[Adam]

Well, that's a little depressing.

Tonight, BBC America is re-running the episode in which Schumacher revealed himself as The Stig. I started wondering what his situation was these days, and I found this. Can't speak, in a wheelchair, and at this point, 11 months after the fact, I rather doubt he's going to get much better.