Rolf Schumacher, father of seven-times former Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher, arrives at the CHU hospital emergency unit in Grenoble, French Alps, where his son is hospitalized January 2, 2014.  [Photo/Agencies]

Schumacher receives food through a tube to his stomach, oxygen via a hose from a machine next to his bed as he still cannot breathe independently.

Three times daily his joints and muscles are massaged to prevent atrophy and bed sores.

The coma suppressed his swallowing reflex, pain perception and his respiratory drive. He has to be acutely monitored around the clock during this wake-up phase to see if such things are returning naturally - if at all.

His blood is also thinned to prevent thrombosis and he is regularly turned and even stood straight up at times to keep blood flowing.

He lies on a special air-filled mattress to prevent pressure sores and his urinary tract is under constant vigilance because of the danger of waste bacteria entering the bloodstream and causing another potentially fatal infection.

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