Wednesday 18 March 2015

Dave Sim Recovering After Surgery

DAVE FISHER:
(via email)
I visited Sim today [Wednesday]. The surgery seemed to be a success. He was on an epidural. He seemed in good spirits and humour. He came out of surgery with a dream hallucination about waking up in a hockey arena and being asked to carry a stack of Quebec Nordiques jerseys up stairs and saying he felt too weak to carry them. He'll have to elaborate more later. He hasn't eaten since Sunday and he's not sure how long his stay will be. I will report back when I know more. Enjoy the pics...


UPDATE:
Sandeep Atwal said...
I swung by Grand River Hospital to see Dave today [Wednesday], and he seems like he's doing very well. He was up and about and joking with the nurses. From what I could tell, he seemed quite healthy for someone who just underwent surgery. We chatted for a couple of hours and, again, as far as I could tell he's doing just fine. Even with an epidural he was just as sharp mentally as always and all that walking he does has meant that he's back on his feet with no problems the day after the operation. I offered to get him a book or something but he was fine just watching the goings on around him. For someone who spends most of his time alone, this was like a little adventure. (He's in a room with four other patients separated by curtains, which just inspired him to write a story called "Curtains" with word balloons coming from behind the screens.) If all continues to go well, he should be leaving on Friday at the earliest, no doubt back to an overflowing fax machine and lots of phone messages. It is, of course, nice to see the concern from so many people, I know Dave appreciates it. I'll probably swing by again tomorrow. I'll let you know how he's doing!


UPDATE 2:  
Sandeep Atwal said...
I saw Dave today [Thursday], he's doing very well. He won't be getting out tomorrow, but everything is going well. He's up and about and doing fine. They removed the epidural and convinced him to take two(!) Tylenols. Of course, because he's Dave Sim, we ended up talking about work and the future of how to run things at Aardvark-Vanaheim in light of recent events. (It's almost as though he's got something inside him that is just constantly saying, "Get back to WORK!!) Needless to say, Dave has LOTS of ideas! But he's probably going to just take a look at his own responsibilities to that which absolutely must be done by him and him alone and delegate a little bit more. Sounds like a good idea to me. So, things are looking good, I'll keep you posted.


Related Posts:
Dave Sim Checks Into Grand River Hospital (17 March)
Dave Sim Recovering After Surgery (18 March)
Dave Sim Recovery Update #2 (20 March)
Dave Sim Recovery Update #3 (24 March)

34 comments:

Graphic Edge Print Solutions said...

In the second picture, I believe Dave is saying, "Yup, the Leafs are gonna miss the play-offs by that much......AGAIN!!!!!!"

John Funk
(Bruin's Fan)

Jeff Seiler said...

Just got off the phone with Dave. He was up, walking around, for his overall health and to stimulate defecation.

Nope, not gonna sugarcoat anything here. I'm using all the same words Dave and I used, though he was more proper than I. But he laughed at all of my improprieties, including my, "so they haven't popped the cork yet?"

I asked him if he was going to have a colostomy bag and he said no, but that that had been a concern going into the surgery. He said they told him he might have had one based on where the obstruction was, but it turned out fine. He said that they told him that the obstruction was making it look like he had a "Quasimodo bowel", which I take to mean a twisted up hump on that part of his bowel.

When I first spoke to him, I asked how he was doing and he answered, "Great! I've never felt healthier! Before, it felt like when Trevor stabbed Cerebus with the kitchen knife. It was like Cerebus in The Last Day, where all he wants to do, praying to God, please just one good fart."

So, I said "You've a clean chute now, huh."

He said, "yeah!"

I then asked him if they had told him when he would be released. He said that he would have to go through different stages, the first being getting up and around, which is today. Then, he's projected to have the epidural out tomorrow, and then he said, "After that, it'll depend on how soon I can fart and defecate. And, I'm using the nurses' phone and have to go, so I'll leave it up to you to figure out how best to phrase that when you post an update."

Then he put me on with Sandeep, who also was being told he had to go, so that was it.

I did, however, get to tell him that, as of noon today, there have been 68 posts from 55 different people at AMOC, wishing him all the best, plus my conversation with Margaret Liss last night.

