Jim Harmon Briefly Hospitalized

Jim Harmon, well-known fan, sf writer and popular culture historian, suffered a mild heart attack on November 29 during Loscon. He now has been discharged from the hospital after several days of treatment.

I met Jim for the first time on Saturday when we were together on a LASFS history panel, and I happened to be standing beside the Marriott entrance when the red paramedic truck arrived with lights flashing in response to his emergency.

Harmon has asked his friends to distribute this e-mail to reassure them he is doing better:

I was at the SF LosCon, and had appeared on two panels the day before. The con is held is a huge, spread out hotel, the Marriott, and I was tired out from all the walking. I thought about not going the next day, but did. I reached the room I wanted but a wave of dizziness and pain in my chest overcame me. I asked first man I saw if he would help me, hold me up from falling. Of course, he helped and about four came to my aid. The fifth man was Dr.Bill Ernoehazy, a world famous expert on the heart and space medicine. He examined me and told me to see my doctor as soon as possible. I felt well enough to go into the room and be one of two panelists on the history of pulp magazines, for a tiny audience of four. Then I went over to the panel of Ernoehazy on which Barbara also appeared. His ran a little longer than mine, and when it was over I went and sat down next to Barbara [his wife]. The doctor saw me, and said “You aren’t looking better. You are looking worse.” He took my pulse for a few moments. “I’m calling the paramedics.” He got on a cell phone and called them. They came, were very helpful and they took me by ambulance to the Marina Del Rey hospital.

We’re glad to hear you were able to go home, Jim. 

[Thanks to Lee Gold for the story.]