A few housekeeping notes:
If your comment doesn’t go through the first time, give it a little time. We have the filters set pretty tight and we have been pretty good about checking it several times a day.
I know there are duplicate comments. I will be cleaning that up at some point but right now don’t worry about it, just go onto the next comment.
I ask that you remember that the girls and Peter are reading this site every day.
Thank you
THE PETER UPDATE:
Progress is slow and Peter is frustrated which is perfectly normal for him to be so. He is working well with the PT and OT staff. They are still working on the white cell count but it is becoming closer and closer to be declared an aberration and let’s move on.
If you think of it, we don’t know our white cell count day to day. We are having our blood drawn one or twice a day and put through a battery of tests (OK may be a few of you are but you are in the minority). So a change in the white cell count could just be how his body can react to stress and believe me, his body has been stressed recently.
So cross your fingers that we get the GO on Monday to move Peter to the next step and get him working back to his old self.
He is spending more time sitting before it gets uncomfortable. The more he is up, the better it is for his body.
Yesterday was an interesting day. We made plans to get together with our friends at Disney Hollywood Studio since Magic Kingdom is still blacked out for cast members. Caroline was meeting up with her friend EM. Ariel and I were looking forward to meeting up with G, her dad and ER, his fiancé. Yes, I am being a little squirrely about the names but G and ER both work for Disney and are cast members in the parks so I am respecting their privacy. We met G for the first time by name the night we got engaged.
Peter encouraged us to go. I left him his cell phone so he could follow along with pictures and texts and if he wanted to call us which he did a couple of time to check in.
We went to the park and tried to get fast passes to Toy Story Mania but those were gone probably within an hour of the park opening to the general public. So we went over to Star Tours and got fast passes for that. Ariel and I decided to take Caroline on the Great Movie Ride which she doesn’t remember being on. She declared that she both loved and hated it. Hated the Alien which of course dropped RIGHT over our heads but loved other parts a lot. We caught up with GEE after that.
Disney Hollywood was pretty crowded. But we managed to walk around and get some lunch at one of the fast food joint. Our fast passes were good at that point. Ariel gave her ticket up to EM so she could ride with Caroline. I took the girls on and we had a good time (For those keeping Star Tours score: Imperial Droid, Pod Race, Princess Leia, Gunga city). After that we rejoined the rest of the adults in our party.
Now I knew intellectually about “triggers” and try to be a good net citizen by warning people when I am talking about subjects that might cause them some distress. I haven’t put any here because we are talking about stroke and the effects on the patient and the family and that’s the current topic here.
I was walking with G, EM, and the girls when I noticed Ariel had that expression on her face that I remember from when she was child. Something was bothering her. So I asked G to take care of Caroline while I talk to Ariel.
It was the park and seeing Star Tours that caused her to just let loose the flood of tears I have been waiting for since this whole thing happened. I have been joking with her about her brave little toaster face but I knew that she was hurting and sad and angry all at the same time. I let her just talk and tell me her fears and frustrations with all of this. She was playing the blame game with herself with all those lovely woulda, shoulda and couldas that have become part of my regular thinking along with Peter’s. We had a long talk about that it wasn’t her fault and all the good things she had done for her father and the rest of her family since this all started. She felt better I think for letting it all out.
Caroline’s trigger was the Christmas light show they are doing on the back lot of Disney Hollywood Studios. She was watching with wonder at all the lights and the music and looking for the hidden Mickey’s in the lights. It is very impressive. She turned to me with tears in her eyes and said, “I miss Daddy. He would love this.” I held her among the holiday revelers all around us as she cried it out. Ariel got the idea to tape the whole scene so we could show it to her Dad, which made Caroline feel a little better.
We rode Star Tours a couple of more times thanks to Fast Passes. Ariel thinks she is doomed to Hoth since she has seen it EVERY TIME she has been on the ride. But she did get some different secondary pieces.
I dropped the girls off where we are staying and went back to the hospital. Peter called me to check in when I had just turned off the car in the hospital parking lot. We spent some time together and watched the repeat of SNL. I told him about what had happened at the parks and that the girls were doing better. He told me about his day and I talked to the night nurse who is a real pip. She and Peter get along really well.
I came back and poured myself into bed and had one of the better night sleeps than I had been having.
Today we go back and see how Peter is doing and take it from there. One day at a time and one foot in front of the other.
I am grateful for all the support systems we have around us that are helping us with this crisis. And I am so VERY grateful to all of you for spreading the word about how to help Peter. It is working. I ask for your continued help in all this.
