Is This Normal?

Not only am I still sleeping (not conscious), but I am still in a coma. “A "vegetative state” or “persistent vegetative state” (PVS) is the same thing as a coma."
http://blog.positscience.com/2014/01/29/what-does-brain-dead-actually-mean-and-is-it-the-same-as-being-in-a-vegetative-state-or-coma/
 

When I say I'm like Rip van Winkle... I've been asleep for years. Actually I'm listed as having my eyes open, but I'm not conscious. I'm sleep-walking I guess. I left the hospital as "semi-vegetative" so I remain "semi-vegetative." 

  
The local paper did a story, http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/02/04/2217293/mike-tharp-they-thought-she-would.html They were probably amazed. I think it's funny that since I'm vegetative, I'm still in a coma. I think that it's funny a vegetative person can live on her own. [The newspaper link doesn't work, but I copied the whole article when I copied an e-mail, http://thoughtfulveg.blogspot.com/2012/02/angela.html.]

A while ago I was referred to a specialist for pneumonia I think. This  doctor got my file and read it before he met me. He probably wondered what I was doing out of the hospital. When my appointment came, all he could do is ask "What happened?" and he stared at me. I'm not the person in the medical reports.

I don't remember what I said to him, but it was probably medical and philosophical. It was probably theoretical, too. I don't know how I do that, but I do. All of it would be with textbook jargon and terms.

Okay, so there's this person who was in a coma. It's obvious she isn't anymore. To top it off she's conversing with doctors and is knowledgeable about some difficult theories and concepts. This is normal? (Normal in the sense of average. I don't need lectures on "normal." I know this isn't normal. Does anyone else?)

Okay, lets say I'm conscious. What does this mean? I guess it means I'm not "semi-vegetative." Did I suddenly become conscious? When did that happen? Does "semi-vegetative" have some component of consciousness? If so, what makes "semi-vegetative" different from Minimally Conscious State? If you are a vegetable are you always a vegetable?  

[Updated 1/16/2015]