The Disturbing Reason Why She Slept For 32 Years | Karolina Olsson

[@WudEvZ]

I think its amazing the community took care of a disabled person so faithfully. This was common in pre-industrial western communities and its really nice to see it here.

[@debbieanne7962]

Agree. Now there's no sense of community. I've lived in my home almost 6 years. I've spoken to my next door neighbour about 4 times, mostly just 'hi' don't know his name or anything about him

[@j.e.k.6014]

People aren't tied to the land by blood, sweat, tears, family and death as they once were. This changes one's view on land and community over time. Instead of feeling connected by time and generations to your neighbors, people feel indifferent often with no time to care, because my taxes paid into the social systems will take care of it.

[@kelleegeimer6517]

Even pooling $ for a better Dr. as a community. We are affected these days by mass shooters. One day, it will affect us all. Modify the 2nd Amendment NO NO NO. Refuse to manufacture and sell military grade weapons (200 rounds/min) to non-military (read a legally armed militia/miliary the fore-fathets meant). The atena exists on the batllefield not the soccerfield. Ghostguns--1 strike, kiss it goodbye. Legal gunholders and NRA holders

[@Roxanne821]

I can't even get my mom to watch her own grandkids 😅

[@WudEvZ]

@@kelleegeimer6517 what?

[@bettyjames4155]

I believe her fall most likely caused a severe brain injury and subsequent coma. Thank you for sharing her story.

[@joywebster2678]

I figured a brain bleed from her fall, or a meningitis from the sore tooth/access. As a RN I cared for several post meningitis 40 something yr old women in comas.

[@wendythompson6323]

yes, especially since her death in 1950 was reported to be a result of a intracranial hemorrhage.

[@johanconradie2120]

you have to eat and YOU HAVE TO DRINK!!! or you die! only a few days...

[@daniellekennedy8118]

Might have been a persistent vegetative state. Sounds like she had some brain swelling from that fall. It is amazing her family was able to keep her alive for so very long.

[@pumpkinhills7611]

Same here 💙

[@Lewisiaisoutofcontext]

This is a bit spooky. Not only am I Swedish, like Karolina, but I also live on an island located close to Oknö, AND I have idiopathic hypersomnia/hypersomnolence. My average unmedicated sleeping periods "only" cover 17-18 hours a day, 20+ if I'm especially tired, so I don't quite qualify as a modern time Karolina Olsson, but still. Very eerie coincidence.

[@cbat5280]

Maybe she is a distant relative and your condition is hereditary. That would really be a twist!

[@burnyizland]

Why spooky? If there's a genetic component to it and you're from the exact same place... well, it's not rocket science. Even if it's nurture instead of nature, again, you're from the exact same place. Not spooky.

[@Lewisiaisoutofcontext]

@@cbat5280 I'm 99% certain she's not. My dad did some very thorough ancestry research a few years back and came to the conclusion that my ancestors from the 17th century (when churches started keeping track of all the town's people in books, not just the noble/rich) up until the 1920's we were all 1. peasants, 2. born out of wedlock, and 3. drunkards. Nothing at all happened during 400 years except harvesting and sowing fields, getting drunk, and cheating on your spouse lol. Literally not one interesting person to be found. Oh well. 🤷‍♀️ I'm not sure the condition is hereditary, at least not in my case, I think someone would've told me otherwise!

[@addie_is_me]

That sounds like such a terrible condition. If you can trace your roots back a little bit look for this lady. 🌸

[@Lewisiaisoutofcontext]

@@burnyizland Spooky because here's a KZbinr you enjoy, who's on the other side of the planet, suddenly talking about the itty bitty very much not famous place where you live, and about someone who might have had the same rare disorder as you. That's a bit spooky! And I'm not sure where you're getting at with the nature vs nurture thing? Hypersomnia is a neurological disorder that can just pop up for no discernable reason, anywhere and in anyone. As far as I know, mine is not hereditary. It could be in other cases, but it's kind of rare, and there's definitely not many people around here who suffers from it.

[@darkage5]

Hard to see how she could fake her way through shock treatment. Even the being poked with needles part seems like it would have gotten a reaction out of her.

[@pampon6903]

I agree with you.

[@maggied8468]

I agree also with you

[@findingbeautyinthepain8965]

What’s really sad is that doctors still don’t believe young girls and still try to disprove their conditions today. When I was a child, I had doctors tickle the bottom of my feet, because they thought it was impossible for a person to be paralyzed and have feeling. They thought tickling my feet would cause me to move and prove I was faking. In reality, I had the suffer the horrible feeling of being tickled and wasn’t physically able to pull away. God knows I tried to!

[@precious_toebeans]

@@findingbeautyinthepain8965 at 15 my mother had a stroke. This was in the late 70s early 80s. It remained undiagnosed for almost 2 months because of course a 15 year old girl didn't have a stroke.

[@emawerna]

"I don't know. Therefore, my patient is lying." I think it is a way to save face. It is callous more than vicious.

