Michael Schumacher's awakening from his medically induced coma may take weeks or even months, according to a new report.
The German has was placed into a coma at the beginning of January following a terrifying skiing accident whilst on the French Alps in Meribel, where he collided with a rock which caused his brain to swell and haematoma's to form.
They have since been removed following two operations, and Michael's condition improved from being listed as 'critical' to 'stable'. However, the doctors based at the hospital in the German town of Grenoble where the former Formula 1 driver was flown after his accident, opted to keep him in a coma in order to reduce pressure on his brain.
Last week, Doctors confirmed that the seven-time World Champion's brain had healed considerably enough in order to begin the recovery process of being woken up from his coma.
But, it will be a stressful process for all involved, according to a spokesperson from the British Brain Injury charity, Headway.
"Waking from a coma is not like how it is portrayed in the movies. It can be a very gradual process that can take several days or weeks.
"Put simply, the effects of brain injury can be devastating and last a lifetime. It can change every aspect of you: walking, talking, thinking and feeling. It can change personalities as well as capabilities."
Prof. Heinz Peter Moecke, Head of the Department of Emergency Medicine in Hamburg also stated the challenges that Schumacher will face as the German must undergo certain tests once he has awoken in order to determine that he will recover fully.
"If the patient wakes up, doctors test his reflexes to test whether the nerve conduction does to the brain and back into the muscle.
To determine if the lid reflex is maintained, a cotton swab will be placed to the eyelashes and see if the eye closes. This would determine the working order of the nerves as something disturbs the eye."
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