Hospital interlude
I've been writing this morning's stuff from a hospital room. I had hoped that the minor infection from a dirty exacto-knife stabbing in my left palm (I mentioned this a couple of days ago, although the item seems to have strangely disappeared) would be suppressed by oral antibiotic medication. But it morphed into a systemic poisoning situation sometime on Thursday.
Dreary, mildly depressing hospital room -- Saturday, 8.19, 9:45 am; far worse than a coach-level breakfast you might be served, say, on a New York to-London red-eye, and no warmer than room temperature.
It had turned my hand into a puffy bear claw by the time Thursday's Snakes on a Plane screening was letting out. By yesterday afternoon (i.e., Friday) the infection had spread into my forearm -- red streaks appeared like interstate highways on a road map -- and all the way up to my left shoulder by dinner hour.
So I checked into a hospital and they hooked me up to regular (every five or six hours) antibiotic intravenous drips. The worst of it had passed by this morning, thank fortune, but if I'd been stuck out in the desert somewhere and beyond of the reach of good medicine...
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 19, 2006 at 11:42 AM
comment #1
addison
says ...
Consider yourself lucky. I know a journalism professor who go such an infection and he is now dead. Get well.
Posted by addison
at August 19, 2006 1:03 PM
comment #2
D.Z.
says ...
Good to know you're better at least.
Posted by D.Z.
at August 19, 2006 1:06 PM
comment #3
L.B.
says ...
Red infection streaks heading toward your heart is a scary sight. Glad you got the help you needed. Get well quickly.
Posted by L.B.
at August 19, 2006 1:12 PM
comment #4
fnt
says ...
Sorry to hear that. Get better soon! Your hospital bound dedication is impressive.
Posted by fnt
at August 19, 2006 1:30 PM
comment #5
Bilge
says ...
Jeff, stop posting for a while. Seriously. Your hand, wrist, and arm will need all the rest it can get and in your weakened state it can weaken you even further. Lay off the posts for a day, at least, otherwise your progress will slow even further.
Posted by Bilge
at August 19, 2006 1:38 PM
comment #6
Geneva Hilton
says ...
You poor thing. You need to rest. The web will still be here (fortunately or unfortunately) when you get better.
Posted by Geneva Hilton
at August 19, 2006 1:49 PM
comment #7
MagillaOrangutang
says ...
Jesus!
Man, I hope youre okay now. Just say "no" from now on, Jeff!
If you need some fresh blood, just ask. I'm happy to give you a couple pints of clean, fresh MagillaOrangutang blood.
Hope youre better soon.
Posted by MagillaOrangutang
at August 19, 2006 2:01 PM
comment #8
nemo
says ...
Rest up and get better, man. This is a dangerous condition. I lost my own brother last year to septicemia combined with pneumonia.
We don't want to lose you.
Posted by nemo
at August 19, 2006 2:06 PM
comment #9
Nick J
says ...
Didn't you see Requiem for a Dream?
Seriously, take a weekend or even a week. Get well, feel better, rest up.
Posted by Nick J
at August 19, 2006 2:21 PM
comment #10
Thrudvangar
says ...
Sorry to hear about that Jeff. You deserve better than to have your bike stolen and get this infection. Learn what you can and move on. Peace.
Posted by Thrudvangar
at August 19, 2006 4:15 PM
comment #11
Pinko Punko
says ...
Do not f*** around with this shit. Take care of it- get well.
Posted by Pinko Punko
at August 19, 2006 5:16 PM
comment #12
lesterg
says ...
Ouch. Take care, Jeff and stay away from the computer for a few days.
Posted by lesterg
at August 19, 2006 5:33 PM
comment #13
zoey
says ...
OK Jeff. Once the red streaks hit your forearm, it was hospital time. Dying for your art is over-rated, so take care!
Posted by zoey
at August 19, 2006 5:54 PM
comment #14
Justine_FilmFatale
says ...
I blame the Snakes!
Take it easy, Jeff. I hope you feel better soon./J
Posted by Justine_FilmFatale
at August 19, 2006 6:00 PM
comment #15
NYCBusybody
says ...
Rest, Jeffrey. Take it easy and take care.