[@maureenmcdonough7018]

That poor woman I can’t imagine that going to sleep 14 and waking up a middle-age lady. Finding out that her mom passed away I can’t imagine what she must’ve felt and they were able to keep her alive way before IVs and G-tube and everything else it’s amazing. Thank you for telling us this amazing story keep up the good work

[@laura6796]

I find it hard to believe that she would intentionally waste 32 years of her life away. Pretty sad story.

[@avtm06]

But she still lived long time after she woke up🙂

[@narc6150]

But she still miss 32 years that's a long time

[@L19966]

@@narc6150Right !!!!

[@alycsandrianah]

Right?!?!? Did it SOOOO FUCKING WELL that her eyes literally hurt when when she opened them. Her nails, hair and other were all managed and she clearly ate candy from the one nurse.... I'm reluctant to believe this

[@NoOne-wt6om]

Depressed people ,who don't have energy to deal with life's chores, can do it to escape. But yeah 32 years of faking 'dead' would take incredible amount of persistence.

[@Holly-Pocket]

Shock treatment back then was especially brutal. It’s still used today, at a tiny fraction of the voltage. No one, and I really mean no one, could fake anything during early-stages ECT.

[@joywebster2678]

Especially without anesthesia , they used to just tie them down!

[@ivydaniels1]

Back in those days, they gave them shots of insulin to induce seizures and that was their shock treatment. It was used all the way up to the 1960's. So sad.

[@Holly-Pocket]

@@ivydaniels1 they also used full-on electric shock but at like 10x the levels considered humane today.

[@addie_is_me]

You can be in a coma and talk to yourself and even have conversations you don’t know you are having and that is much more than this lady did, so sometimes seeming awake doesn’t prove much. I don’t see what they may have gained by this if it had been a hoax. I hope she was loved and well taken care of after everything.

[@truecrimelover2022]

agreed i was in and out of consciousness when i fell and almost died in 2017 i had conversations and everything and don't remember anything doctors said it was normal for what i had been through though

[@Roxanne821]

I totally agree with you! And who could keep up such an elaborate hoax for three decades? And then also pass psychological examinations? LOL

[@mariemorgan7759]

I often have episodes where I am sound asleep, but will sit up in bed and react to any conversation nearby. I sometimes would walk in my sleep as a young child, but never did again in my teenage years.

[@wanderinwolf3804]

you can also have full blown conversations and walk and such while you are asleep. I used to sleep walk/talk so much as a kid my parents would have conversations with me when I did. They wouldn't make sense, but they were still conversations nevertheless.

[@PlushEntity]

I think it depends my mom was in a coma and could hear people talking in the hospital room. My ex fiancé fell ten stories from a building put in an induced coma and remembered nothing but the moment he fell only saying “I have to get to work,where am I”.

[@itsjeninMass]

I don't think it was a hoax. I think she suffered from a TBI as a result of her fall. I'm glad that she awoke with a good portion of her life before her.

[@itsjeninMass]

Her brain wasn't fully developed at 14, so she clearly damaged something.

[@juanitarichards1074]

But she missed out on marriage and children and grandchildren. And everyday life experiences. That is a huge chunk of your life to lose.

[@aileenpayne6215]

@@juanitarichards1074 maybe maybe not. Who's to say she actually wanted to get married and have kids? Also she got to have all those normal everyday experiences after she woke up. She still had half her life to live ffs. The only thing she missed out on was whatever qualified as childhood experiences and those were probably waaaaaay different than what you would think of as childhood now so probably not much.

[@juanitarichards1074]

@@aileenpayne6215 In that time, place and culture, marriage was the highest calling for women and what they waited for all their young lives. Marriage was the only thing that gave women status in those days and leaving their parents and setting up their own home was their first taste of independence. They didn't have dreams of going to college and having a career. It was a simple but happy life, living off the land and the sea. Generation followed generation in farming and fishing.......and producing the next generation was of vital importance.

[@adoxartist1258]

@@juanitarichards1074 Beautiful fairy tale. Of course, reality was much less idyllic.

[@XOXO-bh4pb]

I have Narcolepsy/ idiopathic hypersomnia and my hair and nails do take forever to grow. For anyone suffering of similar symptoms know that there are others like you and I feel your pain .

[@WhisperingWitchASMR]

That is deeply interesting. Thank you very much for relating your experience. I have a chronic sleep disorder called 24-Hour Sleep Wake Syndrome (essentially those with this condition - which, interestingly and very logically, is more common in blind/severely visually impaired people though there are certainly sighted people such as myself with it as well - have an internal clock/circadian rhythm that is perpetually out of sync with the “normal” pattern of sleeping nightly and being awake during the day and thus it can be tantamount to torture for many with this condition to try and follow this sort of standard sleep-wake pattern because our bodies all but refuse to let us do so - at least for any real length of time) and find that both my nails and hair grow so slowly that a snail looks like an Olympic runner by comparison. 😄 As well, all throughout my life, my hair has been very thin (which no doctor could ever give me a real explanation for) and I have often opted to wear a wig as a result. I have no idea if this correlates in any way to my sleep issues, but another thing that somewhat relates to hair and nails is the fact that I produce exceedingly little ear wax. Not zero, but far from the average level for sure. I suspect that the hypothalamus is more involved in regulating the production of things like hair and nails than medical science has yet to uncover.

