Chinese Woman Wakes From 17-Year Vegetative State, Says 'Mum' to Mother-in-Law

‘Mum, good’: Chinese woman wakes vegetative daughter-in-law after 17 years of care

A Chinese woman who had been in a vegetative state woke after 17 years of care from her mother-in-law and said, “Mum, good.”

The woman, surnamed Xu, fell into the state in 2009 after she was struck by a truck in her village in Qingyun county, Shandong province. The accident occurred one month after she got married, Shandian News reported.

Since then, her mother-in-law, Xuan Fengying, has cared for her around the clock. Xuan, who is 68, was quoted as saying, “She married my son, so she’s my child. How could I abandon her?”

Care built around daily routines

Xuan feeds Xu liquid food spoonful by spoonful, with each meal taking an hour. She also turns Xu over 10 times a day to help prevent bedsores.

The long-term care has drawn attention on social media, where users have been moved by Xuan’s devotion to her daughter-in-law. Her care began after the accident and continued through Xu’s 17 years in a vegetative state.

Source: South China Morning Post