Some of you have been asking about updates on my friend Ellen's fiance Jeff. Well the news has been so up and down that he still is not out of the woods yet. On August 16th ellen wrote:

Sorry for the delay in updates...someone else started to occupy the bed where the computer was...so I no longer had access....I am spending a bit of time with Taylor away from the hospital but will be back tomorrow so while I had access I thought I would send a GREAT update.

Woohoo...I finally have something promising to tell you all...this morning they took out the respirator tubes so there is not any trouble with breathing anymore...he seems to be stable though they are still giving him oxygen. They also took out the major IV's in his leg and now only have two in his arm...one for taking blood and one for medications. The nuerologists have not said what the EEG scan (which will show brain activity) has said yet but they did come in and do some manual tests.

I was a little afraid that Jeff was just seeing me as something he recognized (like comfort) but did not know exactly who I was...he just hasn't seemed to be really with it yet...today when they did the tests, they asked him to look right (he didn't), look left (which he did), look right again (which he did this time), look at your wife (and he looked at me...I smiled at him because I was so pleased he knew me, and when she kept asking him to look in other directions he didn't take his eyes off me....not for about two minutes...cheese... I know... but I loved every minute of it. They wanted him to get lots of sleep today, they figured it would be easy for him without the discomfort of the tubes, but he seems restless...so I would go over to the bed and tell him I was there and he would sort of dose off (at first), then I would give him a kiss on his cheek (his lips are swollen and sore from the tube and I didn't wanna hurt him) and he would lean in like I should kiss his lips, I would kiss the other cheek and he would lean the other way like I should again kiss his lips, so eventually I kissed his lips ever so gently and he tried to lick me. God, Bob and I laughed until we cried I think...he's a funny man, even when he is sick...haha.

Anyways...his attitude is promising...he tried to talk but I told him not too because it would hurt him still so we shall see what tomorrow brings. The nuerologists are doing tests still so I dont know where that is going but, they also said he shows great improvement.

Exciting I know...I think all of your prayers are working. Keep em comin'

Love you guys all...thanks for all the support...I will send updates whenever I can.

and then on Aug 17 she updated again:
Well, today is not as good as yesterday...he is tired...I mean, REALLLYYYYYYYY TIRED so I am hoping it is just that but he is not doing what we ask (probably just being stubborn), and is not trying to lick me today (though I did get a kiss...sort of). Anyways...they want him to rest so for now, i guess...I watch him sleep...LOL

Hopefully tomorrow will be brighter again.

As you can see she is really trying to stay posative and she makes some jokes but in her personal e-mails to me she has really been a wreck. Please keep Jeff in your toughts and prayers as well as Ellen and the kids.