Today John took some positive steps forward. The swelling and pressure on his brain came down enough that doctors were able to start reducing the heavy sedation he has been under, as well as take him off of the paralytic drugs he was also on completely. All of his vitals signs have once again improved slightly, and for the third straight day he has encountered no major complications. He physical appearance is also on the mend as some of his superficial wounds have started to heal. Another small but important note is that during a respiratory procedure he began to cough. A personal oberservation I'd like to add is today was the first time since the accident when I called the ICU waiting room for an update and there was laughter at the other end of the phone. After experiencing the tension and pain in that waiting room first hand it was comforting to see that John's family was feeling at least a little sense of relief. Your prayers and support have helped John get to this point, so please keep them up because he is not out of the woods yet and he has a long road ahead of him.