Compos Mentis [Rávamë's Bane: Book 2]

Prologue

- Medical report and notes regarding female patient admitted to St. Agatha's Hospital, London on the Sunday 10th February at 8:23am -

Patient Surname: Dace
Patient First & Middle Names: Eleanor Lucy
DOB: March 2nd
Blood type: A+
Pre-existing conditions: None
Nationality: British
Next of kin: Sophia R. Dace (mother), Andrew E. Dace (father, blood type match)
Method of identification: British drivers licence (preliminary ID), Mother's identification (confirmation)
Attending GP: Dr. Elise M. Fournier

Notes:
February 11th - Dr. Elise Fournier

22 year-old caucasian female admitted to Intensive Care Unit for hypothermia, chilblains, and sudden prolonged unconsciousness. No apparent trauma to the head or neck was present upon preliminary examination. Paramedic staff reported the patient was found collapsed in an alleyway just a few feet off a main street. No signs of physical assault or struggle were present to explain loss of consciousness, and excluding the minor skin and tissue damage to the feet and hands due to exposure, the patient appears in near-perfect health.

February 26th - Dr. Elise Fournier

Prolonged vegetative state declared, and the patient has been moved to the corresponding wing of the hospital. Skin and tissue damage due to freezing temperatures has healed well. Permanent damage to the extremities is unlikely, though have advised regular physiotherapy to ensure muscle deterioration is kept to a minimum. No further developments on determining the cause of the patient's ongoing condition.

March 2nd - Dr. Elise Fournier

The patient's persistent vegetative state remains unchanged. She maintains both stable breathing and heart rate independently, and continues to require no further life support beyond intravenous fluids and regular physiotherapy to retain muscle mass. While the patient still retains corneal reflexes and pupillary responses when exposed to direct light, she remains entirely unresponsive to sound or pain. Have advised further testing to determine the potential cause of her coma.

April 9th - Dr. Elise Fournier

While the patient's responses are still limited to unconscious reflexes, brain activity has steadily begun to increase over the past 21 days. Causation for her ongoing vegetative condition still remains unclear, though occasional increases in brain and cardiological activity have regularly corresponded with visits from close family members and friends. Have advised they continue to speak to and read to her regularly. Perhaps that will help produce more encouraging results...