News From Clay Jones

Stroke Updates by Clay Jones

I recently transferred to the rehab center, which is just across the street from the hospital. Today I took a cognitive test, I took a speech pattern test, and I took a physical test. Every day from here on out, I will be taking a physical test, which we call PT. They usually wanna work people till they wanna quit, but they haven’t had that problem with me yet, not because I’m super amazing or awesome, but because I really want to beat this shit as quickly as I can.

My friend Melissa Colombo came by and brought me some clothes. Nobody can go on Facebook and ask people to bring them shorts, T-shirts, and underwear while they’re in a rehab center, but I can. Hell, I once got people to send me self-addressed stamped envelopes for messed-up business cards. But I sent out a request on Facebook for someone to bring me some shorts and T-shirts to the rehab center. All I had this morning was just a road in the hospital, and my ass was hanging out.

A few people offered to ship me stuff, but that wasn’t the issue. I have money. I could easily order something. But I need something now because, let me put that again, my ass was hanging out. So my friend Melissa brought me some clothes. Funny thing is, someone else went ahead and quickly ordered me some stuff, and that was Leslie Elliott.

I want to thank Melissa and Leslie for literally saving my ass.

The next 10 days are going to be more PT. I am expected to be in this place for at least 10 days. After that, I’m expected to go home. The thing is, I live in a second-level apartment, and I want to be able to walk into my apartment and take care of myself again. Unfortunately, I’m nowhere close to that yet. Walking, taking steps, things are extremely difficult right now, and even grabbing things is impossible, but I am further today than I was yesterday.

If you have donated to me either by becoming a paid subscriber to my Substack, or donated through PayPal, or donated through Venmo, or donated through Zelle, and I have not sent you a message, please accept my apologies. I want to thank everybody who has supported me through this. The outpouring of support has blown me away. In fact, it’s blown away the entire cartooning community. We are all very impressed and overwhelmed by your support, especially me. I just wanna say thank you. I’m never going to stop saying thank you.

And on that note, I was just visited by a former photographer from the Free Lance-Star, Suzanne Carr Rossi. She brought me pants.

And now the Facebook updates from the past few days.

Today, October 16, 2025

Remember when Donald Trump took that cognitive test and bragged about it? Remember that he had to repeat “person, woman, man, camera, TV”. Trump said. “They said nobody gets it in order, it’s actually not that easy. But for me it was easy. And that’s not an easy question.” He is right.

It’s not an easy question when you have to answer five minutes later.

It’s not easy when the question is “bridge, Sarah, justice, banana.” It’s not easy when you have to remember photos that include car keys, a comb, and a helicopter five minutes later.

It’s not easy when you have to remember letters and numbers in the sequence of 1, A, 2, B, 3, C, 4, D, etc, to ten.

It’s not easy to count backwards from 20.

It’s not easy to have to draw a clock and other shapes with your left hand when you’re handed and your right hand is kind of dead from a stroke.

It’s not easy to do any of the stuff after having a stroke, but I did it. The thing is, nobody told me I was great or amazing for it. Sicophants didn’t fawn over me for it. Nobody threw a parade for me because I remembered five words. Idiots didn’t go until late-night TV to tell me I was a genius for it.

Donald Trump wants you to treat him like a baby for remembering five words.

Donald Trump never suffered from a stroke.

So why was Donald Trump given this cognitive test?

Who knew that my stroke would become part of my research?

October 16, 2025

Ok, Peezeheads!!! Who wants to volunteer to help out a stroke victim, and possibly an opportunity to see my ass?

I am at Encompass in Fredericksburg. I need someone to bring me a few button-up shirts. I can’t use a T-shirt because my shoulder is messed up from the stroke. I also need a pair of shorts. I just need athletic shorts, nothing with buttons or belts, or zippers.

I could also use some underwear.

At this time, I am still wearing the gown from the hospital, and my ass is hanging out. Fortunately, the entire nursing staff has told me that my butt is not too hairy, but maybe they’re just being nice.

Update: I am only asking local people to help. I need this stuff today, not delivered by Amazon. Thank you.

Update update: Melissa Colombo to the rescue, and then Leslie Elliott, and my friend Suzanne.

October 15, 2025

So many people have touched me this week, and I’ll never be able to you how much it means to me.

As I was being rolled out on a gurney to be taken to the rehab center, an old friend I hadn’t seen in nearly a decade was waiting outside my hospital room to see me.

