Last month Brian Basset reported he had cancer surgery forcing Red and Rover into rerun status. In late June Red and Rover returned to new comic strips, then last week it was back to reruns.
Darryl Heine contacted the cartoonist to ask why and Brian responded:
This has been an extremely trying time for me. After my initial surgery on June 13 with a week’s stay in the hospital, I came down with a post-op infection three weeks after discharge which landed me back in the hospital for another week. The infection was so sever that my white blood cell count went through the roof, putting me at a great risk of a stroke. While in the hospital I contracted pneumonia along with a collapsed lung which made breathing all but impossible. I was put on oxygen for the rest of my stay. After discharge I went home with a portable IV machine for continual antibiotics, yet a week later my doctors determined that I wasn’t getting any better. It’s just been in the last few days that I’ve felt remotely human as my antibiotics were switched after a National database determined exactly what strain of bacteria was in my blood. I am still looking extremely fatigued but can feel myself getting a tad stronger with each day. God willing, I hope to be able to focus long enough where I can begin writing new material sometime next week. I hope this better explains the ringer I’ve gone through and why Andrews McMeel Universal is continuing to run Red and Rovers re-runs.
© Brian Basset
We wish Brian a quick and full recovery.
We sure send all the prayers that Brian is soon better…we sure enjoy Red and Rover and wish their creator only the best !
Prayers and good thoughts coming your way! You provide so much joy for us, your fans.Our pack and I are wishing you a very speedy recovery. One step/day at a time, Brian! Hugs, Barks, Woof-Woofs! We love you!
Hope you continue to improve. Positive thoughts you way.