Joe Haldeman holding stable

Joe Haldeman, credit: Mikko Aarnio

The health of award-winning science fiction author Joe Haldeman is holding stable after he was hospitalised last week for a twisted bowel and severe pancreatitis, according to updates posted online by his wife.

Haldeman subsequently had to go through urgent surgery and is currently recovering. The update posted by Gay Haldeman on the SFF.net forums reads:

“Joe still has a high fever, though not as high as yesterday. He’s off the cold bed again. Still in ICU, still on the ventilator. I hope to talk to some doctors today. All other signs seem to be holding stable. He is responding to the nurses commands–”Squeeze my hand. Open your eyes.” I think they bring him up to almost consciousness, then let him go back down.”

Best wishes for the ill author continue to pour in from fans on the forums and on other sites.

Haldeman is 66 years old and is best known for his 1976 novel The Forever War, which won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, although he has published many more books since, including Forever Peace, which although not a direct sequel, has some similarities to The Forever War, and also won both the Nebula and Hugo Awards. His most recent book is 2008′s Marsbound, which Keeping the Door reviewed here.