Michael Schumacher's "waking up" process taking its time

Michael Schumacher has now been in a coma since December 29th - 46 days ago. The process of "waking him up" has been underway for two weeks; this is done by means of reducing the chemical sedation, which was keeping him in a medically induced coma, to control the swelling in his brain following his severe head injury. Schumacher suffered the injury when skiing in the French alps and is still in Grenoble Hospital.

In a statement released today by Schumacher's manager, Sabine Kehm, the family are continuing to carefully guard his condition and there is no mention of the pneumonia which has been reported in the German media and which is common in cases such as this with a patient immobile for a long time.

"Michael's family would like to again express their sincere thanks for the continuous sympathy coming from all over the world. The good wishes they receive help the family and, we are convinced they also help Michael, who still is in a waking up process.

"As often in such situation no day is like the next. The family is thankful for one's understanding that they would not wish to disclose medical details in order to protect Michael's privacy. As assured from the beginning we will continue to communicate any decisive new information on Michael's health state. We are aware that the wake up phase can take a long time.

"The family continues to strongly believe in Michael's recovery and place all their trust in the doctors', nurses' and nursing auxiliaries' team. The important thing is not the speed of the recovery but that Michael's heal process progresses in a continuous and controlled way."

Schumacher's wife is with him and very much part of the process of stimulating him back to consciousness, while FIA president and close friend Jean Todt has also spent extensive time at his former driver's side.