Hi, everyone,
I don't know if I'm still welcome here, but after reading this thread, I had to reply. Due to my computer crashing and health problems over the last year, I have been offline for some time. I've kind of been afraid to join in any of the conversations, but I will try and answer a few of your questions.
I don't know a lot of the answers, but I DID see Gord at his Jackson, California concert which was the last U.S. concert he did of that tour. (It was kind of nice because it's very close to my home town, so it was a "night out" instead of a major journey -- LOL. Anyhow, my mom and our pastor (who has been a big fan for years) went, as well.
The concert was probably one of the worst I have ever seen. He basically just rattled through about 20 songs with no intermission and left the stage. Afterwards, when we went backstage to talk with him (and there were only about eight guest passes issued by Barry, which is also unusual), Gord just saw us in the hallway (no green room) and then headed for his plane at Mather Air Field to go back home (didn't spend the night and leave the next day like he usually does). My mother (ever being a mother) commented on the way home that she felt he didn't look well at all. I said, well, he's probably very tired, this being the last concert and all, but she replied, "No, his color is not good. He looks like he really doesn't feel well."
I didn't think too much of it because mothers are always saying things like that. About a week and a half later, I called Barry to apologize to him for Jackson (not a really good venue and very difficult to find out in the booneys -- We live here and had trouble finding it!) and Barry just said to me, "You haven't heard, have you?" I said, "What?" And then he told me that the previous Saturday (I had called on a Monday) that Gord had been rushed to the hospital with severe abdominal pain, had major surgery on Sunday and as we spoke, he was in critical condition.
Needless to say, I was in shock kind of. My mother had been right. He was ill at that concert. I called something like every other week to see how he was doing. He got out of critical condition fairly quickly, but was intensive care for some time. After that, he was in the hospital for about two months. Anyway, a couple of weeks before Christmas, I called and Barry said he was home, which was a real relief to me.
All Barry would really tell me was that it was a weak blood vessel in Gord's abdomen that had ruptured. I asked if it was an aneurysm and he said no, but it was much like that.
Probably the reason Gord didn't show up in the crowd at the concert Char went to was because after major surgery like that and being so ill, one's immune system can become depressed and leave one susceptible to other illnesses. With Gord's age and considering what he has been through, just catching a cold could lead to pneumonia which could be a very dangerous thing.
Okay, I've babbled enough. Just wanted to let you guys know what I know. Perhaps you have just a bit more information which might clear things up a bit. Gord isn't trying to ignore his fans, but remember, if he doesn't protect his health, we could lose him altogether. I think he would just appreciate our patience.
And if anyone is angry that I posted this and showed up here again, I truly apologize. Let me know and I won't post anymore. Just trying to help a bit.
Stay loose, eh?
LAMS
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