Nurse tickles grandmother out of her coma

Grandmother Catherine O'Neill was read her last rites and given ‘no hope’ of surviving, but stunned doctors by coming out of a six-month coma – after a nurse tickled her feet. Catherine O’Neill’s future was hanging in the balance until she showed signs of life when a nurse happened to tickle her feet during a wash.

And just four hours later – after doctors gave her fluids and steroids – she was awake, learning to walk again and is looking forward to Christmas with her family. ‘We were expecting the worst,’ said 41-year-old daughter Tracey. ‘A male nurse was washing my mum and happened to tickle her feet. She responded.



‘We went to see the doctors and they agreed to give her fluids and steroids, and about four hours later she had woken.’ But the 69-year-old’s ordeal wasn’t over – a brain scan revealed bleeding, which needed surgery. She was still very ill and was on a life support machine,’ added Tracey. ‘Mum has been through a difficult ordeal over the last six months. Thankfully, she is recovering now.’

Mrs O’Neill, from Corby, Northamptonshire, has to return to hospital but said: ‘The consultant is quite happy with me. I feel a lot better now and it is great to have my own place. I was in the hospital for too long.’ Mrs O’Neill has been given a new home by Corby Council where she can recover. ‘I’ve got a garden at last and now I just need the good weather,’ she added.