Dear Family and Friends of Loren, Jenn, Tom, James and Nancy: Jenn, the kids, and I had our meeting with a number of Loren's attendants, including the doctor who saved his life on the operating table. Suffice it to say (again), Loren is lucky to be alive and doing as well as he is. He won't be out of the woods for another year - or more ... And now that I think about it, we're all lucky he's still with us fighting the fight. Most every day that's passed since Loren's accident is comprised of an endless stream of good news, bad news, scenarios. This afternoon's meeting honored that tradition. I understand that many of you are anxious to hear about Loren's condition, so I won't waste any time passing on what we know. I do have to warn those of you who love him as much, or more than I do: the following paragraphs may be difficult to read and digest. Lay trust in the knowledge that Loren has never been one to give up easily. The short term news is good. Loren is scheduled for a tracheostomy tomorrow, a surgical procedure where a breathing tube will be inserted into his lungs through an incision above his sternum. (This is good news?) He'll have his ventilator removed at the same time, and be rid of the discomfort it causes and the correlating sedation levels its use requires. Before long, he'll be breathing on his own, though he'll still be receiving a regulated feed of oxygen as his assimilation readings dictate. Loren's having a feeding tube put in as well. (It's good news.) He'll be fed through it in lieu of an IV, and be digesting a much more substantive mix of food and nutrients. And he may not need to use it after he emerges from the haze he's in, and begins to eat on his own. These two procedures are the next practical steps in his healthcare. Loren's CAT scans also show promise. They've detected no obvious signs of significant brain trauma - an absolutely miraculous revelation. This afternoon we were informed that 15 to 20 plates, and three times as many screws were used to reconstruct his skull. Loren also looks pretty good - all things considered - and will likely not need cosmetic surgery, save for some dental work. The sobering aspects of his recovery revolve around his susceptibility to infection, in addition to complications that may result from the damage he sustained to the membrane surrounding his brain. Loren collapsed his sinuses in his fall, and thus they drained into his cranial cavity. He'll run a risk to any number of types of infections for a year or more. The threat of contracting bacterial meningitis is also very real. The same one year timeline holds true for the possibility of an unexpected rupture to the protective layer of his brain. Only two things are certain for Loren. The first is that his journey to wellness will be fraught with peril. The second is that he'll have a lot of people helping him along the way. I'll be returning to my day job tomorrow, so an update is unlikely. Loren's website is in the works and won't be long in coming. Hold tight another day or two. Thanks to many of you for the kind words. Please keep Loren in your thoughts and prayers. Love to all, Steve Porsborg