In March, I cheekily posted about some exciting picture book news that I would reveal on this blog SOON. My hope was to drum up a little excitement in The Bloggyverse by not tipping my hand too early.
I’ll let the post sit for a few weeks, I reasoned, Then I will reveal the Big News. Woo!
My body, however, didn’t agree with this schedule.
On the same week I was gonna reveal The Big News, my neck cinched up in blinding pain. I started shaking uncontrollably. Then my newly-christened artificial ankle decided to stop artificial ankling; in an instant, I wasn’t able to walk anymore.
These symptoms warranted an immediate trip to the hospital, where I learned that I had a bacterial infection in my bloodstream that had designs on a bunch of my body parts.
The doctor’s counterattacks were aggressive—sort of a “destroy the village to save it” type deal. I am so very grateful for their efforts, but being the village in this metaphor really sucked.
I was in the hospital for two weeks. My memories of that time only reveal themselves in a series of foggy, unreliable vignettes:
- I remember taking drugs that made me cripplingly claustrophobic; my trip to the MRI was particularly eventful.
- I remember my orthopedic surgeon stripping my ankle for parts like an inner city abandoned car.
- And I remember the friendly glowing, pulsating cobwebs that jellyfished around the room just out of my curious reach. (Apparently, I hallucinated a lot.)
According to a veterinarian friend of mine. What I had was serious. “If you were a horse,” he told me, “I would’ve put you down.”
Fortunately, I am not a horse. Even more fortunately, my psycho friend is not my doctor.
That brings us to today. I’m still recovering. I can’t walk yet, but I’m getting replacement parts installed in my ankle soon. I still need to take intravenous antibiotics three times a day. And I haven’t slept for more than three consecutive hours since Palm Sunday.
So yes, I’m getting better, but bleah.
Anyhoo…
Here’s the The Big News I promised way back in March: Sarah Gives Thanks, my picture book that’s been out of print for more than six years, is getting a paperback edition.
Woo.
I know, the tone of my announcement is a bit less giddy than it should be, but cut me some slack. Remember, if I was a horse, this post would’ve been an In Memoriam.
I’ll get giddier soon, I promise.
As I continue to recover, I’ll get more info out there about the book and the happy circumstances that helped persuade my publisher, Albert Whitman & Co., to give this title a new lease on life. It’s a good story, and I’ll tell it to you soon.
Jesus, at least I hope so.
Hey, Look! A Writer Fellow! 
Oh, Mike! I’m so sorry. It sounds like you’ve been on a wild ride and are still waiting for some real sleep. I’m glad that at least some of your hallucinations were friendly. And that your publishing news is good! Hang in there, my friend. I hope your body bounces back with Allegra alacrity!
Thanks for your very kind words, my friend. I don’t know if I have any Allegra Alacrity, in reserve, though. I might need to settle for…
Settle for…
Dang it, I can’t come up with some clever, alliterative zinger. My mind is still a little mushy.
Oh, look! Glowing, happy cobwebs! Yay!
*Stares at ceiling. Drools on shirt.*
Well, I for one am glad you’re not a horse. You’ve definitely been put through the ringer. We’ve “spoken” about this every now and then, but I didn’t realize how really scary your days/months have been. If I were your neighbor I’d be at your door in a New York minute with a thermos of homemade chicken noodle soup and some stories. Get well soon, my friend. Enough is enough! (And congrats on your book!) Lish
And THIS is why we need to be neighbors, ASAP! We’ll both move to a swing state with a reasonable climate (Pennsylvania is a fine choice, and can greatly benefit from a few extra resident who both know how to vote in a presidential election). Between elections, we’ll hang out over cups of coffee.
It’s a perfect plan, really.
It IS a perfect plan. We’ll had some sugar cookies to dip in said coffee. 🙂
There you go! I’ll start searching out neighboring Zillow listings near Harrisburg’s Midtown Scholars’ Book Store. (Best book store ever.)
You are going to be beyond bionic when this ordeal is over! Has the Marvel franchise reached out to you about options? May your immune system and ankle rebound to super human levels! And quickly, darn it.
Sadly, the bionic part of me was most likely where the infection first took hold.
My superhero name should be Guardian of the Gimpy.
What a crazy health crisis. Kudos on your book Mike and best wishes for recovery.
