December 3, 1934 - November 25, 1978: Age 43
Elaine Esposito was 6 years old when she was anesthetized for a routine appendectomy in 1941. Somehow her brain was damaged at the time of the operation. Some doctors felt she had incipient encephalitis at the time of the operation; others felt that she had not received enough oxygen during the operation.
Whatever the cause, she never regained consciousness, but lived on in a coma for 37 years. During this time she was sometimes deeply asleep, and at other times in a state of open-eyed unconsciousness. She died finally at the age of 43 in 1978.
Sources: Wikipedia, Ethics of Withdrawal of Life Support Systems
What hospital or center was Elaine Esposito at?
ReplyDeleteI don't know what hospital she was at, but her original operation was in Chicago.
ReplyDeleteHey, I just wondered if there was anything you knew about Elaine Esposito's childhood before she went into the coma.
ReplyDeleteThe only additional pieces of information I have been able to find are that her dad's name was Louis, and the family lived in Florida.
ReplyDeleteHer death is bittersweet. It was a blessing. Her passing is on the very day our family friend and/or churchmates got married in Colorado.
ReplyDeleteHer passing is a blessing and is bittersweet.
ReplyDeleteHer passing is really bittersweet. Her death came 27 years to the day before the County Mall fire in Moffat County!
ReplyDelete