Posted by NYCBusybody
at August 19, 2006 8:54 PM
comment #16
petehowell
says ...
Take care, Jeff. Get well, soon.
Other safety tips around the house: do not run with scissors, do not juggle broken beer bottles & do not use a bare electrical wire to clean the toaster.
Posted by petehowell
at August 19, 2006 9:19 PM
comment #17
erniesouchak
says ...
Good grief, Jeff! What are doing with an exacto knife in this digital age??
Posted by erniesouchak
at August 19, 2006 9:29 PM
comment #18
Nicol D
says ...
Take it easy and get well soon, Jeff.
If you have the strength, ask a cute candy striper for a sponge bath:)
Posted by Nicol D
at August 19, 2006 10:53 PM
comment #19
jeffmcm
says ...
But Nicol, what if the cute candy striper is a dude?!
Posted by jeffmcm
at August 19, 2006 11:59 PM
comment #20
Spacesheik
says ...
Get well soon Jeff.
Best wishes for a quick and safe recovery.
Posted by Spacesheik
at August 20, 2006 3:07 AM
comment #21
Nicol D
says ...
"But Nicol, what if the cute candy striper is a dude?!"
Then things just got a whole lot worse for our film critic friend.
Posted by Nicol D
at August 20, 2006 7:45 AM
comment #22
Suki Jonze
says ...
Hey Mr. Wells, get soon quick. Promise? Promise!
~Suki http://www.dvdnewsroom.com
Posted by Suki Jonze
at August 20, 2006 9:47 AM
comment #23
tholl-yung
says ...
Suki, Justine, Nicol, Zoey, Geneva, anyone else, let's send flowers and put lipstick kisses on a card and send in chicken soup and pass a plate, cuz this is gonna cost Jeff some lettuce. The thought we could lose him and Ebert in the same year has me in a sophie-choice-like tizzy, I can't get a darn thing done. Ebert's got Chaz, his bride (when does she cross the threshold into being his wife? -I think Ebe's got a virgin/whore complex), plus he's good insurance and Google stock. Jeff's just got blue cross and this mouthpiece, so I'm routing for him. If the antibiotics don't kill, errr rid him of the systemic infection, the knife will have to be sent in for testing at the office of homeland insecurity. I know someone who got herpes in her mouth from using a dirty old spoon, but Jeff, you'll be fine, good as new, don't worry, if you need anymore time off, we understand, you can get a guest poster to fill in like over at The vacationing Reeler. I'm sure you got lots of luv and support from your real life friends, but if you need anything, holler.
Posted by tholl-yung
at August 20, 2006 10:55 AM
comment #24
zoey
says ...
I just think he'd do better if they let him take his shoes off!
Posted by zoey
at August 20, 2006 1:28 PM
comment #25
Goulet
says ...
Hope you get well soon, this sounds scary.
Posted by Goulet
at August 20, 2006 8:51 PM
comment #26
Noah
says ...
I never thought I'd miss you this much, Jeff. I hope you get better soon and fill us in on everything when you can. You are one of the good guys, Jeff, whether I agree with you or not.
Posted by Noah
at August 20, 2006 11:45 PM
comment #27
Howlingman
says ...
Yeah Jeffrey, take it easy. You're too tough to let something like this waylay you for long.
And Nemo, for what it's worth, I'm real sorry about your brother.
Posted by Howlingman
at August 21, 2006 6:14 AM
comment #28
nola
says ...
get better soon JW.
Posted by nola
at August 21, 2006 10:11 AM
comment #29
sardine
says ...
jeff, you always learn the hard way. And Marie Antoinette is, so far THE BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR. Sorry you can't take the truth.
get well and be mean as ever.
Posted by sardine
at August 21, 2006 10:28 AM
comment #30
Cadavra
says ...
I'd hate to be the organism that tangles with Jeffrey Wells. We wish you all the best.
Posted by Cadavra
at August 21, 2006 10:35 AM
comment #31
teleradiology
says ...
I guess all of us had experienced several bad hospital adventures. Still, it's great that you can almost immediately fix this. I mean, there are places in the world where the health service is made directly on the ground or in a tent.
Posted by teleradiology
at May 10, 2012 2:20 AM