• 
Thank you so much for keeping us well informed! 🙂 Mr. David is a personal hero of mine and now please add yourself and your family to my hero list. The strength you are all showing during this ordeal is absolutely inspiring. Soon enough, Peter will be back to his old self, ready for some laser tag against Walter Jones! I mean, c’mon! Peter has the Hulk AND plenty of gunslingers living through him! No way something like this will keep him down for long! My best wishes to all of you and Mr. David, if you are reading this, please know you are in my thoughts and I am sending good vibes your way!
I’m glad things are getting a bit better, and the wheels are turning so Peter can work on feeling better.
Reading your posts is both moving and inspirational.
I know nows not the time, but your diary might be the beginnings of something that could help with the expenses of Peter’s care.
I’m sure down the way when Peter’s treatment has got to a point where life is “normal” you two should do a joint book about the time and the effect on your family. People would want to read it, both fans of PAD and people who’ve been or are in the same boat.
At the end of the month when I get paid I’m going to snap up all the Print on Demand books.
Happy New Year Davids.
I understand what Ariel was going through.
My dad had a heart attack in December 1996, a week before Christmas. My younger siblings had meltdowns either that day or the following day. I was very stoic.
Then came the day before his bypass surgery. My mom and I and a few others were in a quiet room as the doctor explained what the plan for the surgery was. That was when I lost it.
Seeing my dad in the post-op room was one of the most frightening experiences of my life. He skin was blue and he was cold to the touch, the room was dark, there were tubes coming out of his mouth. The machines burbled like an aquarium’s aerator.
No child ever wants to see their parents in a hospital bed. No matter how old we get, it’s our parents we turn to when we want reassurance that everything will be okay. We look to our parents for strength. But this can make it doubly hard when our parents need us to be strong for them. The fears and the anxieties build up until they finally overflow.
It’s okay to be angry. It’s okay to be afraid. And it’s okay to let the tears flow. Not all tears are evil, as Gandalf said, and tears because a parent is hospitalized and facing a long road to recovery are tears shed out of love.
Good thoughts to you, Ariel.
My thoughts tour to you several times a day. I have been and will continue to buy your books regularly and know that many others are also supporting in this way. Stay Brave and don’t give up. We’re all pulling for you!
I am completely glad and grateful to be able to help in any way that I can. You, Peter and the girls have been in my thoughts pretty much non-stop since we first got word of this, and you continue to be in my prayers, right at the top, every day. I wish there were more I could do.
Thanks for the update Kathleen. My prayers are with you and Peter and the girls every day. Here’s hoping for a steady and sure recovery and happiness for you all.
Sorry about the double posts yesterday. Guess that’s what I get for posting from my iPhone. While I was in the hospital with my strokes, my wife and daughters were a wreck. My best advice for the family is find someone to talk to be it a therapist church member or friend. Believe it or not, but my wife had p.t.s.d from it. Her therapist said its common for family members to suffer from it. Please find someone to talk to. When Peter gets better he will need to talk with someone too. Post stroke depression is a real thing that all stroke survivors go thru. Give it sometime. The thing i had the hardest time with was being in a wheelchair the first month after and alway having to be watched. I had lock in my left arm for a month but went away thank to PT. Again please contact me if you or Peter have any questions or just want to speak with someone that’s gone through it. Today will be a better day.
I agree with everything RUSH said, earlier; only-I will add Mackenzie Calhoun blood, to that… Grozzit! My nickname is Calhoun, so-I think of M’k’n’zy, as-ME… LOL! Peter, we’re with ya, bro! And-like that violet-eyed Xenexian, we know you’ll conquer this “New Frontier”, mightier, than-before…
All my prayers…
—^^^”< 1
I have been a fan of Peter’s work for a long time. I was sorry to hear about the stroke and wish him well! Picked up a couple of books I hadn’t read yet and have been enjoying them. Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery!
Good for you to keep life moving with your friends and family and stop everything. It’s important for the kiddos to know life goes on.
Happy that it sounds like PAD is doing better, even it’s slow going.
Best wishes to you all.
I was at that holiday display last year on my son’s Make A Wish trip (fortunately a victory lap). It had the same kind of emotional trigger for me, too.
My best for my fave author and his family! Wish I could do more to help other than send good wishes… I already had the books to buy, although I did convince my brother to pick up the newest ones this week.
I was at that holiday display last year on my son’s Make A Wish trip (fortunately a victory lap). It had the same kind of emotional trigger for me, too. My best for my fave author and his family! Wish I could do more to help other than send good wishes… I already had the books to buy, although I did convince my brother to pick up the newest ones this week.
