From that Boston Globe Haleigh Poutre rehab story:

Some neurologists say Haleigh’s actions suggest she may have moved into a ”minimally conscious state,” in which patients are aware of their surroundings and can respond to commands.
That condition could sometimes strengthen arguments to withdraw life support, because such patients can feel pain, some medical ethicists said. Patients in a vegetative state, on the other hand, are oblivious to the agony that is part of their life.