Sympathy Ploy

Greetings from Mountain View Hospital, Observation Unit, Room 2, in Las Vegas.

Mary drove me to the emergency room yesterday, and I was admitted pretty much immediately. My oxygen saturation percentage was in the 70s. (Ninety and above is considered normal.) It had reached the point that walking across a room was leaving me winded.

It’s pneumonia.

So now I’m on IV antibiotics, IV steroids, 10 liters of oxygen per minute, a hurricane-force bi-PAP machine at night — and a beautiful laptop afflicted with Windows Vista. There’s pain, and then there’s pain.

They expect I’ll be in here through the weekend. I’m in an accepting mood. If it takes that long to get me functional again, fine. In the meantime, maybe I can actually get caught up on Doctor Fate and that Omnibus introduction. (I know, I know — my health comes first, but my spirits improved mightily when I got my hands on this machine this afternoon.)

I’ll keep you informed as my recuperation progresses.

16 Responses to “Sympathy Ploy”

  1. Jeff Z Says:

    Get lots and lots of rest and let the weird thoughts flow– I’m sure you’ll get something useful from all this. The big thing is: get better- no matter what it takes! You’re in all of our thoughts and prayers.

    On another note: Essential Defenders #3 had your brilliant Headmen/Nighthawk’s Brain saga collected for the very first time! I became a Marvel fanatic when it was first coming out and it was great to read it again! Did you have anything at all to do with the David Kraft run that followed? Lunatik seemed pretty Gerber-ish…

  2. Stefan Immel Says:

    If working on something keeps your spirits high by all means do that. I guess the doctors will pull the laptop out of you hands as soon as they think that it hurst your recuparation(sp?).

    And I do hope that Dr. Gregory House was not transfered to Mountain View Hospital… on second thought, I hope he was transfered because he gets the people healthy again it’s just his manners that are totally unacceptable.

  3. Lord Nabu Says:

    I’d agree, if working makes you feel better, by all means work. Of course your health comes first, but healing comes in several ways.

  4. PeteTheRetailer Says:

    Do you really have a mountain view?

  5. Alex Krislov Says:

    Well, shit.

    Sleep a lot. Get better. Screw work. Work will still be there when you regain your health. It always is.

  6. David Jaffe Says:

    Hey man- been lurking at your blog for well over a year at this point. Not even sure how I found the thing! But I dig it!

    Just wanted to let you know that Thundarr had a big impact on my life as a kid. It’s one of the things that lead me to get into creative work for myself as an adult. I loved the setting and the adventure and the whole vibe of the thing. So thank you for that.

    And just wanted to say: keep thinking good thoughts and get healthy soon,man! We need you out here!

    Take care 🙂
    David

  7. Marc Bryant Says:

    Feel better soon, and glad to hear you’re up to getting some writing in. I don’t even have pneumonia and I can’t get much done. 🙂

  8. John Says:

    Thoughts are with you!

  9. Matt M. Says:

    Rest first, Mr. Gerber. Then get some of those thoughts out. Though I can certainly understand the impulse to reverse that order.

  10. Dan Judge Says:

    Steve, I have been following this blog since it was launched but have been woefully neglectful in letting you know how sorry I am to hear about your health problems and how happy I have been to see regular work from you again. Get better soon, for our sake as well as yours.

  11. Mark Evanier Says:

    Some people will do anything to get out of having lunch with me.

  12. Alan Simpson Says:

    Hey Steve!

    Greetings from rain ravaged Scotland! Just wanted to send my best with getting through the pneumonia fun – I spent the so-called festive season in hospital with it a couple of years back (complete with collapsed lung in the company of some surprisingly upbeat cancer sufferers in the chest/lung ward, best way to see in the new year I tell ya!) and know it’s not a pleasurable experience…but you’re in the best place and getting treatment so all good (though of course I wont deny I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts in ‘that Omnibus introduction’!) Hope to read of your progress soon – cheers!

  13. Steve Gerber Says:

    — I have a view of a curtain, a linen shelf, a sink, a commode, and “The Price is Right” or “Law & Order”, depending on the time of day. No windows. I’m in kind of an alcove, not a room, per se, but it’s funky and weirdly comfortable. To the extent that it’s possible to like any hospital accommodation, I like this one. (You can see the mountains from some rooms in this place, though.)

    — Mark: Trust me. I would rather have had lunch.

  14. Gordon Says:

    Geez, Steve!

    They know you need a new lung, do you really have to resort to these kinds of scare tactics?

  15. Steve Gerber Says:

    Actually, I’m on suspension from the list until this is over. I’m not in any condition to be operated on.

  16. Scott Andrew Hutchins Says:

    I hope you get better soon. You’re too young for us to lose you now.