via dolorosa

Quite against his will, my friend Holden Beck is finding out what it's like to be crucified by the infernal beast that is South Korean health care. You may recall that he suffered a nasty motorcycle crash late last year; he's been hospitalized ever since, and can't even begin to convalesce properly because he still needs to undergo a series of operations—one of which he underwent just a couple days ago. That first post, linked above, contains an X-ray image of Holden's broken bones that's pretty painful (not to mention horrifying) to look at.

Holden has graciously allowed me to read and comment on the manuscript of the novel he's trying to get published. The story details his time in the South Korean Army. Holden, an American citizen—born in America, no less—discovered in the early 2000s that he was, somehow, also technically a Korean citizen, and eligible for obligatory ROK military service. The novel details his attempts to get out of that duty and, when those attempts failed, his resignation to his fate. It's a brutal read, and I think the story has the potential to sell widely.

I feel for the guy; I really do. Holden's been through a lot, and now here he is again, undergoing another form of excruciation. Give his posts a read, and if you're so inclined, feel free to comment on his blog. Holden, despite his agony, is unfailingly prompt in his replies to readers. I wish him a swift recovery and what I hope will be a pain-free latter half of 2014. I think the pain-devils, gnawing on the poor guy's still-living bones, have already spoken for the first half of the year.

Post 1: Self-fulfilling Prophet

Post 2: Painkillers, Dreams, and Updates

Post 3: Update from the Hospital—Second Surgery


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