The Michael Schumacher Career/Injury/Recovery Thread

Michael may be a public figure and owe the public, but his family arent and don't.

I'm sure that all concerned would be extremely happy if Michael were able to fufill his obligations.

 

And that's a fact.

And it doesn't even matter to them that their arguments hold zero water.

 

Since you brought it up: I'm not concerned whether I'm being updated. I'm not his fan and he is not my hero.

But I do think that his fans actually deserve a better communications policy than what is going on right now.

 

Why?

Don't you think she's more concerned about what her kids see in the press? If she didn't, I'd not have much respect for her as a mother.

Then again we know the press never exaggerates or misreports anything. What am I thinking?

 

You certainly have THAT right! This thread, among SO many others, makes that clear….The world changes, and FChat is a very different place today from '06.

 

We had one day this week with two conflicting reports - one suggested he was breathing on his own, the other suggested that only a miracle would save him. You can not seriously be suggesting that if we were getting regular updates from Michael's doctors that that kind of conflicting information would occupy the pages of any respectable news publication. Nothing good comes from the silence.

>8^)
ER

 

Michael was a public figure because of his spectacular achievements. Throughout his long F1 career he closely guarded his personal privacy and especially that of his family.

He is not the active PM of a country to which constituents have the right for medical updates to judge competency.

As much as I search for news on a daily basis for Schumi's progress, I totally respect that his medical condition and prognosis are private.

Who knows what mental anguish his family are navigating...imagine having to explain to teenagers about potential prognoses. How is Mick - who Michael was skiing with -dealing with the trauma of actually being there?

We don't know. We don't have a right to request medical information about another individual.

...and before you hop in and criticise...my husband was diagnosed with cancer when my daughter was 7 and died when she was 9. I am so glad we didn't have the world's press breathing down our necks during that time as it was an exceptionally emotional roller coaster ride

 

My condolences. Those who haven't gone through such an experience have no way of knowing what its like.

 

Apples and oranges.

Sorry for your loss.

Kai

 

That's his opinion and it counts for nothing. If Michael's family do not want to divulge information, they have the right to do so.

 

No debate they have the right - the question is if it is the right decision. Again - silence fuels speculation. The family already know the truth of his situation so I fail to reconcile how reading things in the press that are not the truth calms their emotions.

>8^)
ER

 

If you had been through this (I have) you'd know it's a day to day thing and you don't want to get your hopes up even if you're an eternal optimist like I am.

The quacks said my wife would be dead by the end of the first week of her induced coma, she is still annoying me today

They're a best guess , well educated person who cover their arses due to huge malpractice suits

 

Why should they care about the press, they have the doctors directly telling them, they can see what Michael's progress, or lack of, in front of their eyes.

 

You are right about every single point.

 

There is no reason.

The very best all fans can do for MS is shut up and patiently wait. We can do nothing to help his situation, so shutting up is all we can do.

I honestly am disgusted with your viewpoint, absolutely disgusted. I often defend Americans but I might have to change my opinion. That is how strongly I feel you have this backwards.
Pete

 

Again who cares about speculatio and it is NONE of our business. We all know the press has lost all morals and professionalism about 100 years ago. Nothing at all matters here more than Michael's family. And why you all cannot see that I do not understand.

How I see this playing out is: MS is on the machine until his body finally dies of old age.

But hearing that in a news paper makes no difference. BS and speculation will still be rife. Some will still say he is about to wake up and others will have seen him talking to Elvis or doing laps in the latest Ferrari F1 car. The man has died, all we are being denied is a burial ...

Unsubscribing as this thread is disgusting. When a man needed us the most we are kicking his family while they are down.
Pete

 

I do believe there are some cultural differences at play. I think in the USA there is much less considered off limits when it comes to celebrities than in Europe (and I think New Zealand is in this regard a lot like Europe).

 

I don't think anyone is kicking their family - all that a few of us are saying is that better communications from Kehm would be welcomed.

We're not like that De Niro psycho in "The Fan" and just because we're hoping for a better communique it doesn't make us disgusting or leeches etc.

