From Alex Pournelle, Dr. Pournelle’s son:
“Jerry had a small stroke. He is recovering well at a local hospital. Prognosis is good, though they’re running more tests and he’s expected to stay at least another day or two.
“He felt well enough to call Mom [Mrs. Pournelle] from the hospital.
“Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. More updates when we have them.”
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UPDATE – 19 December 2014
“Update: Jerry continues to make much progress. Even in the last day the differences are marked. He has moved yet again to a long-term acute rehab assignment for speech/throat and physical therapy, where he will stay at least through the holidays.
“In a twist of fate far too strange to put into fiction, Jerry ended up in the exact same room as did Harlan Ellison a month earlier, after his own stroke. Harlan related this in a call today to get an update on Jerry. Harlan, by the way, sounds completely recovered on the phone—another good sign.
“We expect Jerry to start updates on the website presently, but they will be short at first. He’s re-learning to type, now just with one finger ‘and a claw’, so patience is appreciated.
“He called after the transfer, to say it was 17 minutes by car from the one facility to the next. Not the sign of someone out of touch with his surroundings or the passage of time.
“His cognition appears little affected. He keeps answering the many ‘do you know where you are?’ questions straight, but he’s sorely tempted to start embroidering the truth…”
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Oremus:
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Jerry, habeas Felicem Diem Nativitatis Christi et Novum Annum Fortunatum. Deus te benedicat!
My thoughts and prayers for your swift and full recovery, and for your family in this Christmas season.
I hope they have some figgy pudding for you in the rehab facility.
Jerry: Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family this Yuletide season. Wishing you a speedy recovery to good health for the New Year.
Best wishes, Jerry! Hope you recover soon.
Praying for you and your family, Sir.
Jerry,
Praying for your family and your speedy recovery! Your work here on Earth is not quite finished yet!!
Do get well soon, Dr Pournelle. You’re greatly missed.
(And you’re on the prayer list.)
Jerry,
All our prayers for a speedy recovery and a swift return to good health and spirits.
Best wishes,
Chris
Jerry
Wishing you a speedy recovery and return to good health and many more years of commentary.
all the best
David
Dear Jerry,
God bless and preserve you and your family through this.
Best Wishes,
Mark
I asked a speech therapist if it was frustrating working with stroke patients. She said they all get better. Listen to your therapists. They are like life insurance companies, eternally optimistic.
Get better, Dr Pournelle. I hope we can get a few more books out of you! God bless you and your family and friends.
Never give up and never surrender!
God’s speed on quick recovery Dr. Pournell.
Get well soon!
Sorry to hear the news. Ever since the Byte days you have been an inspiration to what is possible when an individual uses his gifts for the benefit of others. Praying for a speedy recovery.
My late Mother had a massive heart attack in March and a stroke in April & had a series of manymin her medical history. She died April 9th at the age of 94 somImknow how debilitating this can be.
Its an overused phrase but Jerry is a true patriot and a national treasure. I admire him for his intellect, his writings, his unabashed opinions on current topics and his support of space and our military.
I’ve spent time drinking and singing with him at cons and have wriiten him back and forth in emails and have all his books on my shelves. I read his multiple columns in computer magazines for years and even have some of his old computer books as well.
I consider him more than a mere aquintance and would be proud to call him my friend.
I wish him a speedy and full recovery and his fanily and him all my prayers in this difficult time.
Get well soon Jerry.
We and America can’t afford to,lose you !
Dr. Pournelle, I am in the process of professing my thanks to the people that shaped who I became. I need to thank you for your Chaos Manor articles, which kept me grounded during the time I spent at the university for my Systems Engineer degree (the John Shea type of Systems Engineer, not the glorified geek of these days).
So, please get better fast so I can properly present my respects! 🙂
Prayers, good vibes, happy thoughts, well wishes, crossed digits and everything else are aimed in your direction. Get well soon!
May you enjoy a speedy recovery.
“Embroidering the truth” is one of the things authors do to create their stories, so I’m sure Dr. Pournelle will do it well and with great style.
My best wishes for a speedy and full recovery, sir.
Thoughts and prayers are with you, Dr Pournelle, and a speedy recovery for the New Year!