I want to cry. I love you, Rhonda.

October 15, 2025

I had an MRI this morning after the procedure scan my heart. They were looking to see if there was a hole or any other abnormalities in my heart that may have caused the stroke. As it turns out, there’s nothing wrong with it.

But the MRI was brutal. You can’t move, your back hurts, you don’t know when it’s going to end, you are continuously being asked to hold your breath, and they’re playing 90s music made by other people. Instead of Pearl Jam, you’re getting Pearl lame.

It’s time to go. They want more blood.

October 15, 2025

I am being moved tonight to a rehab facility. I think this is good news.

October 15, 2025

One of my nurses was training another nurse this morning. Just as the trainee was applying alcohol to my skin, in order for me to inject myself with insulin (yes they are making me inject myself), I decided let out a little scream. AAAAAGH! The trainee jumped, and the other nurse laughed her ass off, and said that was great.

They both said that they’re going to remember me.

Damn straight.

This is the GoFundMe set up by Kevin Necessary and Jack Ohman

This is a cartoon drawn by John Buss.

May be an illustration of text that says 'JohnBuss John Buss SS repeat1968- ထ်မ CLAYTONZCOMY CLAY OONZ.COM SORRY MR. JONES, SAYS HERE YOU'RÉ NOT DONE FUCKING WITH FASCISTS.'

How to draw Peezy by Dave Whammond, and he’s trying to get more cartoonists to join in. I hope it happens because I would love to see more of my colleagues’ renditions of our favorite pizza.

May be a doodle of rat, pizza and text that says 'PIZZA RAT WHAM-N'

Pertinent Info, Good Advice

as the temperature is way high these days.

Free Advice For This Weekend

We Are The Ones

Checking In; Love Is The Ultimate Resistance!

🫶 💖 🌻 ☮

Hi, there. I bet everyone who reads and writes here, is unhappy and at least a little apprehensive about the state of the USA. Everywhere we turn, there is another story of an illegal and outrageous action that our current administration has ordered our government to perform. So, I’m also certain I’m not the only one who feels the USA is in living nightmare territory. And then, we being who we are, we are also informed as to how the entire planet is undergoing increasing violence to itself and to people everywhere. Meanwhile, all that could be dissonant with our immediate surroundings, which increases the anxiety and/or whichever symptom/s we may have going.

For instance, while Ollie and I were outside playing this evening, we heard a great deal of “show-offy” driving in our area. Tonight’s high school game is Homecoming, which is celebrated by the town for a couple of days prior to the game, then the students get their celebration during half-time and after the game. Some of those students I had when they were kindergarteners and up, in the after-schools where I worked. Also, many alumnae have their reunions over Homecoming weekend. Fall Fest happens tomorrow and Sunday morning. Among other things, there are apple cider slushies at Fall Fest! So there is more traffic, and the younger people drive as if they’re Masters of the Universe (some of the old guys, if they have a muscle car to show off, drive just like that, too!) A person can almost forget about everything negative except hoping that no one is injured in the game, and that no one drives impaired tonight. A nice, relaxing evening, going into the night.

Then the other reality comes that some of the people who are here will not have a job to work on Monday, or a student won’t have a para, a nurse’s aide will be overworked and underpaid, and so on. Some of it due to the federal shutdown, or shutdown “related” cuts, some due to cuts that have been ongoing since January. Prices are still high; my own city has not cut services but has not replaced personnel who have moved on, so services are affected negatively for people who live here; more cities than not have done the same. It’s always something, everywhere. It’s a lot, and it’s overwhelming. And there are still the good and nice things happening within miles of us, or next door, or our own homes, too. It’s enough to explode a head!

So I thought I’d write in. None of us is alone. Everyone is at least stressed, so first, I want to check on people, see how you’re doing, see if you want to vent in comments, or ask questions, or share whatever you care to share. I know it’s a little late, at least on the East coast, but, well, this’ll be here all weekend.

I’ll share a little bit of a way to maybe work with/around what’s happening in everyone’s world. There is a saying: “Do small things with great love.” It may sound too easy, but it’s really not-it’s exactly what we all need: to show love and show how to show love so that everyone catches a ripple and does it, too. Most of us can do little if anything about the world-wide violence, but waving at our neighbor, offering a hello at the store or someplace, and simply smiling at people while looking at them will make a difference. And doing these things is actually being part of the resistance. Love is the ultimate resistance!