[@mysmirandam.6618]

Oh wow same

[@binkao2938]

I had hypersomnia for years and my hair and nails have always grown like crazy and just recently after I got over the age of 30 after over 10 years of chronic illness and being over 90% bedridden they have finally slowed down. I cut my hair many times 20 cm at a time and still recurringly got it down to my knees.

[@psychedelicpayroll5412]

My nails are fine. It’s my hair the frustrates me. I also have complete libido problems. That’s why I’m scared to date and I can’t tell my parents about it. I was able to get a diagnosis from a doctor online and I am trying to cure it on my own.

[@BriefCaseOfficial]

The 19th Century has so many strange and bizare stories, I do not know if this was a hoax but I am inclined to believe that it was not, especially as in the rural communities everyone was needed to help out and the family of Karolina did not have anything to gain from her sleeping for so long. Another brilliant Forgotten Lives episode :)

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks BC

[@azia5051]

19th century era is just so like a fairy tale story same with painting and music too.

[@southbug27]

I saw a show with modern teens who suffer from an oversleeping issue. It’s absolutely something they couldn’t control & had no idea when it would strike, meaning they could never say if they would be able to attend anything. They were all forced to have a home tutor & couldn’t participate in normal activities.

[@findingbeautyinthepain8965]

I completely agree, it couldn’t have been a hoax. As someone who has suffered with chronic illness for over 20 years, I can attest that people lost interest, pity, and empathy and stopped having compassion and giving support after about a year. At first, people feel bad and give you gifts, visit a lot, and always want to check in. But people grow tired of hearing everything is the same, not any better, and move on with their lives. Everyone would have completely forgot about this girl in 30 years! A lot of the people who originally read the story would have passed on, and the generations born in the three decades she was sleeping wouldn’t have any idea who she was. The family wouldn’t have anything to gain from fooling everyone. As you said, they would lose a vital member of the family work force, especially since she was the only other female apart from her mother. (Chores were HARD back then! Laundry took days to do and was back breaking. Then there was cooking over a fire, churning butter, making cheese, keeping a garden, keeping the fire going, butchering dead animals, taking care of livestock, pickling fruit and veggies, constant sweeping and washing the floors, emptying the chamber pots, taking care of the outhouse, and SO MANY more laborers tasks!) Why on earth would her mother want to take care of another person on top of all of that instead of having help with the chores? On top of that, there would be the added medical expense. Honestly, it’s really crazy that anyone could know all these facts and still think there is a slight chance this wad a hoax. The absolute most the family would gain from this for nearly 30 years is having people gossip about their family, which people found way more embarrassing back then than we do today.

[@Mtz2604]

@Brief Case Nice to see a great KZbinr here.

[@sarahcarroll8206]

Even without the Kleine-Levin Syndrome explanation, it makes sense that she would have seemingly aged slowly without significant sun exposure or facial movements.

[@nekokun354]

Especially because she didn't experience the physical and mental toll of everyday life in a rural, poor, fishing village. Stress ages you

[@mustwereallydothis]

Holy crap! This has to be what my daughter has. We've been dealing with her 'episodes' as we call them since she was in her mid teens. We are definitely going to mention this to her doctors. Thank you so very much for letting us know this condition exists. Having a name for the terror we have been dealing with for so long will help more than you can imagine.

[@dragonfly111cute]

My friend has it too! Find a good sleep doctor for her! I lived with undiagnosed Narcolepsy for 42 years! I feel like I am living better now with treatment

[@mustwereallydothis]

@@dragonfly111cute do you happen to know what a sleep doctor is called? I'm not sure where to start. By the way, was the doctor able to help?

[@jamieweatherwalk2752]

Tara see a neurologist. She could have klein levin, idiopathic hypersomnia, or narcolepsy too.

[@jamieweatherwalk2752]

@@dragonfly111cute I have narcolepsy too

[@jamieweatherwalk2752]

@@mustwereallydothis i see a pulmonologist/sleep specialist. Also neurologist usually treats this too. She will need an overnight sleep study (polysomnogram) and nap test (mlst..multi latency sleep test). Brain waves can't be faked so those tests will help diagnose her.

[@dragonfly111cute]

A friend of mine has Klein Levine syndrome and it’s so hard on her. After long sleeps weeks to months she has to relearn to walk and build up her muscles again. I have Narcolepsy type 1 and my longest sleep was 48 hours straight. I can’t imagine

[@vessel5965]

I'm glad she had somebody to take care of her.

[@Detroit_Paul]

I can't imagine somebody faking for 32 years

[@B.H.56]

I would get too hungry.

[@Danceswithfishes]

Not after being administered electroshock. I don't think anyone can fake a reaction to that!

