Schumacher remains in “very serious” condition in intensive care after accident

2013 F1 season

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Michael Schumacher remains in an “extremely serious” condition following the head injuries he suffered while skiing in France yesterday.

Doctors at the Grenoble hospital where he is in intensive care said his situation remains critical. They added he “might not have come this far” had he not been wearing a helmet at the time of his crash.

The medical team have been working to reduce pressure on the brain from an intracranial hematoma. They confirmed he had a number of lesions on his brain when he was admitted to hospital yesterday but would not give further details on the extent of his injuries or the potential outcome of a recovery.

Contradicting earlier unconfirmed reports, the team said Schumacher has undergone one operation since admission and added they don’t currently plan to carry out a second.

Schumacher’s family are at his bedside as doctors continue to closely monitor his condition hour by hour.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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84 comments on “Schumacher remains in “very serious” condition in intensive care after accident”

  1. It’s just a waiting game now, it seems.

    What an awful way for the year to end. Let’s hope for a speedy and full recovery for him.

    1. @magnificent-geoffrey Not to mention his birthday is on Friday (January 3).

    2. It is truly awful but there’d be no better start to 2014 than to hear he’ll make a full recovery. Let’s hope that’s what we will hear as time goes by.

      1. Agree with you.

      2. A good thought.

    3. It’s so frustrating waiting, really feel for his family, their waiting must be 1000 times worse than ours.

      Massa made it, these guys are made of tough stuff, lets hope for the same full recovery for Schumi.

      1. I can’t even imagine how hard it would be.

        I give every hope I have that he is ok

    4. Unfortunately I’ve been there, sadly everyone and their dog in my family has been in a coma (my mother for over a month) so I’m more or less used to the waiting, still it makes me somewhat sad to see the hero of my youth in such a critical state. He’ll be taken care of very well, this will turn out ok, it’d be good for him and his family if he can be conscious by his birthday, that’d lift all their spirits. A positive mindset is important.

      1. @bananarama I’m really sorry to hear you’ve had to experience that! :(

        1. Sorry about that, bananarama.

      2. @bananarama – Very sorry to hear that, but I understand. We have been going through a similar situation for the last almost two years now with my wife due to a brain tumor and subsequent surgery. The thing to remember is that medical knowledge and technology keeps advancing and no doubt Michael will have the best doctors and care available. The induced coma will help them monitor and stabilize the cranial pressure. It could be days or a week or more before they bring him out of it, so it will be difficult to expect a lot of news about his condition real soon, but that may not be a bad sign. Each brain injury is different and it is too soon to know what to expect. All we can do is give prayers and best wishes for him, his family and the medical treating him. Thank goodness he had the good sense to wear a helmet and that he is so physically fit. I hope he has a full recovery and is able to live a long healthy life with his family. That is the most important thing.

        1. *medical* staff treating him

        2. @vettel1 @faulty Thank you for the kind words.

          @bullmello I’m sorry to hear that and I wish your wife all the best. These situations are hard, I wish nobody had to go through any of this. I still haven’t figured out what’s the best way to handle it, first I thought I shouldn’t feel bad because the one who is really feeling bad is the one in the hospital bed, not me. But then again that made me think about the suffering of a person I love which didn’t make it better either. In the long hours and days of waiting there is just too much time to think about every single detail so I always tried to stay busy somehow, pretending to myself I was doing something, trying to be positive and that helped a bit. Nothing beats the relief though once you know everything went well (even though sometimes it doesn’t like with my stepfather). Since my first post there has been more information coming through (they have television specials all the time about it, maybe a tiny bit too much considering how many people in the world are suffering without attention) that doesn’t seem so positive, but everything thats possible will be done for him and once he recovers (to whatever degree possible) he will have his family and his stubbornness in achieving whatever he wants will do the rest.

  2. I’ve been waking up and checking for updates all through the night and I’m pleased the worst news hasn’t come which is positive.

    Michael is an absolute legend and an amazing man and, as everyone does, I sincerely hope he can make a full recovery.

    Victory no.92 – here we come!

    1. Me too.. I was constantly checking every hour to see what was happening and I had this eerie feeling that the injury is not as simple as it seemed in the beginning.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-gtJgoYUPk

      This Youtube Video shows Schumi’s car catching Fire during the pitstop. Everybody except him was under panic. Not only was he just sitting cool, he went on to win the race. I remember watching this race back then with a fried of mine who was not a Schumi fan. He was kind of telling me “Look at this guy. He thinks winning is more important than his life. He did not make a single attempt to get out of that car”

      Looks like that Summarizes Schumi !!!!!

