Picture this: After a dozen long days ensnared in a coma, the doctors felt a sense of dread as they contemplated the fate of Lyndee Brown Pellettiere-Swapp, a 47-year-old Arizona resident. They pondered pulling the plug on her life support machine, fearing she might never awaken. Little did they know, this brave woman had a different script in mind. As the life-support apparatus emitted its final, tender hum, she whispered to her husband with unwavering determination, “I refuse to give up; I’ll fight with all my heart.”
Two weeks earlier, Lyndee had been discovered unconscious by her devoted husband, thrusting her into an unforeseen medical battle. Seizures gripped her fragile form, and she lingered in a mostly unresponsive state. The medical verdict seemed grim – there was no prognosis of her emerging from this coma, and medical intervention had reached its limits. Though trapped in a body that couldn’t move or speak, Lyndee retained her consciousness, a secret known only to her. She confided in CBS5, saying, “I recall the voices of those who visited me, the comforting sound of my niece reading by my side.”
Unbeknownst to the medical team attending to her, she remained acutely aware of her surroundings. Lyndee recounted, “I can still visualize the doctor shining that light into my eyes, explaining the impending outcome to my family when they switched off the life support.”
With her vital organs faltering and her selfless organ donation decision on the line, her family faced a heart-wrenching decision. They chose to extend their farewells by one more day. On the fateful day of October 29, they steeled themselves as the life-sustaining apparatus was powered down. Throughout this ordeal, Lyndee’s husband whispered softly in her ear, “I need you to fight.”
As the organ transplant team poised themselves for action, moments before declaring her demise, a startling development unfolded. Lyndee made desperate attempts to grab their attention. In her own words, she recalls, “In my mind, my intentions were crystal clear, even though my words were not. I summoned the strength to utter the words ‘I’m a fighter,’ echoing my husband’s silent encouragement.”
The journey back to health was nothing short of an arduous climb. She had to relearn how to walk and nourish herself. Since her departure from the hospital in November 2015, Lyndee has faced seven more hospitalizations and endured four surgeries due to complications.
Despite the ongoing battles with anxiety, panic attacks, and PTSD, Lyndee’s husband and children exult in her miraculous awakening. Her experience leaves us with a profound lesson: “Just because one appears unconscious doesn’t mean they cannot hear. So, if you ever find yourself in such a situation, do not hesitate to talk to your loved ones. They can hear you.”