He seemed to like that.

Michael Grabowski said...

Praise YoohWhoo!

I wonder if this condition was something that inhibited hs making art in recent months, slowing him down as he's commented recently, simply due to the building discomfort. Can't imagine it feels good to stay seated for long with this sort of thing.

Ray Cornwall said...

Poop and fart jokes! All is right with the world today.

Continued best wishes for your good health, Dave.

Anonymous said...

Noticing the support on his hand - is that something that they've looked at while he was there, or is it something he put on to relieve his discomfort?

*So* glad they fixed the world's ugliest bowels, and he's feeling better.

Glen said...

It looks like Dave is running for election in the last photo.


You have my vote.


I'm happpy everything worked out. Wishing you nothing but the best from a fellow Canadian and campaign manager.

Maggie Thompson said...

Thank you SO much for keeping the world posted, details and all. All the best to Dave! And WHEW (I hope I'm correct in being relieved - and that he will soon be able to relieve himself.)

Paul Slade said...

Wishing you a massive and very satisfying fart, Dave. I'm hoping we'll catch a faint echo of it way over here in London.

Claude said...

Dear (ish) Dave Sim, Stop scaring me like that. First, you cut off a chunk of Cerebus' ear and now this?
The health of people I have an ounce of concern for is important to me. Get that? ME! That's right! This is all about me! So, get well so you can go into negotiations with the SyFy channel about the new movie AARDVARKNADO!
Get well and stay that way.
While you're at it, trim those nose hairs.
That is all.

Jim Moore said...

Great news! Here's to satisfying farts and movements

Unknown said...

My girlfriend and I had you on our minds all night and day, Dave, very glad to see you in good spirits and to hear the good post-surgery news! Take it easy and get well!

Anonymous said...

Here's hoping for a speedy recovery and also that they make sure the hand is OK! Jim Sheridan

Sandeep Atwal said...

I swung by Grand River Hospital to see Dave today, and he seems like he's doing very well. He was up and about and joking with the nurses. From what I could tell, he seemed quite healthy for someone who just underwent surgery. We chatted for a couple of hours and, again, as far as I could tell he's doing just fine. Even with an epidural he was just as sharp mentally as always and all that walking he does has meant that he's back on his feet with no problems the day after the operation. I offered to get him a book or something but he was fine just watching the goings on around him. For someone who spends most of his time alone, this was like a little adventure. (He's in a room with four other patients separated by curtains, which just inspired him to write a story called "Curtains" with word balloons coming from behind the screens.) If all continues to go well, he should be leaving on Friday at the earliest, no doubt back to an overflowing fax machine and lots of phone messages. It is, of course, nice to see the concern from so many people, I know Dave appreciates it. I'll probably swing by again tomorrow. I'll let you know how he's doing!

roger gibson said...

I'm delighted that Dave is pulling through so well, and I'm hoping for a full recovery - and his getting that hand seen to! All the best Dave - and quit scaring us like that!

Scott Yoshinaga said...

Extremely happy that Dave is doing well! Hope his hand got looked at too since he's there. Take care and rest up Dave!

Max West said...

I'm pleased to hear that Dave Sim is doing okay!

Eddie said...

Dave F, Jeff S and Sandeep - Thanks for all the updates and posts and pictures and keeping us in the loop and forwarding our well wishes and prayers onto Dave. And thank you Tim W for providing such a valuable place for all this information.

Very glad to hear Dave is bouncing back nicely and in good spirits.

Jeff Seiler said...

I am beyond finding the right words to express the overwhelming feelings I have about the outpouring of sentiment that I have seen over the past couple of days from all 65 or 70 of the people who have posted here, plus the grand lady Margaret, with whom I conversed, pleasantly, last evening. Hi, M!

I have no delusions about speaking FOR Dave, but I have tried to be true about speaking WITH him. And, I've tried to be as close as possible to the actual conversations we've had.

All y'all, as they say in Texas (Hi, Dr. Troy!), are amazing. I am going to send Dave a list of all of the folks who posted here with good wishes.

