Zeg’s prospects — and Bill’s

Quadrant Online readers have long enjoyed cartoonist Zeg’s take on the news. Now they can return the favour with a prayer for a man who can use all the help he can get just now. Several months Zeg, aka Steven Gunnell, was diagnosed with a deep brain aneurysm. He writes:

I have an aneurysm and AVM (arteriovenous malformation) deep within my brain, so deep it is almost inoperable. I can expect a very risky eight-hour operation, to take place this Thursday at The Royal North Shore Hospital. I won’t be able to communicate, let alone draw anything, for probably a month. That’s assuming, firstly, that I survive the procedure, and/or I still have the physical/mental ability to do so.

My surgeon has not beaten around the bush and neither shall I. The list of possible permanent damage as a result of the surgery is quite long. Everything from paralysis to blindness, from cognitive recognition disorder to personality disorder and several other dysfunctions. The consequence of doing nothing is  obvious and grim. Thus I have reluctantly agree to the operation.

Obviously it’s a frightening time personally and for my family BUT confidence is still very high due to the incredible skill of my neurosurgeon. I am correctly informed that Dr Assaad is the best in the country when dealing with this type of surgery. Plus my strong will to survive and finish the work I must yet do here, so please don’t write me off, as I am certainly not planning on going anywhere yet!

Best wishes and prayers would be appreciated.