Although Schumacher was moved from Grenoble to Lausanne in June, and has since
returned to his family home in Switzerland to recuperate, Dr Payen remains
in close touch with the family and has visited Schumacher at his home.
“I kept seeing him, first at the University Hospital of Lausanne, and now
at home. It’s to see how he progresses and tell his wife and children what
changes I observed,” Dr Payen said.
“He’s in very favourable conditions. This plays a big role. The family
environment is anyway best for the patient. His wife is surrounded by
excellent advice and has implemented all it takes for it to move forward.”
Schumacher was in a “critical condition” when he was first brought
to hospital, Dr Payen said. He is still alive today “because there were
decisions that were taken in a timely manner”.
The anaesthesiologist spoke out in praise of Schumacher’s wife, Corinna. She
has “in every respect an extraordinary willpower,” he said.
“Immediately she understood the seriousness of the situation and the long
journey that lay before them. She sees things very clearly and will do
anything and give everything to improve the condition of her husband.”
Dr Payen also spoke for the first time about the media storm in which he was
engulfed when he took on his celebrity patient.
“Nobody is willing to undergo such a flood of media [attention],” he
told Le Parisien. “We quickly got organised by creating a sort of
‘medical bubble’ to protect us from the outside world, from the media
pressure, in order to work properly.”
At one point a journalist reportedly disguised himself as a priest to gain
access to Schumacher’s bedside, and some of his medical records were later
stolen. Dr Payen told how he and his colleagues had to give up their mobile
phones, and could only go to and from work via an enclosed car park.