[@jamieweatherwalk2752]

I am a narcoleptic and I've slept 36 hours at my longest. I was not medicated. Without my medication I am good for maybe 5 hours a day I can remain awake! I have to constantly move around..if I sit for more than 30 minutes doing nothing it is a guarantee I'll fall asleep. I've fallen asleep driving, in parking lots, on the bus...i fall asleep in under 2 minutes and I am ALWAYS sleepy no matter how much sleep I do or don't get. Its neurological and my brain randomly goes into rem. Average person hits about 90 minutes in..i hit rem 10 minutes in. My uncle has klein levin due to a head injury years ago. He sleeps for days at a time.

[@psychedelicpayroll5412]

That’s why I am not allowed to drive. Plus my parents lock me in the house because they think I will fall asleep going out on my own. But yeah just yesterday I slept for around 20 hours since it’s the only thing to do around here.

[@redreaper2752]

I’ve been homebound for twenty years, only leaving the house once or twice a year, and I’ve barely aged as well. At 39 I still don’t have any wrinkles, even when I smile. Only a small crease between my brows. I assumed it was the lack of sun, but maybe the fact that I sleep a lot as well is also a factor? Sometimes I can’t sleep for days until I have a large seizure that kind seems to reboot my brain. But most of the time I sleep for at least 10-12 hours a day. And if I have to go somewhere, afterwards I’ll be exhausted and have to sleep for days.

[@Emily789]

We are very similar. I'm in my 30's and some people mistake me for a teen. I also sleep 10-12 and mostly lie in bed. But I do go out at least once a week and exercise at home.

[@mysmirandam.6618]

Same

[@allisonlew4508]

You need to go to a neurologist ASAP.

[@allisonlew4508]

@@Emily789 You, also, need to go to a neurologist ASAP.

[@myriamguns2162]

Same.

[@cindywells9119]

Reminds me of the Encephalitis Lethargica epidemic that occurred after the Spanish Flu epidemic. I have a similar dynamic to that with “sleep inversion” where you sleep all day, and stay awake all night. When the sleep cycles get messed with all kinds of chaos occurs. For whatever it’s worth, it’s such a reflexive thing for humans to automatically assume that anything they don’t understand (which is almost everything) is a hoax, that I almost invariably disregard this claim.

[@seaniekay]

Ive worked nights for 20 years cause i cant sleep well at night. Used to work 9 to 5 for years and lost multiple jobs due to over sleeping due to not falling asleep until 4-5am despite being in bed for hours. I was asked to work a night shift to cover a holiday i ended working the shift for 8 weeks and never felt healthier and was far less sleep deprived most folks ive worked with over the years only last about 10 years on nights before going a bit nuts and returning to days where as i can no longer work a normal day shift

[@raquellofstedt9713]

Wow. When I first was listening to this, I was thinking she might have gotten some kind of damage due to tick borne encephelitis, which is a real monster of a problem here in eastern Sweden. The fall might have been a first symtom. then you started talking about klein-levin syndrom and that actually sounds like it fits the case batter. What a fate!

[@hablin1]

Omg what did this poor woman have to go through 😱🥰 I don’t think this was a hoax not after all that treatment in hospital! Again a very interesting video 👍🥰

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks for watching!!

[@barryrudge1576]

After 32 yrs in a coma the muscle functions in her body would have diminished leaving her with very little muscle in any of her limbs. It would have taken some considerable time including physiotherapy to be able to walk or use her hands and arms. There is a lot missing from this story and makes you wonder how much truth is in it.

[@jmgajda8071]

Maybe Karolina had the first case of encephalitis lethargica (a bit iffy due to the preceding head injury; although that could have just been a coincidence). Considering that the first cases of encephalitis lethargica showed up most likely ~1915, perhaps all those visitors accidentally helped spread it after Karolina woke up and many people traveled to see her. It's a bit of a stretch, but maybe?

[@rachellamb2564]

That was my first thought too. It was such a strange and specific disease, the symptoms seem to line up. The idea of her being patient 0 and visitors contracting it is an interesting one to consider, but you're right, it's probably a stretch

[@CuteDwarf11]

Her story was pretty eerie and sad at the same time. It was nice to see that the community cared enough to band together to try and help her recover, which is very rare since others would have shunned her and her family due to what had happened to her.

[@alisonuibhroin3109]

It reminds me that of that period in history after the Spanish flu there was reports of a sleeping disease/disorder that broke out in New York. Many people never woke up & passed away & some of the people that did wake up either said they had the best rest & recovered well & others complained of fatigue & not fully recovered.

[@tlcferguson8243]

Wow very good video, I know from personal experience there is always some "so called" doctor who doubts your story and tries to convince everyone else your making it up. God bless her

[@mysterbear]

Thank you for some of the most compelling stories on KZbin 🙏🏾. I never miss an episode.

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks for listening!!

[@nonprofitgirl]

Excellent video, as usual! So enthralling. I have no idea what was going on with Karolina. Perhaps a combination of her family helping perpetuate a “myth” and she obviously had damage from the fall. I can’t decide; my gut says it was a bit of everything. Thanks for the great story!

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks for watching!!

