SINKING IN THE LONESOME SEA

A relevant memory: I was not able to buy insurance due to a pre-existing (and misdiagnosed) mood disorder so I was uninsured when I first started cancer treatment.

I had an 8 hour surgery to remove cancer on my thyroid and lymph nodes that left my vocal nerve paralyzed. This meant I was not able to swallow, or speak well. Within a few hours in my room I was visited by someone from the billing department to ask about how I wanted to set up my payments.

I couldn't speak clearly so I wrote that I couldn't deal with that right now but I would later. It was both dehumanizing and entirely stressful to deal with both the unexpected complications from my surgery AND the reality of the huge bill at the same time.

The ACA is not perfect but I am constantly grateful that I am able to buy insurance and won't be denied this right in the future due to my pre-existing conditions and continuing need for expensive tests.

Having insurance also means I am treated much more normally at hospitals. I still pay huge premiums and copays but as someone who experienced treatment before and after the ACA I can testify it made a huge and important difference.

As tensions continue to flare between U.S. citizens and President Donald J. Trump’s administration, concerned workers and citizens have declared a National Strike on February 17, 2017 (Twitter: #NationalStrike, #F17 #resisttrump #nobannowall #blacklivesmatter, #nodapl etc). Open to all people we will join others across the country in a nationwide call to action making their voices heard and demonstrating against Donald Trump and his administration by not working, not attending school, not making any purchases and participating in demonstrations.

This is an inclusive autonomous call to action. We welcome all people in their struggles against the Fascist Trump Regime.

I'm excited to be teaching a workshop February 27- March 3 at the Sequential Artists Workshop in Gainesville. I'm planning on lots of one-on-one time and a shitton of demos. So if you ever wanted to be bombarded with my opinions, advice, and coffee breath ... sign up below!

I did a long scrolling comics adaptation of a scene from "The Return of Münchausen" for the Paris Review: