Vital Signs

I mean Eric can't be a figment of everyone's imagination...right?  We definitely do not have sophisticated enough art and writing to have a ghost who appears to Margo, Tommie and her parents. 

Maybe it's just the green of her blazer playing tricks on me, but Margo has never looked better.  That coma/thyroid storm did wonders for her complexion.

The Man Who Loves You

I like the theories proposed by Rock Doc that we're just entering—or just departing—a dream-like mental state happening inside Margo's head. Which might be a good way of explaining, say, why Margo awoke from her coma bolt upright, perhaps even standing, or why the medical staff allowed her hair to stay in a bun the entire time. But it wouldn't explain the complete disconnect between the dialogue and the artwork, right?

And also, never, not even in my craziest most inventive robot dreams did anyone ever say something like "The man who loves me—where is he?"

Margo Opens Her Eyes

Worst reaction to your friend coming out of a coma ever. Seriously, WTF, Tommie? She's evil. Evil nurse Tommie. I'm calling it.

"Where did who go, Margo? No one's been in the apartmen—I mean, hospital... since you went into your coma! Now just close your eyes... there was no need for you to change into your Green Blazer of Renewed Consciousness... I'm going to give you a little injection to help you sleep better... just relax..."

Good for Her

Tuesday October 27, 2015

Wednesday October 28, 2015

Jesus Christ, we couldn't have Greg coming straight from set and dressed up like a pirate or an astronaut or something? Unless he's working on the newest James Bond movie, The Man with the Cyan Dinner Jacket.

How the heck did Skyler find out about Margo's coma anyway? Snopes? Could be that Margo is such a PR genius that she's using this as an opportunity to get old clients to stop by and maybe give her some sympathy business. Clever girl.

I Don't Feel Right About This

Friday October 23, 2015

Saturday October 24, 2015

Monday October 26, 2015

I miss Margo. Is this strip going to cruise on into the sunset before Margo can wake up and berate her loved ones for missing all two days of symptoms of hyperthyroidism before it escalated to full-on thyroid storm coma?

BTW, what's Margo's Glasgow coma score? Can we talk to an actual doctor at some point? I'm starting to fear that Tommie is "nursing" Margo like Bette Davis was "nursing" Joan Crawford in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane. Maybe Tommie got everyone out on the street, hastily constructed some "Hospital" and "Emergency Room" signs, slapped them all over the apartment, and then rushed Margo in to the "ER." Judging by the backgrounds and Tommie's behavior, I deem this theory PLAUSIBLE. She's not even wearing scrubs!

Good News

Good news. Fantastic news. Gotta love Tommie's bedside manner. Martin looks like "Um, when are we going to talk to an actual doctor?" That's a classic Hank Hill expression.

The Final Curtain?

In real-life A3G news, Monday's comments revealed rumors swirling around the future of the strip: both that the strip maybe be totally shelved by the end of the year, and that there is interest among Mark Trail artist James Allen to take over the strip. There's a great discussion going on at The Comics Curmudgeon about this, which I've seen a few of you weigh in on. I added my thoughts in the comments, and have reproduced them here:

This is extremely sad and inevitable news. As one of the bloggers on The Lovely Ladies of Apartment 3G, I’ve had really mixed feeling about snarking on the increasingly David Lynch-ian fugue state that is Apartment 3-G. Because, while there’s nothing quite so dreamlike or discombobulating as A3G right now, it does make me worry about Frank Bolle’s health. (And Margaret Shulock’s, for that matter.) Remember when we thought the “I Dressed in the Dark” makeover storyline might be a clever way of ushering in a new artist? That was five years ago.

So sad as it will be, it’s time to close this chapter of the strip. Hopefully, it’s not the last chapter. I would be really really excited to see this revamped by an all-female creative team. In lieu of that, Jared Allen is a clever, detailed artist that might just have the industry clout to save A3G from the final curtain. I’m certainly willing to stand in support of any way to keep this strip afloat, and would be glad to lend my deep knowledge of A3G history and writing services if that would help the cause. I’m that invested in Margo. And Tommie–honestly I’m more of a Tommie. We all are. That’s why we need Margo.

And then I added a second comment about how Jared Allen ≠ James Allen. James, I meant JAMES. Stupid, stupid!

I Dread It!

Wait, Tommie has to go back to the hospital? As in, we're not at the hospital anymore?? What the heck. I mean, it's not like we've had reliable background details for reference for the past six months, but I SWEAR that is a minty green wheelchair in the first panel. That would be really effed up of Frank to include a wheelchair in the background just when the script reveals that they're no longer in the hospital. Like he's just toying with us at this point. Although I guess they could just be in some ADA-accessible public space, or maybe they just keep a spare wheelchair around to give each other rides down the hallway.

Apology Accepted

Um, what?  Looking back, I guess you were kind of snippy with Eric on August 28th, but you were both so much younger and different looking then.  And he did have to explain why he wasn't dead and found thyroid addled Margo wandering  around the streets. 

That Meditation Stuff

LATER... okay, so I guess Margo's parents didn't need any direct comforting about the whole "coma" thing, just getting scooted into her ER bay was enough. Eric was upset about the whole thing, but now he's not, because he did get to spend the whole night with her by pretending he was a chair. A night spent watching over Margo's nonverbal-but-not-yet-comatose body.

We have a lot of loose ends to tie up before Margo emerges from this coma. Will Greg Cooper, who appeared to us as if in a dream back in June, impact this plot at all? What about Margo's pal from the streets--will she return to Margo with a nice roll with butter, as promised? Are we ever going to see Diane Devine again? (Answers: maybe, no, and probably not.)

