Joe Haldeman appears to be recovering

Joe Haldeman, credit: Mikko Aarnio

Science fiction great Joe Haldeman has recovered from life-threatening illness suffered over the past few weeks to the extent that he may be moved out of his hospital’s intensive care ward and into a rehabilitation facility.

In late September Haldeman – award-winning author of The Forever War, among other books – was hospitalised for a twisted bowel and severe pancreatitis, according to forum postings online by his wife, Gay Haldeman. He subsequently had to go through urgent surgery.

On October 6, Gay Haldeman wrote on the SFF.net forums, the 66-year-old American author still had a fever and was still in the intensive care unit, but he had a tracheostomy operation on his throat to allow him to breath better.

“He came through fine and looks more relaxed, with that tube out of his throat,” Gay Haldeman wrote. They’ll keep him sedated tonight to recover, then will begin letting up on the sedation tomorrow. We’ll see how that goes. I’m hoping this is a strong turn for the better. We’ll see. One day at a time.”

Two days later, the author’s health had already improved, with his respirator (the machine assists with breathing through a tube in the throat) turned down slightly, and food intake up. Gay Haldeman wrote:

“He heard niece Lorena talking, turned to look at her and smiled. Smiled at me and squeezed my hand. We explained, again, that he couldn’t raise his hands because he had a gastric tube down his throat and a trach tube and they didn’t want him to touch them. He mouthed “Oh, shit.” Smiled after that.”

Gay Haldeman noted her husband’s doctors planned to move him “next week” to an acute care rehabilitation facility, and out of the intensive care unit.

Last Friday, October 9, Gay Haldeman wrote that the author seemed a little better. He may be able to get out of bed soon and into a chair. “Kelly the social worker came in and talked to him; when he responded she gushed about how good it was to finally meet him,” she wrote. “He grinned and made a kissing motion. She said she’d tell his wife and he laughed. She couldn’t wait to tell me about it.”

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.