Sun and warm air dropped over everyone’s roofs and heads on Sunday. I kept the window rolled down as the full Alemany Flea Market appeared on my port side. No shopping for treasures today — I was going to say good bye to a friend of 36 years. S. Clay Wilson’s ventilator had been removed and it
was expected that he would soon pass.
Visiting an ICU is always a grim adventure. The ward is full of hope and folks hanging by one fingernail to our world. Wilson was napping and his hospital bed was inflating and deflating in a slow silent wave under him, keeping bed sores at bay. He had been cleaned up and was breathing quite well on his own. A brace on his ankle was switched daily to make sure his tendon did not deteriorate from lack of use and give him a drop-foot condition.
He seemed peaceful napping. Lorraine and I began to say hello to him and he woke slowly, and batted open his eyes. The tube was now out of his head and the head had returned to almost normal size. A few scabs on his head and a two-week beard growth were all that seemed different about Steve.
We started giving him news and greetings from his friends. He turned his head to where Lorraine was standing and then back to me when I talked. I told him a bad joke and he responded not unlike most people I tell bad jokes to. He didn’t change expression. He was able to cough a bit, and moved his legs several times. The oxygen absorption was at 100%. This was remarkable, I thought. I touched his arm and told him that when he got better we would get him out of there. He responded with a facial expression that seemed to say: “what’s stopping you.” Paul Mavrides saw him today and confirmed that his attentiveness was much greater and that he was improved from last week.
Wilson is not out of the woods by a long shot. Recovery will be a long time, but breathing on his own is a big step. He is able to hear people and some response is clear. They will have to move him soon and perhaps he can get into a facility like Laguna Honda which took care of Gary Arlington for a year and a half. Gary is now living by himself down by the ball park.
I came to say goodbye to Wilson, but said see you later instead.
- Ron Turner
13 responses so far ↓
1 Carolina Stewart Cooney // Nov 21, 2008 at 10:55 am
Thank goodness Wilson’s doing better — when I first began reading this post I drew in a sharp breath and was ready for the worst. Luckily that is not the case and hopefully Wilson will continue to be on the up-and-up.
Please keep the updates coming, Ron, and give Wilson our love.
2 Roldo // Nov 22, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Oh THANKS, Man – I was goggling all over trying for news on Wilson and not only did I find it but it good. I’ll spread the word locally.
3 chuck // Dec 1, 2008 at 10:55 pm
hope all the best for wilson – my friends & I used to bustout laughing at “Zap” ca. 1970-71 when i was at cal – especially take story of “the captain”
4 john nelson // Dec 11, 2008 at 11:32 am
Thanks Ron,
sorry we missed you this trip but the news of SKW gladdened an otherwise sunny day here in wi.
john
5 D Langdon Jones // Dec 22, 2008 at 10:04 pm
My eBay listing is donating all proceeds (after eBay and PayPal fees) to SCW:
The link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190275800923
6 S. Clay Wilson Update — dedicated web site // Apr 1, 2009 at 1:54 pm
[...] is now a web site for S. Clay Wilson (blogged), where you can find some information on his current condition and plans for the future. To [...]
7 chris // Apr 3, 2010 at 9:43 pm
Any updates on Gary Arlington? He’s the same guy that owned that comic shop on 23rd st. in the Mission right? Thanks!
8 Colin // Apr 5, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Gary is doing okay. Yes, that was his comic shop.
9 W.T.'Hat'Joyce // Apr 14, 2010 at 11:23 pm
Is there anyway that we can find out how S.Clay Wilson is at this present time because the the so called blog appears to be a site for donantions and I’m in the dark, and so are many fans of this great American artist, and the last updates on his condition are from late 2008. I wish you a speedy recovery man! Hat
10 Colin // Apr 15, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Wilson continnues to live at home. He was at the recent Wondercon in SF, having a table in artist’s alley. He does not enjoy large crowds and Wondercon had record numbers. He draws his characters for sale. Currently, he and the other Zap artists are working on a new Zap (#16). He is still recovering from his head injury.
11 Hat Joyce // Jun 10, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Colin,
I’m tardy but thanks for the update and greatly appreciate it. Great that he’s still coming along and that Zap # 16 is coming out.
12 Maria D'Marco // Jul 5, 2010 at 7:24 am
hmmmmm for some reason, i had s clay wilson pop into my head this morning – haven’t thought of him for – well, lots of years. we used to live together in lawrence kansas ages ago – b4 he left for cali and great fame. i still have some drawings somewhere that he did back then. i was only 16, so they were amazing and he was even more amazing. last i remember, he was with a tall gal named Nadra…
anyway – was sorry to hear of his injury, but if his skull is as hard as he is/was stubborn – then it’s no surprise to me that he chose to stay awhile.
it was interesting to know him when he was such an exotic character – yet it was even more interesting to find out what a secretly traditional dude he was – ideals/values – and such, behind the outrageous appearance. And he’s really friggin smart! LOL
nice to know you decided to hang out a bit longer, wilson – if i find those drawings, will find a way to get them back to you.
13 Lorraine Chamberlain // Jul 11, 2010 at 7:14 pm
I live with Wilson, and am planning to update his website this week, with the help of Bobby Ray at Last Gasp. (I apologize for this delay, not having the technological expertise to take care of what I started!) Hopefully, I’ll be able to make it more user friendly in the next week, and promise to post something I have written on there to let people know more about how he is doing after 9 months at home with me.
For now, let me say he is physically healthy. We exercise every day and go out for walks. He has short term memory loss and aphasia, so he’s not nearly as talkative as he once was, and is frequently confused about the little details of daily life. We have a couple of caregivers who come in several afternoons a week to give me a break, as he needs 24 hour care.
He has been drawing off and on since he’s been home.
I will make his website more informative, and post photos very soon, with Bobby’s help.
Thanks for your patience!
Lorraine
Leave a Comment