[@nonprofitgirl]

@@ForgottenLives thank YOU for the quality research and respectful presentation...I used to watch true crime stuff. I’ve totally unsubscribed to everything like that...because actual FORGOTTEN LIVES (and just life itself) are ENOUGH. I don’t need to hear bloody details. I don’t need to drool over murders. Nor do I want to.. after finding gimmick-free channels like yours. There are so many everyday people from history who are fascinating. I just want a clean take on someone’s life. Enough with unnecessary drama! I think your channel is exemplary.

[@janetkelly4280]

Looks to me like Mom poisoned daughter to sleep because of ear ache. Children ear aches are brutally painful and cause intense screaming fits. I had one in first grade. My whole class did. It spread like crazy only to the children. And maybe this sleep,which did not stop until Mom died, was broken after certain medical herbs per say we're no longer given by Mom every day. It may have taken some time for her system to even out and awaken. No one obviously thought of this so Mom never had to take care of her child after that. Child raising is hard hard work!

[@AppreciatingSimplicity08]

So fascinating! Thankyou for sharing. I enjoy these mysterious stories. People that would otherwise be forgotten.

[@ForgottenLives]

Glad to hear it!!

There are reports (interviews with her mother) about she beeing about to come of age (having period) because of recent hormonal chances ansd some spotting. Almost right away she had that "starnge episode" and went to "sleep". After what could be considered menopause - her last period - she woke up. How come nobody connected the dots and searched for an hormonal cause?

[@brendaholliday6866]

This was a very interesting and yet fascinating case about this woman who slept for 32 years. I personally can't see how this could be a hoax, because of the length of time that transpired. Years, ago in my city here in the United States, a similar case happened to a nurse at a local hospital. She was preparing to move to another part of the country and she drank something at the hospital and she was in a coma or "deep sleep," for 14 years. Great presentation, investigating and photos, too.

[@yasminedey8612]

There are several cases of coma due to brain injury but her actually moving around also if not entirely waking up indicates that it must have been an illness like e.g. Klein Levin syndrome.

[@iconsnart]

Hi! Wow, my suggestion became a hit! Loved watching this, knew you would do an awesome job on this Swedish classic mystery! So many good photos, and I do believe Kleine-Levine sounds very plausable, too. The hoax theory is so convinient due to timing , but 32 years, for what gain? True too, needles n pins, electrochock is hard to resist and fake away. Loved it thank you!

[@brooke7464]

When I was little I used to go into these coma periods. No one could wake me up, I'd wake up each day but only to be awake for a few hours. This would happen every year, each year would get worse. I haven't had these coma sleeps for a long time. This does sound like this really might have been real

[@kiwe7511]

As someone who has cycles of insomnia i can quite understand that there might be the flip side to that. Sometimes i go for months without sleeping and then when i recover i have cycles where i am asleep at 7 am and sleeping for 8 or 9 hrs. I also have cycles of long but light sleep and cycles when i'm awake after 2 hrs of sleep. I feel her pain even after the fact

[@allisonlew4508]

You need to go to a neurologist ASAP.

[@MikeStrip]

Great video. I had no idea what Klein-Levin syndrome was until today. I was reading about it and it says for some reason people do not have this syndrome after the age of 50. I found this interesting!

[@Sorchia56]

Thank you for such an interesting video. I’d not heard of this and I definitely don’t believe it was a hoax at all. Poor dear.

[@tjb70]

Another professional, educational video, Mr. Waters! You are a trustworthy source of fascinating information.

[@ForgottenLives]

Thank you 😊

[@heatherbowlan1961]

Hi I just found your amazing channel , I love this history of people ,so very interesting , thank you so much for sharing these great stories and the great real true pictures , I just love it , happy to have found your channel !

[@ForgottenLives]

Welcome! Thanks very much, glad you like the videos!!

[@MCC4RTHY1]

Wait… so she was bed ridden for 32 years and didn’t have atrophy in her legs? I’m not sure what to believe about this story it seems unbelievable and on top of that how was she cared for with waste products and her menstrual cycles? Maybe it would have been a sort of case of head trauma but then publicity for the family later and she was given sleep aids when being cured of her disorder.

[@debbieanne7962]

Never thought of that. Yes, we aren't told on whether she needed extensive rehabilitation or just up and walked, which would be extremely suspicious

[@thejudgmentalcat]

Bed sores, hair falling out, teeth rotting...and she would have died of dehydration or scurvy. I don't believe it.

[@ahnraemenkhera7451]

I thought about bedsores & what causes them, too. It does seem problematic for her to have been in the same bed for that long a time. It also seems unlikely that she could have lived to such an advanced age after that, given the mental & physical toll on her legs & lungs alone & on such a nutritionless diet.

[@bluegypsy71]

Her mother probably changed her sheets and kept her clean, literally millions of people care for bedridden relatives, patients and senior citizens, it’s not impossible to believe. She may have lost muscle mass but Swedish used massaging as far back as the mid 1800s, maybe they helped move her body so as not to be in the same position and avoid bedsores?

[@MarcLL]

@@thejudgmentalcat she had wakeful periods every day where she moved around, she just wasn't lucid during them.

[@patriciamartin6756]

My friend also comes from Sweden. He sleeps most of the time too. When he is awake he has PTSD and panic attacks. I am sending him a text to watch this. Thanks

[@carolannemckenzie3849]

What a pity. I'm sure your friend would benefit from CBT and medication. He doesn't need to just exist like that 😪

[@MsLogjam]

Why do so many male doctors insist that women don't really get sick or injured, they're just emotional or hysterical. Like Karolina's mother dropped dead to give people the erroneous impression that she was exhausted and overworked? That doctor who claimed she was faking it was just trying to protect his own ego because he didn't want to admit that he couldn't diagnose her.

[@MarcLL]

Sadly doctors haven't changed, have they. Women are always faking it or hysterical until proven otherwise (often after they're dead...)

[@ToTheeOBlessedJoseph]

Another awesome presentation! 👍 Keep up the good work - it is so greatly appreciated!

[@bobbyrutherford9359]

He always uploads great cases and does an awesome job narrating as well thanks

[@ForgottenLives]

Glad you like them!

[@torijones1861]

Woman: Is literally asleep for 32 years People: She's faking it for attention

[@rachelled6763]

I cannot believe she faked sleep for 32 years. In a small community, she would have been spotted outside the home, doing ordinary things only a fully conscious person could do. It's too long to sustain a hoax and for what purpose? It's more likely the acquired brain injury and toothache before falling into some kind of coma state was responsible. The brain and nervous system is still a mystery as to why she attained semi consciousness periodically, before waking up fully. It must of been hell to go through, especially for family.

[@ladyjuliette8004]

What an amazing interesting story! I live in Sweden, but I have never heard about this woman before. I pity her for sleeping/ being in coma for so long! I was wondering if she got a bleeding in her brain after she fell, as you were telling the story. To claim that it was a psychiatric condition, all the strange theories about that she was acting, and so on, is terrible. But it's usual for the time she lived in, as you also said. It's usual in now days also, that doctors of medicine claims psychologically illness, for conditions that they can't explain, so.... Thanks a lot,your stories are always interesting, telling about the life's of humans that lived a long time ago! 🌹

[@nathalieolsson6972]

OMFG finally! I thought I was crazy for a while.. I found a book that my dad had about weird stuff happening to Swedish people when I was a teenager, this case is the only thing I remember from that book

[@ELKE-]

Very interesting story FLives. Brilliant work on the video with your great voice. I enjoyed my listen. Thank you

[@ForgottenLives]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@ELKE-]

@@ForgottenLives Always enjoy, always back to relisten. Thank you!

[@erikamarie5535]

Wow what an interesting case! Sad that so many years passed for her, I'm surprised her body didn't give out on her for lack of nutrition and movement. Great video 👍

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks for watching 😁

[@joywebster2678]

I want to know how from day one she in a coma could swallow milk and then tonic? Today coma patients have feeding tube directly into their stomach because while unconscious they don't swallow.

[@erikamarie5535]

@@joywebster2678 interesting, I didn't know that 🤔

[@joywebster2678]

@@erikamarie5535 try making a sleeping person swallow, they'll choke because they are inhaling to breathe

[@mustwereallydothis]

My daughter has a condition which, if it isn't this, it is incredibly similar. You would honestly need to witness an attack to truly understand what occurs during them and why the victims are considered to be sleep walking when they get up to use the washroom and eat random food. It seems as if only the most primitive parts of her brain are active during her 'waking' periods. She is very clearly not actually participating in whatever her body happens to be doing during these attacks. Seeing this as a mother and for everyone else who cares about her is extremely distressing. I am not completely convinced she has this condition because one of her attacks ended with her in intensive care on life support after her brain swelled. I'm not sure how that would fit into the condition. Aside from that, however, it definitely fits.

[@justhere4thet482]

How did they deal with bathroom stuff? She could possibly have have hypothyroidism and/ or chronic fatigue syndrome. ? Interesting but I dout it was all a hoax or coma.

[@suzannax]

There are still psychiatrists today who will call people with chronic fatigue syndrome hypochondriacs and that their family encourage it. This case really highlights how epistemic injustice for people with poorly researched illnesses, has clearly been going on for a long time.

[@justhere4thet482]

@@suzannax I agree.

[@vanessa26]

She would have been starving hungry if she was hypo and living on just milk

[@justhere4thet482]

@@vanessa26 she would have had to have IV too. Maybe it was a hoax?

[@billiejomcmillan7632]

I'm guessing her mom or other caretakers had to keep changing her diapers like any coma patient.

[@amazinggrace3207]

How could she eat or drink if she was asleep?

[@CloseYourFuckinEyes]

Coma: **exists** People in the 19th century: "It'S a CuRsE!1! BuRn ThE wItCh!1!"

[@anno_mundi]

It's so interesting that I've never heard of this and I'm Swedish. Good work!

[@lisareardon8168]

When I was younger I was tested for narcolepsy and sleep apnea and I had 2 of the 3 symptoms for narcolepsy and the opposite of sleep apnea. This means that I'm tired all the time no matter how much sleep I get and I wake up every single time I stop breathing ( 40 times an hour was what I was told) I probably wouldn't have any problem sleeping if I was in her shoes, but I was made to get up and after 2 TBIs it's super hard for me to do a lot of things. I also have other things wrong with me and have chronic pain and if I could stay in bed with my parents I would for sure.