  3. Some useful background information on intercranial pressure from Gary Hartstein:

    http://formerf1doc.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/intracranial-pressure-what-how-and-why/

    1. @keithcollantine Thank you for the share. This helps to explain the complications surrounding a brain injury. I guess the facts are, we don’t know the specifics of Michael’s brain injuries it is, and how bad the initial impact damaged the brain.

      I am still hoping for the best.

      Thank you for the coverage on this, it is very much based on facts and helps to take away all the knee jerk reporting that other English tabloids are running with.

      Here’s hoping for more positive news in the coming days.

  4. I don’t really know how to feel. I’m sad, very sad. And I think I don’t have the english vocabulary to say how I am.

    He is the legend of our sport. The star of our sport and generation. I just hope he recovers as quickly as possible.

    My thoughts are for his family. I’m shoked.

  5. Been checking my phone every 20mins or so for an update. Thankfully he’s only had one operation, but he still has a huge fight on his hands.
    C’mon Michael, we’re all by your side.

  6. Well at least the news isn’t that his condition has deteriorated further. It’s frustrating that there is no information regarding his long-term outlook, but I’d guess that there are so many factors in Michael’s situation that such news may take days to appear. It’ll be a long wait.

    I hope he stays strong, keeps fighting, and wins out over this. To think of any other outcome is impossible for me as a massive fan.

  7. I can’t imagine what his family are going through. Hopefully there will be light at the end of tunnel for Schumacher.

    1. i agree not the right time to say that, but LOOOOOL

      1. ? huh ? What do you mean ?

  8. This is awful.
    I’ve just read about this on the BBC site. Yesterday they said he was conscious but ‘shaken’ after the accident. Now they are saying he is “fighting for his life”, but I’m sure that’s wrong.
    I feel for his family. What a dreadful thing to happen.

    1. @timothykatz – It’s not uncommon for patients in this condition to appear to be fine at first, and then deteriorate rapidly not long after. Some of the early reports claimed he was lucid, but agitated upon arrival at the first hospital, which is a common symptom of this kind of injury.

      Nevertheless, he *is* fighting for his life. He is bleeding into the cranial cavity, the space inside the skull that houses the brain. This is a problem because there is no space for the blood to bleed into, and so the bleed puts pressure onto the brain as more blood enters the cranial cavity.

      Schumacher’s doctors would have opened his skull to relieve the pressure while they searched for the source of the bleed.

      1. I understand. I suppose it’s a bit like ordinary concussion where you feel a bit groggy to begin with and only later start to vomit and lose consciousness.

      2. @prisoner-monkeys

        It’s not uncommon for patients in this condition to appear to be fine at first, and then deteriorate rapidly not long after.

        If I remember correctly, Henry Surtees was reported to be okay and conscious after his crash, then lost his life hours later. Looks like Schumacher’s condition deteriorated in similar fashion – let’s hope with a different outcome.

    2. I believe he could very well have been conscious for a while, until the blood clot got big enough to disturb the brain’s functions.

      1. Aaaaaand that’s why I shouldn’t be reading and replying to comments on an article I’ve had open for a long time. @prisoner-monkeys already explained it much better.

    3. I remember the terrible photo of felipe massa with broken helmet still on after his accident, and he appeared awake there for some time.

  9. Get well soon Champ. We are all praying for you.

  10. Well, we can only wait now and pray for the best. Schumi’s a strong fellow, I’m sure he’ll recover ! keep it up, Meister!

  11. Must admit I was never a fan but this is really terrible news and I feel for his family.
    Thankfully he was wearing a helmet which has to have lessened the damage. I’ve read that he would be dead had he not been wearing it.
    Get well soon Michael, we’re all hoping that you can recover fully.

    1. I too have never been a fan as some around here will have noticed, but this is not about that. This is about a human’s life, and nobody deserves this. My thoughts are with MS and his family and all his friends and admirers. I hope only for the best of news.

