February 12, 2011 — joebageant.com

An update on the health of my friend Joe:

After a month in hospitals, cussing doctors and wanting to escape, Joe Bageant is back home in his own bed in Winchester. He is continuing the chemotherapy as an out-patient.

I talked to Joe by phone this morning and he sounded quite strong — compared to when I last saw him New Year‘s Eve at the Guadalajara airport as he left for Virginia. “I’m feeling better and better every day,” Joe said. “But, I’m so busy keeping track of when and how many pills to take that it will be a while before I get back to writing. I haven’t even touched my laptop in two months.”

Joe has received several thousand emails from his readers, more than he could read and acknowledge even when healthy. Joe’s wife Barbara and his son Tim select several emails every day to read to him. I am saving all of Joe’s email and will send him a package of well wishes when he gains even more strength and feels like reading again.

— Ken Smith