[@maryroberts9315]

There are so many strange neurological conditions, like locked-in syndrome. It seems more likely she suffered a traumatic brain injury. An interesting story to cover, if you haven’t already, is Mary Dyer, who was hung as a heretic in Boston, Massachusetts, because of her religious beliefs.

[@iconsnart]

Sounds intriging!

[@christinerobinson890]

How did she not develop bedsores? How did she not atrophy enough that she would be unable to walk? How do you get enough nourishment down someone to sustain muscle and brain without IV or PICC line supplemental feeding? How were her menstrual cycles handled? How was she not near vegetative when she woke after 32 years of no stimulation? I think some things just don’t add up.

[@pamelamagre1133]

I was thinking the same. Like the woman in the US who was in a coma for 20 yeats. When she awoke she couldn’t function normally

[@ladyjuliette8004]

I find this questions very interesting!

[@lloyannehurd]

It sounds as if she did move around and that would help with pressure points not developing into bedsores. Also, lack of nourishment can stop menstrual cycles.

[@JennyT101]

I'm sure her body weight was low enough that she had no menstrual cycle.

[@binkao2938]

I’ve been over 90% bedridden for the past 12 years without bedsores 🤔 Is it really inevitable? I spent about 4 whole years getting up of bed only once a day to go to the bathroom. I am curious about how they fed her though 🥴

[@4my4blessings]

Can I ask where you find all these amazing stories? You do amazing research.

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks! Most are recommendations!

[@seanfay6954]

Fascinating! Thank You so very much for sharing your knowledge with all of us

[@ForgottenLives]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@seanfay6954]

@@ForgottenLives Thank You for taking the time to reply to me. I really appreciate your time and consideration. All the Very best!! Please Be Safe and Stay Well. Namaste' Sean~ ♥️

[@helensava1964]

Thank you thank you thank you. My son is now correctly diagnosed because of you. ❤

[@cici2562]

What became of this lady’s life in the years after she awakened? I hope she made up for all the time she lost to sleep. I wonder if she studied, worked, got married…I guess no kids unless she hadn’t aged on the inside either. So many questions…thanks for the interesting video :)

[@GriffithsJacqueline]

Great video. Thanks. I don't know why you would want to or could you possibly fake being asleep, doesn't sound right. I'm pleased she got to live a long life to try catch up on those she lost. Nice to hear a video without murder! Only for a change. Love your videos, your voice is so soothing, commanding yet gentle. Keep up the good work. 🤗

[@ernie4028]

Wait… Am I the only one thinking 🤔 how did she use the bathroom? No way she’s just lying there soiling the bed!!

[@swedishpiggi]

I cant belive Ive never heard of this, and I dont know where Okno is either, shame on me eh. Great and very interesting case Thank you! Hugs from Sweden

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks as always:)

[@jennifervaughn1541]

A similar thing happened to a young lady in Kentucky around that same time. She was nine years old and she was out picking flowers with her mom and that evening she ran a fever and from that moment on she couldn’t stay awake. And for the next 16 years she slept like that she could only be awake like maybe 10 minutes at a time so she ate during those 10 minutes and then went right back to sleep and they took her to all kinds of doctors they tried all different kinds of therapy and even electro therapy and nothing worked and they never did discover what was wrong.

[@VickyShawcooksalot]

Hard to fake it through ECT. You're sedated for ECT because you don't want to be awake for it. As our doctor said when my husband had ECT. Much less all the time the neighbors and friends helped care for her.

[@user-cj6yw5fu4l]

That was an interesting story, I am glad the lady survived her illness,it must have felt so peculiar, disorienting,thanks again

[@rbar3623]

I have narcolepsy with cataplexy which causes excessive daytime sleepiness, uncontrolled rem sleep paralysis while waking, sleep attacks, and I can sleep anywhere from 18 hours per day to 2 weeks straight when coming out of anesthesia.

[@kellyc6380]

Such an interesting story. I feel so bad for the family especially when the doctors say “it could be psychological” the go to when they don’t know what it is 🤷‍♀️

[@Noah_E]

The random sleep walking screams to me that it was a hoax. I spent that many days, not YEARS in the hospital following a crash when a drunk driver nearly killed me. Muscle atrophy sets in quickly so random sleep walking seems unbelievable.

[@sabrenashull3050]

I worked in nursing homes for 15 years a nurse and an aide. My brain 🧠 was screaming 😱 atrophy?

[@courtneyhowe8832]

Atrophy and contracture? What about toileting?

[@cadillacdeville5828]

I absolutely look forward to hearing your videos 😊

[@elizabethsohler6516]

Itt would be interesting to know what parts of her brain may have been damaged by the fall.

[@L19966]

I have been living in Sweden for 30 yrs and never heard this . What!

[@victoriagormley2343]

This is the first video of yours I've seen.i thought it was fascinating x

[@minagica]

Same here

[@thisQ143]

I’m a new subscriber. I’ve watched 3 of your videos already and decided to subscribe since your contents are amazing! ❤

[@124Nightwing]

She lived for about another 42 years after she woke up. Imagine spending almost half your life in a coma. How sad is that?

