I’m going into the hospital for emergency surgery in a few minutes. Not a big deal at all but a major inconvenience and always a tremendous hassle. There is never a good time to be sick. I know I’ve neglected this site since my trip to Vietnam, and it’s held up only thanks to the incredibly good work of the guest bloggers, who I want to beg to keep it going. I had a good time in Beijing, but it was kind of ruined when, on Friday night, I began to feel acute pain that’s basically kept me immobile. The trip also forced me to take a hard look at my life and my dreams and ambitions, and as soon as I can function fully, I’ll talk about it here. But right now all I’m focused on is getting better. Thanks again for your patience, and sorry for the long period of radio silence.
Update: I am back at least for a while. I need to go back to the hospital for test results on Wednesday. Meanwhile, I feel like I’m being kicked in the stomach, but stuff like that’s never stopped me from posting in the past…
1 By t_co
hey…. sorry, get well soon. i’ll get in touch with my coz… see if he can get you anything
November 13, 2006 @ 8:10 am | Comment
2 By OtherLisa
Oh, yikes! best wishes, feel better, we miss you!
November 13, 2006 @ 9:35 am | Comment
3 By Brendan
Sorry to hear it – get well soon!
November 13, 2006 @ 9:38 am | Comment
4 By Charlie
Dirty Beijing will do that to you – get better soon Richard!
November 13, 2006 @ 11:32 am | Comment
5 By Charlie
Dirty Beijing will do that to you – get better soon Richard!
November 13, 2006 @ 11:33 am | Comment
6 By Bob Willes Chitty
Hey – the guest bloggers are great…but they are what they are, guests. YOU THE MAN! Get better and get back…soon!
November 13, 2006 @ 11:44 am | Comment
7 By Fat Cat
Richard, I’m still recovery from my illness so I can understand how you feel right now. I’ll try to keep up with what’s happening at TPD and post more comments as soon as I feel better. It’s a promise. Take care and have plenty of rest.
November 13, 2006 @ 3:07 pm | Comment
8 By Ivan
May the Great Duck In The Sky lay his healing webbed foot upon you.
November 13, 2006 @ 5:43 pm | Comment
9 By Ivan
By the way, why do I have the feeling that if someone posted a thread called, “Ivan is sick”, everyone would assume it meant something entirely different? 🙂 😉
November 13, 2006 @ 5:57 pm | Comment
10 By zhuanjia
Take it easy, Richard. Having been sick in Beijing and experienced the hospitals there, I think you are fortunate to be in Taipei. Get well soon.
November 13, 2006 @ 9:05 pm | Comment
11 By Raj
Take care!
November 13, 2006 @ 9:08 pm | Comment
12 By Peter
Get well soon, Richard.
November 13, 2006 @ 9:34 pm | Comment
13 By nausicaa
Get well, Richard!
November 13, 2006 @ 10:04 pm | Comment
14 By Sojourner
Hope you have a swift recovery, mate.
November 13, 2006 @ 11:44 pm | Comment
15 By Chip
Taibei hospitals are filthy, but the people are so nice. I had an ingrown toenail removed, and the table I was on still had some blood on it from the previous person. But the doctor was far kinder than any I’d had in the states. Told me jokes the whole time, very pleasant guy. The bill was way cheap too!
November 14, 2006 @ 1:15 am | Comment
16 By michael
I’ve seen doctors smoking in the hallway in a hospital in Xinjiang… so I hope the hospital you’re going to is better than that!
November 14, 2006 @ 2:36 am | Comment
17 By freeacre
Good thoughts to you, Richard. I wish you all the best.
freeacre
la pine, or, usa
November 14, 2006 @ 2:58 am | Comment
18 By China Hand
good luck getting past your medical problems (and the Chinese medical system). Look forward to seeing you back.
November 14, 2006 @ 3:44 am | Comment
19 By Ellen
Feel better, get better soon, Richard!
Love,
Ellen
November 14, 2006 @ 4:48 am | Comment
20 By peter
Get well, duck baker!!
November 14, 2006 @ 5:45 am | Comment
21 By Sonagi
Add my signature to the get well thread! Wishing you a speedy and full recovery, Richard!
November 14, 2006 @ 6:56 am | Comment
22 By richard
Thanks everyone – I won’t know what’s going on until tomorrow, but I am responding well to the drugs they gave me and hope to avoid surgery. I went to Tai-Da hospital – very clean and very good. I went there after getting fed up with the circus over at Cathay hospital. NTU is way better.
November 14, 2006 @ 8:18 am | Comment
23 By the Admiral
Be a good patient Richard. If you have any problems at NTU tell them you know a lot of bloggers that could make it known how they treat patients. 😉
And when you do go home take it easy for a few days!
November 14, 2006 @ 10:06 am | Comment
24 By Dr. J
Richard,
Get well! Be well!
~ DJ
November 14, 2006 @ 10:09 am | Comment
25 By Bukko in Australia
Advice #1: Make sure the doctors and nurses wash their hands before they touch you.
Advice#2: Give a few days advance notice if you want bloggers to riot in your hospital to avenge bad medical tratment. Travel time, you know…
November 14, 2006 @ 10:27 am | Comment
26 By Tom - Daai Tou Laam
Glad to hear that you’re responding well to the drugs, Richard.
By the way, why do I have the feeling that if someone posted a thread called, “Ivan is sick”, everyone would assume it meant something entirely different? 🙂 😉
Posted by: Ivan at November 13, 2006 05:57 PM
Look out! The quacking canards are revolting!
November 14, 2006 @ 11:47 am | Comment
27 By The Iron Buddha
Feel better dude.
November 14, 2006 @ 12:59 pm | Comment
28 By Ivan
Responding well to the drugs? COOL!
“By the time we got to Beijing, the drugs were beginning to take effect….”
November 14, 2006 @ 1:36 pm | Comment
29 By Brendan
Ivan — now that would be a good blog post! “Revulsion and Loathing in Beijing.”
November 14, 2006 @ 3:34 pm | Comment
30 By richard
Wasn’t that the name of that blog that just closed? Oh, right – that was Talk Talk China. (Just kidding.)
November 14, 2006 @ 3:51 pm | Comment
31 By LaoNei
hope you feel better soon richard
November 14, 2006 @ 4:38 pm | Comment
32 By shulan
best wishes from me too.
November 14, 2006 @ 5:31 pm | Comment
33 By Shanghai Slim
Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Richard!
November 14, 2006 @ 6:45 pm | Comment
34 By Ivan
Here’s a radiological scan of what’s going on in Richard’s brain as he responds to drugs:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mxtX_pyhvWk
November 14, 2006 @ 8:07 pm | Comment
35 By Peter Wang
Good luck and best wishes.
November 16, 2006 @ 3:03 pm | Comment
36 By Ames Tiedeman
Richard:
Get well and take care.
Regards,
Ames Tiedeman
November 19, 2006 @ 9:07 pm | Comment