  12. I posted a comment in the other thread when the news came out but it didn´t make it through moderation last time because I was really upset and used foul language but now I am a bit more calm and now I just feel angry that this happened to Michael. Here is a man that raced over 300 km/h, raced bikes and yet he is fighting for his life over a skiing accident. Life is just so unfair and it really ticks me off.
    I lost my mom back in July of this year and it was very very tough, a friend of mine just lost his dad and he was destroyed and I felt for him and now this… Life is so unfair and all we can do is pray… Please God, don´t take Michael… He doesn´t deserve to go out this way.
    I just sincerely hope he fights through this as he´s done through out his career. Get well Champ!! Please!!

    1. So sorry to hear of the tough go you have had of it lately. I think the only think that I can really remind you of is that time tends to heal wounds and those who leave us would wish us to live on as well as possible.

      1. That’s very well put, @Robbie. It helps me, anyways.

      2. I appreciate your words Robbie and I agree with you, time does heal but it´s still tough and I´m still trying to find my footing. It´s hard when you realize that you are all alone now and just have your brother. I have my own family but i still miss my folks and news like this just gets me even more down than i am now so I really need for Michael to pull through.
        @f1americana , it helps a lot! I agree!

  13. My thoughts are with Michael and his family during this incredibly difficult time.

  14. Hope he gets better soon, were all pulling for you Schuey. You were the best in the world when I was a little boy. Please get better soon Michael.

  15. Awful news for the end of the year! Good luck, Schumi in fighting this race. Thouhts are with you and your family all day. Sad, sad news :(

  16. I never was a Schumacher fan, I always was pulling for the other guy, whoever he was, but I don’t wish him harm.

    Just to say that, in my opinion, I always thought that skiing was more dangerous than actual Formula 1.

    I would get inside a F1 car, but no one will never catch me skiing… Best wish for Michael and a Happy New 2014 for us all !

    1. All my best to a man I hold in HIGH regard!!!

      I hope and trust this ends ok, all the best Micheal!!

      Please recover safe mate!!!

  17. I didn’t have a particularly good night’s sleep due to the news, and I didn’t wake up to the brightest of it either.

    But if Massa can make a full recovery, Schumacher can. I again join the flood of support for him at this time and wish he can get back to enjoying the spoils of his very successful career!

    1. @vettel1
      Me too, i didn’t sleep at all since i have to wake up at 5.30 am to be at time in my new internship program (8 am), now i just returned home and the situation is still critical, yeah Massa has recovered and i hope Michael can do the same we have to keep always a positive mindset

  18. Schumi has always impressed me with his commitment to his family. Schumi has donated millions to charity too, including $10 million in aid after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

    As @magnificent-geoffrey said, it is now a waiting game. Michael, a lot of us are waiting and praying at the same time. There is nothing else I can say expect fight hard as you have always done.

    His family and friends must be in the worst place possible right now.

  19. This has been a sad news for the fans of the legend, the fans of the sport and almost everyone who knows about Schumi. I sincerely hope that he recovers fully from this soon! Get well soon Schumi!

  20. Get well soon Champion <3

  21. Gary Hartstein’s thoughts on today’s presscon. It reassured him, and hopefully what he wrote will reassure us too: http://formerf1doc.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/the-monday-press-conference/

    1. OmarR-Pepper (@)
      30th December 2013, 13:28

      @journeyer yes, it made me feel better to see his critical condition (and the comma) seem to be as part of a recovery, slow and serious, yes, but recovery at last. It will take time, but the words of this professional doctor give us hope

  22. Schumacher was always a fighter and I really hope he can pull through and have a full recovery. Get well soon Schumi.

  23. Best wishes to Michael and his family, he was the first driver I knew of after I was born, and he has shown us over the years he has the strength to recover from this. We are all rooting for you Schumi, I hope you recover very soon.

  24. You just know that when this is all over he is going to demand an F1 car from Mercedes and take it around the Nurburgring in like 10 seconds or something, just to prove that he still can.

    1. Hear hear! Just like Malaysia ’99!

  25. It goes to show that every day you live is very precious and anything can happen to anyone. I am deeply saddened by what has happened to Michael and wish him and his family the best! He is a fighter and if anyone can pull through it would be him, wishing for good news soon.

  26. I’ve been checking twitter and the news regularly for updates… I hope any forthcoming news is about him reaching a stable condition. I’ve been thinking of what to say, but I’m drawing a blank. I really hope we get some positive news, soon.

  27. MSC was an arch enemy for me on track, easily the most dislikable driver in the sport. But I don’t hope anything like this to happen to anybody. This is tragic and as depressing as it gets. Keep on fighting Michael, for once I am on your side!

