Woman's recovery a medical mystery

CHARLESTON, W.Va., May 22 (UPI) -- Doctors said a West Virginia woman who had no brain waves for more than 17 minutes is expected to make a full recovery, but they don't know why.

Val Thomas, 59, was taken off life support at a Charleston, W.Va., hospital after she suffered two heart attacks, her brain waves stopped and she was found to have no heartbeat or pulse, WEWS-TV, Cleveland, reported Thursday.

Rigor mortis had already set in, and doctors said Thomas was taken off life support with only a ventilator being left in while organ donation issues were resolved.

"Her skin had already started to harden and her fingers curled. Death had set in," said the woman's son, Jim Thomas.

However, 10 minutes after she was taken off life support, Thomas woke up and began talking.

"She (a nurse) said, 'I'm so sorry Mrs. Thomas.' And mom said, 'That's OK honey. That's OK," Jim Thomas said.

Doctors said Thomas' recovery is a medical mystery, but Thomas said her escape from the clutches of death was the work of God, not science.

"I know God has something in store for me, another purpose. I don't know what it is but I'm sure he'll tell me," she said.