The fact that you were all able to go out, breathe and emotionally release was probably what you all needed during this time. Over 10 years ago, my father went into the hospital for some tests, within hours he was diagnosed with 95% blockage in his heart. Being the eldest son, I tried to hold it together for the sake of the rest of my family and remained stoic through the time before his surgery and the pre-op. That was until we were saying our goodbyes and the priest walked in. He was there requesting if my father would like last rites performed. It was this event that struck me hard and I had to leave the room to be alone (and cry like a teenage girl at a Twilight movie). Somehow all of the stress that I had been feeling was released in a single burst. It was cathartic – and necessary. Dad’s fine now. It’s been over 10 years and no recurrence. I full hope that Peter will get better and get back to his family, his friends – and yes, his writing. Kathleen, thank you for keeping us informed of his progress and being so open about the events. This can’t be easy for you but know that there are many people praying for you and your family. Take care.
Hi,
May I ask what hospital Peter is staying? You can email me should you choose not to reveal it here and I’ll understand if you do not want to tell me at all.
Wishing him and all of you all of my prayers, but knowing Peter, he’ll probably write in some sort of MST3K gag line in the middle of it.
Marc B. Lee
Friend
Mr. David, I’ve always loved talking and debating with you on Twitter. Your professional work speaks for itself. You are a writer. A working writer. A true bard of the 21st century. Someone who can take the fragment of a moment or a memory and craft a tale of fun, excitement, and splendor. You have a gift and it’s one that has entertained me my entire 40 year life. Thank you for everything you have done to give a little light to the world. I know this cannot keep you down. You are Peter David. Now, harness that healing factor. I expect no fill-in writers for your books! 😉 Much love, now and forever.
-Oz Baxter
Kathleen:
I don’t want to give you false hope but I do want to help ease your mind a bit.
I am a hematologist and I can tell you that WBC counts constantly fluctuate. Some people also tend to always run high and some naturally run low. That’s why the “reference range” is meant to include 95-98% of the healthy population. For someone like Peter, who has had a stroke and been staying in the hospital, I would expect a higher count. Just know that if it is elevated, even by a little, hospitals tend to monitor patients very carefully. One major problem with recovering patients is the possibility of a hospital acquired infection. They can get in some serious legal and financial trouble if he leaves before they are positive he is 100% recovered. There are a number of other things that we look for but that seems like the likely scenario. I obviously don’t know the specifics of Peter’s case but hopefully these generalities will help you a little bit.
I hope the best for you guys.
CG
No wonder he’s “stressed” . . . he’s the hardest working writer in the comic business, the show business or any “the ______ business” for that matter. I’m glad his family is with him, and I’m keeping all of you in my prayers.
Thank you Kathleen. I admire your strength and appreciate your efforts to keep PAD’s ‘extended family’ informed. I too admire your daughters and their coping with PAD’s absence from their daily lives. Caroline and Ariel are real troopers, they remind me of my own daughters. I forwarded Caroline’s observations to them along with a suggestion they try out one of PAD’s works. I even passed on my treasured volume of Darkness to my wife to read. Our tastes don’t usually cross paths but I so love that story and its humour (plus Zerena Foux reminds me of my mother). My order for PAD’s works that I haven’t read is being prepared and will go in this week. Thanks again Kathleen and to all your daughters, for sharing PAD with us.
Dear Peter, Kathleen, Caroline and everyone else involved,
I just wanted to wish you all the best in these tough times. I know little things can mean a lot sometimes, so I just felt like saying something. My thoughts are with you, and I know you’ll pull through this, and eventually you’ll be stronger for it. Greetings from a fan.
I’m glad to hear that Peter is doing better, and I hope he has all the success and luck in the world with his recovery. (The daily updates are also very nice: Given all you & yours have to deal with, it’s amazing and flattering that you’re also keeping all of PAD’s fans in the loop.)
I’m also glad to hear that you/Kath are also doing things with the kids. I know from personal experience how hard it can be to take care of/be with someone who’s very sick; and if your days are spent waking up, spending all day at the hospital, going to sleep, and repeating, it’s a quick way to a mental or physical breakdown. It’s terrific that you’re taking care of yourself and your kids as well as PAD; not to minimize what’s happened to him, but you are all important in this.
Be well.
Kathleen, thank you. Be sure to take care of yourself as much as you take care of C, A, and PAD. I was both stunned and saddened at the initial news I saw on ME’s site: my favorite blogger tells me my favorite writer is ill. I shared immediately and want to donate/buy, but am all full up on PAD’s latest. Hopefully, the vampire book will be print on demand; certainly before I give up paper books. I often tell friend with e-books that PAD asked fans what he should price his stuff at. Good show. I’m checking in every day; thanks for being there. Get well.
