Is Consciousness a Real Thing?

Using the word conscious there sounds almost contradictory. But if we think consciousness is a real thing, then we have to allow it might be present even when it can't be access. Is it possible that people who are in vegetative states are actually conscious in the sense you've described? i would argue that freudian unconscious images might actually be conscious. And one of these patients later moved up the hierarchy from vegetative to minimamly conscious state,. where there seemed to be some indication that she was getting these questions thits sill fascinating.