  28. Waking up (EST) I was dreading hearing any news at all, knowing how these head injuries can turn for the worst without warning. So glad there is a lack of more bad news and I hope things will improve quickly.

  29. Waiting for the biggest victory of his lifetime. Come on Schumi. Pull out a special one and win this race. You are too young to be spoken in past tense.

    Please inspire us again like you have done all your career.

  30. The most important race of his life, he MUST win!!

    1. @vlastos

      he MUST win!!

      He WILL win this race!!

  31. I didn’t want to read this and I’m not yet drunk enough to accept how bad it really is. Is it OK to cry on F1Fanatic cause I really feel bad…

    1. It’s ok to cry. I felt really close to crying to hear the seriousness of his condition and that he is fighting for his life.

  32. Awful awful news. A freak injury that will hopefully not have tragic consequences. Another reminder; if we needed one; of how fragile life is.

    Come on Schuey. Get through this. I had a cousin who got through this exact kind of injury unscathed so I know it can be done. It is a waiting game now. We need to let the swelling subside and hopefully there’ll be no lasting damage.

    It goes without saying that thoughts are with him and his family :(

  33. I’m terribly sad to say the least.
    My best wishes and prayers to Michael.
    Look how safe F1 has became lately.
    Most of the serious injuries happen not on track but in skiing, cycling, rallying etc. incidents.

  34. He’s a fighter and I’m full of hope that he pulls thru. My thoughts are with him and his family, this really impacted my day so I can’t even begin to imagine what they’ve to go thru right now.

  35. I’ve been disappointed to see some fans start going on about Michael’s controversies as a driver, totally irrelevant at this time. Hell, I’m not a Schumacher fan, but I feel immensely sad for a 44 year old married man with kids. I hope he gets through this. A legend and a nice guy.

  36. I know he is a fighter and that he will fight this one off, but my thoughts will still be with him in this perilous time. I wish his recovery will be as speedy as his exploits on a race track.

  37. Thoughts and prayers with Michael and his family.

  38. Pretty much reiterating what everyone had already said, but I’ll do it anyway…

    C’mon Michael, you CAN do this, you can beat it!

    Here’s hoping for the best New Year news possible.

    #legend #fighter

  39. I was never a fan but,I have massive respect.Get well soon Schuey.

  40. Wir lieben dich, Schumi. Come on. Felipe did it. Robert did it. Come on, Michael, you can do it!

    I’m so sad at this news. Lots of love and luck to his family.

  41. When I first heard about it, I didn’t think it to be so serious. Now, after reading everything throughout the day, I’m hoping and willing for my childhood hero to pull through (writing this with a lump in my throat). Here’s hoping for better news about Schumi as we enter the new year.

  42. I am soooo wishing the best to Michael and his friends and family. I went through something similar when my younger brother was in a car accident when we were kids. Waiting to see if he would wake from the coma and, just as bad, hoping he will fully recover after that is a terrible thing for everyone involved and a long road back for Michael.

    I hope his situation turns out as well as it did for our family. But MSC is a fighter and any doctor will tell you that is more than half the battle. Get well Michael!

  43. I can’t find the words for this….. So i use the tweet of martin Brundle today, this says it all
    “Come on Michael, give us one of those race stints at pure qualifying pace to win through, like you used to. You can do it.”

  44. Lord please, let this end well. .

  45. I admit, during his ‘first career’, I never liked his style. The two incidents in 1994 and 1997 merely showed that the championship is all that counts, whether he ‘deserved’ it or not. Hence I’ve never really connected with him. During his second career at Mercedes, he showed that he would still strive to be the best, but he could accept being second best, knowing that he had done everything about it. In my opinion, coming out of retirement was one of the best decisions he has ever made. I even cheered for him at Valencia in 2012.

    There isn’t a lot of information to go by. I don’t wish to speculate on his condition or get involved in medic talk that is way over my head or use the (already over-used) metaphor about winning this final race. I just wish he makes a full recovery.

  46. It is very emotional to read all the messages from the f1 fans immaterial of whether they supported Michael in the past or not. Thanks guys. He will get better.

  47. Very anxious time, I can only imagine how his poor family is feeling. Fingers crossed for a recovery soon.

  48. I want Michael to be OK.

    He was my first hero

    I can’t eat or sleep.

    I just want him to be OK

  49. Michael’s condition has improved slightly.

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