My dad had a stroke that seems to have been similar to Mr. David’s. He made a full recovery, or as much as possible; the hard part is keeping the spirits up during the second part of the physical therapy.
For any face uneveness, our doc recommended chewing gum; for PT, we actually had small soda bottles filled with different amounts of sand; a small children’s battery piano for finger dexterity, etc.
I wish only the best for PAD, and I know he will beat this.
Kathleen:
I don’t want to give you false hope but I do want to help ease your mind a bit.
I am a hematologist and I can tell you that WBC counts constantly fluctuate. Some people also tend to always run high and some naturally run low. That’s why the “reference range” is meant to include 95-98% of the healthy population. For someone like Peter, who has had a stroke and been staying in the hospital, I would expect a higher count. Just know that if it is elevated, even by a little, hospitals tend to monitor patients very carefully. One major problem with recovering patients is the possibility of a hospital acquired infection. They can get in some serious legal and financial trouble if he leaves before they are positive he is 100% recovered. There are a number of other things that we look for but that seems like the likely scenario. I obviously don’t know the specifics of Peter’s case but hopefully these generalities will help you a little bit.
I hope the best for you guys.
CG
Sorry for the double post. It said the first time it couldn’t post…
Thanks for the updates, as always. And kudos to Ariel for not keeping her emotions bottled up once she had a chance to let them out. It’s not always an easy thing to do, especially in times like this.
Thanks for the updates. Keep being brave, having positive thoughts 🙂 Wishing speedy recovery, may Peter get well soon.
I completely understand all of you with the whole shoulda coulda woulda’s but please remember that it could have been a lot worse had Peter been by himself instead of with his family to realize what was going on and take appropriate steps to get him back on his feet. You all are doing an awesome job supporting him and he will get better faster because of you. Great job girls! Thank you for the updates.
i hope your daughters have been seeing the outpouring of love and concern from their father’s fans and colleagues
and please tell him that we already miss him over at aicn
one of the few pros that takes out time for give and take with us lowly geeks
been a fan for 30 years and i know he is too darn stubborn to give into this bump in the road
i know david isnt very observant, but could you post his and his mother’s hebrew names? i would like to say tehilim (psalms) in his name….it cant hurt
He is Jacob Ben Dalia.
I’m sorry, Peter, Katherine, Caroline, etc, that I haven’t said anything before this. I just moved and haven’t even had Internet access for the past few weeks. I hope Peter has a quick, safe recovery, and one that is as full as possible.
Dear Peter David,
I’m French so please excuse my… English.
I remember reading your HULK episodes with Dave KEOWN as a child of nine. I then read your GROUND ZERO tradepaperback and was blown away by your deep characterisation, your gift with dialogue and your genuine love for your characters (the scene with Grey Hulk and Betty on this cliff is one of my favorites EVER). I have to admit your Hulk episodes made me cry on several occasions !
I then read some of your novels (“The Batman Forever” was pretty good!), your Spider Man 2099 series, you Supergirl series, your great great reunion with Rick Jones in “Capitain Marvel” and always kept a great likening for your work.
Your great inspiring work is part of the reason I’m now a professionnal writer. The quality of your writing, your love for your characters and your work ethic are some of the qualities I try to develop myself on a daily basis.
I was saddened by the unfortunate event that affected your health and I’m sure your progress will be constant.
I wish you will write again and soon. Not for us, readers (even if it would be great), but For yourself, for the great born writer that you are.
My thoughts are with you and with your family.
An almost lifelong fan,
Yacine.
Peter,
I’m very sorry to hear about your stroke. My son and I met you a couple years ago at DragonCon and every year since we stop by to say, Hi. The first time we met, your daughter was with you drawing some pictures. She was pretty proud of her work and asked me if I would buy her picture as I was buying some books from you. You and I looked at each other, we did the “Dad’s only” exchange (you got change for a $5? Yeah, here’s 6 one’s) and I gave her a dollar for the picture. She lit up and started drawing more pictures, it was obvious Peter was going to need to sell more books to keep up! My son kept the drawing in one of the books we bought and brings it back with us every year we get to go to DragonCon. I think he wants to find her and ask her to sign it. 🙂
Initially, I was more excited to meet you (big New Frontier fan) than my son was until he found out you wrote Young Justice. Now he watches the YJ credits just to see your name and tell everyone he’s met you (and your daughter).
Hope you continue to get better, Peter. DragonCon (Star Trek and YJ as well) wouldn’t be the same without you.
Matt and Jake
You handled the bursting of your daughters’ emotions beautifully. Kudos for being aware that it would happen and using that awareness to its best effect.
You’re a Good Mom.