A 22-year-old Indian-American engineering student, critically injured in a road accident in the US state of Texas, has been lying in a vegetative state for four months at a rehabilitation centre in Houston.
IIT-graduate Akshay Jain, sustained a severe traumatic brain injury on November 30 when his car collided with a pick-up truck when he and his four friends were returning home after their Thanks Giving break in New Orleans.
His four friends were soon released from the hospital after being treated for their injuries, while Akshay underwent a series of surgeries and therapies, and still remains in a vegetative state, reliant on feeding and tracheotomy tubes, his family told PTI.
His family fears that Akshay may have lasting problems with his movement, learning, or speaking.
However, the fight against unconsciousness is still on. "It is a long-term treatment and as a family we are taking it one day at a time. In the last one month we have moved back and forth between TIRR (rehabilitation centre) to Memorial Hermann three times," said Akshay's mother, who has been at his side since the accident.
Akshay graduated with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology-Gandhinagar in 2014. He moved to US to pursue a Phd in chemical engineering from Texas A&M University soon after his graduation.
"We have been told by University that if required, they can explore possibility to extend his visa and insurance for one more year after Aug'15 2015, but this is something not confirmed," Mr Parakh said.
The family has also thanked doctors, nurses and the Indian-American community for their assistance and help.
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