Meet the 94-yr-old Chinese woman who can only speak English post coma

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ANI London
Last Updated : Feb 04 2015 | 12:20 PM IST

A China-based elderly woman has woken up from a two-week coma, after suffering a stroke, speaking perfect English, but not a word of her native language.

Ninety-four-year-old Liu Jieyu formerly worked as an English teacher, but her family insists that she had not spoken the language for more than 30 years, the Daily Star reported.

Jieyu, who had completely stopped using the language after retiring to live with her family in Changsha in the city of Hunan, China, had mysteriously acquired the ability to speak the language perfectly, while simultaneously losing her ability to communicate in Chinese.

Even though doctors were baffled at first, they believe Jieyu will be back to speaking in her native tongue in no time.

Medic Tao Hou, treating the woman, said that "I can't even remember having a case," adding that they anticipate with proper rehabilitation and rest she should regain the ability to speak Chinese.

Hou added that they assume that the area dealing with her ability to speak Chinese has been damaged, but brain cells to have an ability to repair themselves to a certain extent we would hope to see at least some improvement.

Doctors described it as a cerebral infarction, which is a type of stroke where the blood supply is limited instead of instantly cut off by a blockage.

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First Published: Feb 04 2015 | 12:07 PM IST

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