It's ok for you to say he's going to be a turnip 'til he dies - if Schuey's family were reading this thread that would certainly make them feel better. So much for the wrongs of "press speculation".

 

Definitely the case.

It's not our finest characteristic though.

 

Thanks for your incorrect assumption, but I have been through this with one of my best friends who nearly died after a motorcycle accident. (I have mentioned this already in this thread.) He was without any vital signs when the paramedics arrived on scene and had multiple serious injuries including a high grade concussion. He was in an induced coma for several weeks and we went through the same anxieties of the wake up phase. I was there at the hospital nearly every day from the first phone call until he was finally on the road to recovery, so I know exactly the emotions and concerns these people face with the uncertainty of this sort of situation. For him this process took more than one year including relearning to walk and having to blend his every meal for approximately 6 months after he was out of the hospital as he had lost the ability to swallow.

Upon hearing about the accident every single person who knew my friend asked to be kept apprised of any updates to his condition as well, and we did just that because it was the right thing to do for those who cared to know. This included many people who knew him from school and hadn't had contact for several years, yet still had concerns for his well being.

It just so happens there are millions of people who know and care about Michael Schumacher and I won't stand down from my feeling that it is disrespectful to keep us all in the dark and allow our emotions to be swayed by conflicting media reports based only on the rumors leaking out when the facts of the situation are well known to those who are closest. Wanting to know is not selfish - that's why every single one of us are continuing to check this thread - trying to keep the true realities of the situation private for such a well known individual unfortunately are.

>8^)
ER

 

You fail to grasp what I am saying. I never said that the family was doing this so they could make money.

In speaking of a "public figure" there is a legal status that is conferred on public figures. The most notable of these is the difficulty of proving defamation (libel or slander) against public figures. Once someone is a public figure, in the eyes of the law the standard of defamation is different. (This is the NY Times v. Sullivan case.)

In the vast majority of cases, people put themselves in the public eye and are public figures as a result of their actions--politicians seeking office, actors/actresses, sports figures, etc.

I simply pointed out the fact that Schumacher is a public figure. And there is legal precedent for public figures "fading" back into the shadows and becoming a private figure, after, say, their public life has been completed.

Schumacher may have been able to "fade" back into private life, had he retired after racing and done something that was not in the public arena. However, he didn't. The fact is that Schumacher has current, active endorsement contracts, which perpetuate his status as a public figure.

That was the point of the post to which I made my comments. I was defending that poster against the suggestion that some have made here . . . some say that Schuey is not a public figure. Clearly, he is a public figure.

 

Very well said and I agree with you

 

'every single person who knew my friend to be kept apprised of any updates to his condition'

No one is denying that FRIENDS should be kept updated...as are Jean Todt, Felipe Massa, Ross Brawn.

I think where this whole issue gets confused is the definition of 'know/knew.'

'there are millions of people who know and care about Michael Schumacher and I won't stand down from my feeling that it is disrespectful to keep us all in the dark'

Are you a personal friend of Schumi's? If so, it is incorrect to keep you in the dark.

However, if like me you are a fan and 'know' him through reading books, articles and watching races/interviews, then I believe we have no right to private medical information.

 

When was the last update put forth on Michaels condition?

Tried reading some of the posts to see if there is any new information. Unfortunately not. Is there another thread which actually only speaks about facts or is it just another FChat debate. It is trully amazing what can be argued about on this forum.

This thread should be closed IMO, it serves no real purpose. Not looking for a fight, just wish this thread was not so hostile.

 

The last update - it has been quite a long time. I think you'd have to go back to January 30th when they informed us officially that his sedation was being lifted in order to allow the start of the wake up phase.

Essentially every official comment made since then, including one by Sabine Kehm on Friday, has suggested the situation was unchanged.

If after almost 6 weeks we are still in the 'wake up phase' this is not a good sign for a positive outcome. If someone wants a more thorough medical explanation of this pessimism I am expressing, you should read Gary Hartstein's blog, starting with this one:

What should we be thinking now? | A Former F1 Doc Writes

>8^)
ER