It's Very Serious

If by everyone, you mean Eric?  Martin, Gabby and the background scenery are still taking that walk to clear their heads/build up even more anxiety about how their disastrous wedding plans killed Margo.

Well at least they're not pretending that Margo has hyperthyroidism...they went full storm.  Hopefully some sort of endocrinologist is actually treating Margo and it's not just Tommie inputting Margo's symptoms into WebMD.

My Beautiful Baby is Dying!

Thursday October 15, 2015

Friday October 16, 2015

Are we really still just talking about hyperthyroidism here? Is Margo's "turn for the worse" actually just going to be that on top of hyperthyroidism, she's been diagnosed as an emotionally manipulative sociopath that's milking the current situation for attention and, possibly, cash prizes?

Also, not really getting Gabriella's logic here. Is family discord a possible cause of hyperthyroidism? I deeply suspect this is something Margo whispered in her mother's ear right before passing out in the ER. "Your dumb wedding did this to me..."

Also......... is this the waiting room? Maybe we should wait to talk until we get to the waiting room.

How a Mother Suffers

Um, I don't think this walk has cleared anybody's head. How could it? No nature walk could possibly explain why Margo's hyperthyroidism is inexplicably severe after just two days of symptoms. Life is cruel!

Three's Company

I looked at today's strip and thought that Margo and Martin were having a conversation in the first panel.  It's getting pretty hard to keep track of who's who and where they are supposed to be.  And that Martin is now younger than Eric.  I guess that avalanche thing really took a lot out of him.

So I'm not a doctor, but I didn't think that hyperthyroidism was so life-threatening.  According to internet medical research, which is always accurate, a thyroid storm is pretty dangerous, but Margo wasn't displaying any of the symptoms besides being cranky, disoriented and binge-eating at the diner.  I felt that way at work today when I didn't get to eat my lunch until 1:45.  It was touch and go.

At the E.R.

To the golden banistered  E.R. we go! ....You know what, actually? I think we've been here long enough, let's get some air.

P.S. to DWET and anyone theorizing that Gabriella has been possessed by Diane Devine: at least her hair color has returned to normal? Maybe exposure to Western medicine dilutes the effects of Diane's spell....

Sounds Familiar

Thursday October 8, 2015

I initially read Martin's "Hello" as "Hellooo" which made me like him a lot more. Like "oookay, 'it's a long story but I've always loved your daughter' is not an acceptable reason to get all up in my grill on the sidewalk . To one side, 'young man.' My gray flannel suit and tie outranks your blue blazer."

Battle of the white-haired dudes! Thank goodness they're wearing different colored jackets or this could get really confusing.

 Friday October 9, 2015

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE JACKETS?? WHO IS THIS?? WHO'S THAT LADY?? Is Martin talking to Gabby or is Eric talking to Thelma the waitress?

It literally took me several read-throughs to understand that those are supposed to be two different men in those two panels. THAT SAID, Eric is on a roll with the hilarious dialogue. "I'm Eric Mills, and I'm afraid there's more" is quite likely the new banner caption for this site.

Something Useful

Wait, he's actually going to see them? In person? Wouldn't a phone call be more efficient? They're just going to want to go to the hospital anyway, right? And um, hey Tommie, since you know so much about Margo's family, why don't you just call them? Ya big MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL! Jeez!

Two full weeks since we've seen Margo... I'm wondering if they even remembered to bring her to the hospital in the first place. She might be back on the streets, begging for dinner rolls.

Ready and Willing

 

Thanks to Mags for covering for me the last two weeks while I was on vacation!  I'm a little bummed that I missed the culmination of Margo's thyroid storm.

"I'm ready to face the awkwardness of waking up complete strangers and explaining to them that I am their only daughter's previously thought dead fiancee, and that I rescued Margo from the eye of the thyroid storm."

Too Wired

Is this... Margo's hospital room? I'm sure the green curtains and bookshelf of encyclopedias have been sourced through evidence-based design, but I feel like Tommie should at least be wearing scrubs, right? Maybe one of those little hats? Also, Tommie literally just told Eric to stay in Margo's hospital room all night, so I don't get where this "Enough sleeping in that chair, go sleep at home" 'tude is coming from.

Alternately, Eric could be waking up from a year-long "what if Margo got hyperthyroidism and I came ?" dream, and now he'll go into the bathroom and find Patrick Duffy taking a shower. And scene!

Seriously, though, fauxprof is right, shouldn't somebody tell Margo's parents?

We Don't Give Up!

Tommie, I think you're going to have to write Eric some kind of special nurse hall pass, because normally they don't let unsupervised strangers just hang out in hospital rooms all night, even in the event of a thyroid storm. And it isn't going to cut it to say, "Look, she won't remember me, but we used to date. I'm a hero to the Tibetan monks who went missing in an avalanche for five years. Call up the Dalai Lama, he'll vouch for me!"

These Last Two Days

Thursday October 1, 2015

Friday October 2, 2015

TWO DAYS? Was this really all happening over two days?! Holy moley. I question everything in my life now.

In the comments the other day, nimuejohn mentioned that this all started with Margo in the shower at 2:00 in the morning complaining about being hot... which was, as he said, in January 2015, but just a day ago in strip time. At the time, I had a little laugh and then hit myself repeatedly over the head with a frying pan to make sure that memory didn't keep. But, my god, he's right. Sweet Mary and Joseph. You could even argue that her erratic behavior began before that, though it's pretty hard to distinguish between Margo-erratic and hyperthyroidism-erratic.

So, this incredibly arduous set-up for Margo's diagnosis of hyperthyroidism took over nine months of our lives, and happened over a couple of days in the strip. I could've been painting a masterpiece, or writing a book. Man.