[@impishrebel5969]

I often get toothaches when I get migraines, it's called referred pain as the nerves involved are linked. Interesting she suffered a "toothache" when she hit her head.

[@ChildfreeMatto]

Forgotten Lives, thank you for another one of your brilliant videos for my enjoyment during the early morning when I'm up. 🥰🥰 It's always a wonderful pleasure listening. 💯💯

[@trj1442]

Wow, that was an amazing story. Thankyou for your awesome content.

[@coolgirlfrozenfeet]

Sometimes the people who get called hypochondriacs do have actual conditions that cause a plethora of symptoms. Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is one of them. I have been accused of faking injuries or sickness, but I am innocent.

[@LuisaD93]

Sounds to me that it’s what we now know as locked in syndrome. It’s sometimes caused by a head injury and or infection which she suffered both. The head injury when she fell and hit her head that also possibly injured her tooth which is why it ached and then led to infection. Sad they didn’t know about this ailment back then although there isn’t much they can do and sometimes they come out of it periodically with limited recognition sometimes completely and in some cases never .

[@rushswift6720]

thank you for your stories.... love all of it... been watching your stories....

[@gaslitworldf.melissab2897]

The coolest thing about being born mid-century is that if you live a long life, you'll have lived in two centuries, beginning the second while still fairly young.

[@eazye5647]

fun fact: a island called blåkulla is pretty close to oknö and blåkulla is the place where all witches fly to every year on there brooms to dance with the devil

[@DaleDix]

I don't know why it would be a hoax because they only got hardship and heartache out of it

[@psychedelicpayroll5412]

I am a severe narcoleptic so the sleeping beauty topics always get to me. I honestly could sleep forever if I was up to it. No matter how much I sleep I will always be tired.

[@berenicewaters4096]

Join the club! It gets easier as you age

[@psychedelicpayroll5412]

@@berenicewaters4096 I’m 22 and had it since I was 8. I definitely gotten through the depression phase. Now I am on the chapter of adjusting to adulthood with it since I can only work part time due to it.

[@kristahartin4550]

Your voice is very pleasant to my ears.

[@cottoncandy4486]

Not a hoax, she may have been catatonic??? .

[@scarletleigh7273]

I mean it is bizzare, but, really now, would anyone throw so much of their life away for a hoax? They'd have to have seeious mental issues, like a severe munchauaen's, but later she tested as mentally fine. So it's very hard to believe it was a hoax. But why was simple coma ruled out? Because she'd awaken sometimes? How often would she wake up?

[@queenreg7]

But why would someone fake that for over 30 years? She had to have been in some sort of weird coma.

[@user-rm7zf4bw2b]

I'm confused when you say she got electro shock therapy. It says in Wikipedia that the first electro shock therapy was not until the 1930's

[@pondscummagnetfishing]

I don't think she was faking. But would you want to be the only girl with four brothers in that era and situation???

[@barquerojuancarlos7253]

Kleine-Levin Syndrome is characterized with episodic periods of excessive sleep and overeating with amnesia. It most often affects adolescent males. Karolina was surely suffering from a hypersomnia disorder when patients sleep for a month or more. Her case was extreme Closely related is African trypanosomiasis ("sleeping sickness") and lethargic encephalitis. Between 1915 and 1926 an estimated 1M suffered from the latter ailment world wide. It is thought to be related to the Spanish flu which occurred at the time.

[@dragonsguardianofcrystalhearts]

Not a hoax...truth. they put me on meds and screwed me up! The first time I saw a psychiatrist, he got me so confused and I took a very dangerous route home.. thank you for this.. so grateful for you.. much love and light to you..

[@Quackzine]

I believe I have this syndrome. I have been diagnosed with hyper sombulance.

[@normacook8325]

Fascinating story! Thank you!

[@ForgottenLives]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lolaveneziana6999]

Wow… did she digest and eliminate? Did she menstruate? So bizarre. 🤔

[@msxy9594]

I think i kinda hybernated once for a few days, seriously! I think it was for a week or a bit longer... It was in winter and i had off from work/hollidays and i felt very exhausted, so i decided to just sleep as much and as long as i wanted and when i wanted. I turned off my phone, shut down all the saftey curtains on all the windows to just let a minimum of light into the appartment, turned of the doorbell and just took a timeout... i sleeped almost the entire time and just woke up occasionally (i think it was about once a day) to go to the toilet, or to drink enough water (i had a big waterbottle beside my bed) or to eat a joghurt and went straight to sleep... i lost every feeling for time and the day/night rythm and eaven when i was awake (i mostly woke up in the middle of the nights) i felt very sleepy and instanly went back to bed again. It was a very fascinating experience and i lost a few extra pounds. I think my body just needed it back then...

[@mysterbear]

A hoax? Ridiculous. Thank you. As usual, extraordinary and moving work.

[@BadgerFireMoon]

Right like shock therapy is going help a brain injury that's only going to make it worse. What about sleeping sickness