EDIT: The authenticity of the article described below has been called into serious doubt. At this stage I’m not sure how true it is.

This article describes a very unlucky man who was trapped in a paralyzed body for 23 years!

Summary of the story:

• He suffered head injuries in a car accident
• Doctors thought that he was in persistent vegetative state
• In fact he was conscious but unable to move – locked in
• He was trapped in this state for 23 years!
• Recently a doctor used a new scanning technique and discovered that he was conscious
• After therapy he has learned to communicate using a computer and is able to tell his story

Can you imagine that?

Just lying there with nothing to do, no way of moving, no way of communicating. For 23 years! I can hardly imagine doing it for 23 days.

How terrible.

Several other notable examples of locked in syndrome exist. You can read more about this fascinating and horrible condition on Wikipedia.