Comatose ex-PM Ariel Sharon 'in his final days,' doctors say

[News_Editor]

RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL (BNO NEWS) -- Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who has remained in a permanent vegetative state after suffering a stroke nearly eight years ago, is believed to be in 'his final days' as his condition continues to deteriorate with more bodily organs failing.

Dr. Zeev Rotstein, director of Sheba Medical Center, said during a daily news briefing on Friday that Sharon's condition had further deteriorated since Thursday. "During the last 24 hours, his condition deteriorated slowly," he said. "I can't say that there is some improvement in his condition since yesterday."

New test results have shown that Sharon, now 85, is also suffering from a blood infection in addition to the continuing decline of several key organs that include his kidneys. When later asked by a reporter whether he believed Sharon is in his final days, Rotstein said: "I personally feel so."

"Ariel Sharon is not suffering. He is receiving maintenance treatment by his physician," Rotstein explained, adding that the former leader is closely attended by his family and medical team. Rotstein had already indicated during Thursday's news briefing that doctors regarded Sharon's critical condition as life-threatening.

Sharon is by many considered to have been one of Israel's finest military commanders and was given popular nicknames such as "The King of Israel" and "The Lion of God." He joined the Likud party after retiring from the army and went on to serve in a number of ministerial posts before becoming the party's leader in 2000, after which he became prime minister in the following year.

But Sharon's political career came to an abrupt end in January 2006 when he suffered a massive stroke and brain hemorrhage, leaving him in a permanent vegetative state. Some hopes were raised in January 2013 when doctors said the iconic leader had shown "significant brain activity" while viewing pictures of his family and listening to his son's voice, but no further developments were reported.

During a news conference earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry praised the former prime minister and said his thoughts are with Sharon's family. "We remember his contributions, sacrifices he made to ensure the survival and the well-being of Israel, and I have many personal thoughts about my meetings with him on many different occasions - always robust and strong and clear about his positions," Kerry said.

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[GentlemanJim]

The Doctor said that Sharon is not suffering. How do they know that, he has been unable to communicate for 8 years. I think it is time to turn off the machines and let the old man make his way on to the next journey. I would hope that my family would not want me to remain in a vegetative state for 8 years or more, what a nightmare.

[Credo]

I don't know that he is on machines, although machines may be monitoring his condition. If he is in a coma, he can be fed by tube without the use of life-support.

They can usually tell if a person is experiencing pain by brain-wave activity. I doubt the doctors have checked this recently, but most people who have been in a coma do not recall experiencing pain and most studies show a lack of brain wave activity during what would normally be considered painful.

I think they said they recently did surgery on him. It would be interesting to know if they used any anesthetic.

I agree, GentlemanJim, that he should be allowed to make this journey uninterrupted, but he is from the Middle East and it seems that everything gets interrupted there.