And, as to the folks who thanked me for being the voice and organizer of DaveSim'sSickAndInTheHospitalAndUndergoingMajorAbdominalSurgery,

I can only say this:

It was, is, and will remain, my duty.

I mean, hey, I'm retired, disabled, with a nice wad in the bank. What else am I gonna do than look out for my favorite person whose name is NOT Jeff Seiler?

Larry Wooten said...

Great to hear that the surgery went well and you were in good spirits today. Looking forward to news of Sim byproducts being expelled sucessfully. Dave has a movement and we all rejoice!
Take the time you need to heal and hopefully that will benefit your hand as well.

Oliver said...

It's heart warming to see he's ok - as well as seeing the outpouring here and on social media such as twitter and facebook and from all the main comic sites: Bleeding Cool, The Beat, The Comics Reporter, Comic Book Resources, ICv2, TCJ etc

David Rankin said...

#great news that Dave is recovering well! Sending him best wishes from the UK. A fitting day for CAN2 to arrive here yesterday so I spent a lot of time thinking of Dave.
get well soon!
DavidR90

Anonymous said...

Very Happy to hear that Dave is recovering! Are they going to look at that hand? If Dave is feeling better, you know him, he will want to get right back to work. So they should check the hand too.
Take Care Dave!
Steve

Morten S. Eriksen said...

Great to see Dave bouncing back! All the best to him. And thanksfor keeping us all updated!

Travis Pelkie said...

Glad Dave's recovering well.

Post-op? Well, I suppose that's not too surprising, since he did write about an intersexed aardvark for all those years, and the comment about it being like when Trevor stabbed Cerebus and ...

Oh. Not THAT kind of post-op.

But he has an epidural -- he...had a baby?

No, wait, that's an episiotomy. D'oh!

But if I'm understanding right, given Dave's condition pre-op, for a time, he was, literally, full of sh*t?

Wow. Y'know, I'd say that's a sure sign of God's existence, now, actually. hee hee hee :)

I'm joking around because I love Dave's stuff, and wish him all the best. Actually, that issue where Cerebus got stabbed as a young kid is probably my favorite single issue of the series (191, iirc).

In other good news, unless it's a cruel April Fool's joke being played on us by IDW or Previews, the Previews list for comics and stuff out 4/1 includes the High Society DVD set. YAY!

And then once I figure out how much I can afford to spend, I have to pledge for the Kickstarter. Yipes! So many great bonus plates!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad to see all has turned out well for Dave. One other thing occurred to me about my daughter's intestinal surgery: She has to take a stool softener (in flavorless powder form that is easily added to a drink or food) for the time being. This may also be something Dave is recommended to do (or might want to ask about).

All in all, a tremendous relief. Prayers do work.

--Claude Flowers

Anonymous said...

Prayers, Claude? I thought it was surgery that worked.

-- Damian T. Lloyd, wag

Jeff Seiler said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jeff Seiler said...

That's okay, but it's still true.

John Christian said...

Very glad to see that Dave is doing well. Thanks for the updates, and now you can add one more to the number of people who care about Dave and send him their best wishes!

Unknown said...

Please pass (no pun in...never mind) my best wishes to Dave for a speedy recovery. Thank god for OHIP.

Jon Marvin

Anonymous said...

Claude, I owe you an apology. Elsewhere on this blog I have been called snide, and I'm afraid in this case it's true. What I intended as a joke I see, upon re-reading, could be taken as an insult. I'm sorry.

-- Damian T. Lloyd, mod

Daniel Elvén said...

It's a relief to hear that the operation went well. I wish for a speedy and complete recovery!

- Daniel Elvén

Anonymous said...

Bowel obstruction? That's a dick movement, colon!

But even amidst problems you're playing possum on the pics, kinda like the late Robbin Williams thinking about the others before himself. You're a gentleman and a nice soul, Dave, relax and get well!

(From France, with guimauve.)

Simon Bacamarte said...

Bowel obstruction? That's a dick movement, colon!

And yet, even amidst his problems Dave is playing possum for laughs, not unlike Robbin Williams in thinking about the others before himself. You're a gentleman and a nice soul, Dave, get well!