Thanks so much, Writing to Freedom!
Oh my gosh, I’m glad you have some great doctors looking after you. Stay well!!
I did get lucky with the doctors! Also, my dad’s cousin is a recently retired infections disease surgeon; needless to say he took a very personal interest in my case.
Yuck! And super yuck! But out of curiosity, how much were some of your parts going for? Asking for a friend. Anyhoo, congrats on the paperback! That’s awesome and definitely something to give thanks for!
Yuck! And super yuck! And how much are your parts going for? Asking for a friend. Anyhoo, glad you’re feeling better and mega congrats on the paperback edition.
I don’t think my hardware will score as big a payday as a boosted catalytic converter, if that’s what you’re asking, but I’m sure (non-infected) ankle parts are worth a pretty penny.
Oh boy. I wanted to playfully write, “Damnit, Mike!” like you’ve posted on my socials, but I’ll reserve that for this go ’round. Dude. What the? Was it something with the ankle that caused this, then? Since that was taken apart? And, wow, I remember some ankle stuff, but didn’t realize it was a Robocop ankle. I feel like I missed something.
My left ankle and I have a long and combative history.
And here, Isla, is more info than you probably ever wanted to know about my stupid foot.
I was born with a birth defect which made my left foot small and weak and inflexible. It also twisted inward rather severely, a symptom that was more or less corrected with a pretty major surgery in 1985.
Fast forward some 30-odd years and the foot began to start more trouble. A podiatrist of great confidence and little skill convinced me he could increase my mobility and decrease pain with surgery, but the results failed miserably.
So last year I went to an orthopedic surgeon to get an artificial ankle.
I had one surgery in March 2024 to straighten the foot again. Then, once that healed, the artificial ankle was installed in June. So basically I spent the better part of last year using crutched and showering with a plastic bag on my leg. After lots of PT I could walk again.
And then, less than a year later, dagnabbit, the infection.
I hate my left foot so much.
Could you imagine having two left feet? Not only could you not dance…
I’m sorry. Hilarious description of the over confident surgeon. But what a drag all around. (That wasn’t meant to be a pun.) Trying to get around on crutches isn’t much fun either. Did you ever get a knee scooter? At least there’s a bit of joy in zooming around on one of those.
You’re making me feel better about my broken, for what it’s worth.
Holy wow, Mike! What an ordeal! It sounds awful and I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that. I hope you’re really and truly on the mend and that whatever ankle parts they give you this time will work properly and not cause any more raging infections! Hopefully you can at least turn the friendly pulsating jellyfish cobwebs into a picture book and get SOMEthing out of this sojourn in hell!
Thank you for the kind words and PB advice, but should I really teach children about the joys of hallucinating? 😉
I was thinking less hallucinogenic and more a friendly jelly fish:)
Sorry to hear about all of this. Hope you have a speedy recovery. Happy to hear the paperback news.
Thanks so much, Stacy. Here’s hoping all is well on your end!
Wow! Way to add the drama to your announcement!
I’m really glad you made it through the crisis and are on the mend, and really sorry you had to go through it. Stay well, My Friend.
On another note, congratulations on the paperback release!
Lots of drama indeed!
Thanks so much for your very kind words, Michelle. Here’s hoping all is well with you!
Sorry to hear that 😕
Thanks, Llamaprofound. I appreciate it.
I hurt when I read your post (originally on FB) and now I’m finally back here on the blog. This. Is. Horrible. You don’t deserve it, yet often I guess we get things we don’t deserve. I hope hope the pain is better. That you’re healing. That you’re getting the replacement parts. That maybe the docs/hospital is paying for medical issues after the bacterial infection, which I’m guessing came from the initial surgery? I had facial (nose) flap surgery February (because of melanoma), and the pain was intense. For weeks. And I couldn’t write or smile (well, my face was bandaged from hairline to chin). So, I’m so empathetically with you on this. May you be on the mend!
I’m so sorry to hear about your own painful surgery, my friend!
Yes, I am getting better, the IV lines were removed from my arm a couple of weeks ago and I recently had surgery to reinstall the missing parts from my ankle. I’m in a walking boot, but I still need crutches to get around. Long story short, I’m on the mend.
A long long process for you, Mike. But you’re on the mend! You’re on your feet! (Kind of). You are a bionic SUPER man, indeed.