Greetings from the hospital

Barbara and I are here with Jeff in room 2156 at Los Robles Hospital.
Jeff is still basically in the same condition. Jeff can make limited
finger movements from time to time, but that is really the extent of
his bodily motion.

Dr Murphy, a neuro specialist, told Barbara that he thinks Jeffrey is
in a chronic vegitative state. He thinks Jeff is out of his coma and
in this condition due to severe brain injury. They performed another
EEG today to test his brain activity. The best I can say right now is
that Jeffrey does look comfortable.

Seth

Another move

Jeff has a new address. He remains in Los Robles hospital. He is now
in room 2156 on the 2nd floor in the medical wing. His condition
remains unchanged but all are welcome to visit him during visiting
hours.

Seth

Nothing new to report

Jeff is still in room 315 at Los Robles. I haven't been posting
because there hasn't been any real change since he was moved out of ICU.

Jeff remains in a coma, resting comfortably as best we can tell. He is
still warm from the chronic infections. There was no movement when I
asked Jeff to move his hand. Sorry that I don't have better news.

Seth

Jeff has a new address!

Greetings from Jeff's new room He is finally out of ICU. His new room
is on the third floor of Los Robles hospital in TO - room 315. It is
all the way down the long hall from the elevators that come up from
the surgical waiting area.

Barbara is encouraging everyone who can to come visit Jeffrey. He is
still deep in his coma, stable, resting comfortably. Of course the
hope is that he'll pop out of it one of these days. That's all the
news for now.

Seth

Tuesday Update

At least Jeff's got good music playing in his room. Other than that,
the report is that there are no major changes to Jeff's condition. He
remains unresponsive in his coma on day 30. I watched as Kim, his
nurse, tried to elicit stimulus with minimal result. Jeff's cough is a
little bit worse and he still has a fever.

There is a new staff of doctors tending to Jeff. So far he remains
off of the ventilator since Sunday morning. Thats it from here.

Seth

"Hallelujah", for Barbara

Every day since Jeff's accident, there has been a constant. Barbara by Jeff's side. She's been the angel in the room. Caring, crying, pleading with him to snap back, reminiscing, caressing him, displaying love in the truest meaning of the word. I'm honored that she has let me be by her side while she looks after Jeffrey.

As of late, Jeffrey enjoyed listening to female vocalists, mostly country singers. We have several of them playing on a little speaker setup near his window. Posted here is an exquisite version of Leonard Cohen's love song, "Hallelujah" (the Hebrew word for praise) recorded by k.d.lang. This is, in my view, one of Leonard's best songs, sung here with powerful emotion. If you can spare five minutes , turn up your speakers, click over to this youtube link and give it a listen. This ones for you, Barbara. Click here

1 month update

It has been 1 month since Jeff's fall. I visited him yesterday. Sadly, Jeff hasn't made any major progress in his brain activity. He remains in ICU in his deep coma, unresponsive. The doctors and nurses have stabilized his condition to the point where he is no longer on the ventilator. But while he is breathing on his own, he is being fed via a feeding tube directly into his stomach and his breathing is labored, assisted by the tracheotomy tubes.

I wish I could report better news, but I honestly cannot. Jeff's body is as limp as any of ours would be after not moving at all for a month's time. His body movements are limited to the mechanical rhythms of the unique hospital bed that shifts his body position for him, his reflexive breathing, coughing, tongue shifts, and occasional eye fluttering underneath his closed eyelids. I am so sorry to write that after a month of visiting Jeff, hoping for the best, seeing little positive signs, talking to doctors and nurses, my personal optimism for Jeff's recovery has dimmed. Barbara and Stephanie are with Jeff today at the hospital talking once again to the neuro doctors. I'll post another update when I can.

Seth