Woman in China reverses husband's vegetative state by biting his toes daily to stimulate his nerves

A woman in China has helped her husband break out of a vegetative state in an unorthodox fashion: By biting his toes to stimulate his nerves.

The reversal in physical and mental function culminated into the husband, Zhao Jinqian, regaining consciousness and whispering to his wife, Song Mei, saying, "I love you."

Zhao had been left with severe brain damage after surviving a 6m fall while rescuing a toddler in Henan province, South China Morning Post reported.

Rescued a trapped toddler

Zhao had climbed onto a warehouse roof to save a trapped three-year-old child in October 2019.

During the rescue, the waterproofing construction worker fell 6m to the ground, holding the child in his arms, and using his body to shield the child as they plunged to the ground.

While the child escaped unharmed, Zhao took the full impact of the blow, landing head-first.

He sustained severe brain injuries, multiple fractures, and lung damage, Elephant News reported.

Doctors said his survival was a miracle, but noted that his chances of ever regaining consciousness were "vanishingly small".

Financial and physical toll

The medical expenses exhausted most of his family's savings.

They had lived modestly with their two children before the incident.

Song, 45, resigned from her job as a kindergarten art teacher to become Zhao's full-time caregiver, keeping the family afloat by selling her paintings online.

She took to a daily routine of cleaning and massaging him, talking to him, and reportedly slept for fewer than four hours a night for several years.

The father of the rescued child also contributed financially to Zhao's care, despite having limited means himself.

Gradual recovery

To aid his nerve recovery, doctors advised Song to stimulate her husband's fingers and toes.

Song accidentally bit Zhao’s toe one day and noticed a faint physical reflex.

From then on, she began covering his foot with a plastic food bag and biting his toes daily for several years, a practice she credits with eventually bringing him back to consciousness.

After seven years of perseverance, on Jun. 30, while in his hospital bed, Zhao turned to his wife and whispered, “Song Mei, I love you.”

Medical staff also noted that during his cognitive and writing therapy sessions, his wife's name remains the only word he can successfully write.

Reflecting on the recovery, Song wrote on social media:

“Everyone says the road ahead is difficult, but husband and wife are meant to weather hardship together. I do not know the best cure, but I am willing to keep going through all the long years.”