Sharon has been in a coma for two weeks now, following a cardiac arrest. What a nightmare – she’s just 19 years old, on a respirator, and shows no signs of life or brain activity.

On the 15th day she suddenly started moving her legs in a bicycle pattern. When I first saw this, I asked the doctor if this means she is emerging from the coma. “Oh no” he said – “that’s just agitation.” But that very day they started to wean her off of the respirator. By the following morning she was breathing on her own and was moved out of intensive care. The bicycle activity continued.

Today I woke up with a tiny glimmer of hope. Perhaps because this is the 18th day, and the meaning of 18 means “chai” in Hebrew -- or "life". Despite hoping and anticipating that something special might happen, I was surprised when I entered Sharon’s room to find that she was lying on a lounge chair near the window – still unresponsive.

Sue, the private duty nurse said “We have a problem today. They are short of nurses at the station and I need 3 nurses to help me carry her back to the bed.” I looked around the room and said “Sue, what if we slide the chair next to the bed. That way, if you can get one nurse in here, you can each take one underarm, let her feet touch the floor and swivel her on to the bed. After all, she has been exercising her legs and they seem pretty solid.”

Sue smiled, went out to the station and came back with another nurse. They moved the chair next to the bed. With each one holding her underarm, they swiveled her body. The second that Sharon’s feet touched the floor, she started to WALK!!! Both nurses were grinning, then laughing out loud – and then screaming with glee. Still holding her tightly, they walked with her. Out to the hall, then down the hall, then turned back into her room and called the doctor. Within minutes, a doctor of physical medicine was at her bedside. I shrieked "She's walking -- that mean's she's coming out of the coma." His response was "No, she is not walking; she is ambulating. And she is not out of the coma, but tomorrow we will begin physical and occupational therapy.”