Finally, interestingly, when we do small things with great love, it’s almost as if someone did that for us, too, even if they really didn’t! It’s amazing how it works, but it does.

So, I hope everyone rests easily tonight, and gets some early sunshine when we get up. Enjoy the view at a local river side, and some chalk art I did during the pandemic.

Not-My-U.S.-Rep Sent Me A Constituent Message With Links

(Needless to say, state Republican legislators, with their supermajority here, are working to gerrymander her district to oblivion before the midterm filing deadline.)

The letter includes links for answers and help regarding the shutdown, seen below. If you click, those links will help all; Rep. Davids is a U.S. Rep and these are U.S. resources.

My actual rep did not send anything today. Over the weekend he referred to the “Schumer Shutdown” as if it was an inevitability; I’m sure he saw it that way as he’s all in on this administration’s actions (yep, Republican.) Anyway, here is this:

https://davids.house.gov/shutdown

Government Shutdown Help

I know many people are worried and upset about this government shutdown. I am doing everything I can to push for a bipartisan solution to end this crisis as quickly as possible. I understand Kansans are frustrated with Washington and are demanding solutions instead of more partisanship.

Right now, many government agencies unfortunately may be operating with limited staff. This will impact a variety of crucial services people depend on. My team created this web page to help answer questions, connect people with assistance, and to ask for your thoughts.

This is an evolving situation, so my team will continue to update this page as events warrant. Please know that we’re here to help however we possibly can. You can find the below menu to get answers to your questions. Please also feel free to call my office at (913) 621-0832.

(Snip-click on whatever you need or want to see.)

In Our Interests

Introducing Medscape.com: Across Disciplines for the Public by Richard Hogan, MD, PhD(2), DBA

Read on Substack

Vigilance Across Disciplines for the Public

I am sharing the Medscape resource that follows only because of misinformation arising from via Robert Kennedy and President Donald J. Trump (week of 9/22/2025)

Medscape.com is not merely a medical resource—it is a threshold of discernment for you, a corridor of clinical clarity.

For physicians, yes—but also for advocates, poets, policymakers, and stewards of care.

It offers daily rites of insight: peer-reviewed updates, diagnostic tools, and the pulse of global medicine.

I introduce it not as a site, but as a ceremonial scroll—for those who dignify care across disciplines, and who recognize that health is not confined to hospitals, but lives to support you, policy, poetry, and the architecture of belonging. (snip-graphic and comments on the page)

Bee, Joan Baez, & Nicholle Wallace

Hope Is A Muscle

He’s SO Bad At This…

I believe that Chuck Schumer cares far more for his big money donors and mythical Baileys than for the lower income people. I think he was good at the game in the 1990s. I think he relied heavily on Pelosi during tRump’s first term. If you don’t watch the video, know that the candidates running in red states to unseat the republicans in those seats don’t want Schumer to campaign with them in any way. In state after state, the new democratic candidates for Senate say they won’t vote for Schumer. The only one who may would be Mills in Maine because she has not declared yet and Schumer is pushing her hard to enter … in her upper 70s. Screw those young upstarts in their 40s and 50s, those wet behind the ears kids. let’s put a seasoned 77-year-old in the Senate for a six year term. It seems that Schumer’s plan for the midterms is to do nothing, take no position on anything that might upset anyone and hope that tRump is so bad people will be so sick of him that they vote for the democrats. It did not work that way in 2024 and it won’t in 2026. He went on Morning Joe, no young voter is watching Morning Joe. Only older voters and donors are. Sam points out Schumer could be saying to the public that tRump’s wealth has doubled in 8 months, has yours? He could be doing interviews saying what the FCC is doing is bad so if we win we are going to X and X. But Schumer won’t even bring up Epstein. I find all that Sam Seder says and shows of Schumer to be true, which heralds that we are in big trouble in the midterms. Hugs

A Few Bits That Came Up On My Phone In The Past Coupla Days

Some George Carlin; I’m a huge fan:

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Don Lemon On The Street:

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Chelsea has a few free minutes for us:

Good News! Get On The Phone-

Bipartisan bill seeks to reinstate national suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth

Sep 17, 2025

Orion Rummler

This story was originally reported by Orion Rummler of The 19th. Meet Orion and read more of his reporting on gender, politics and policy.

If you or a loved one are in crisis, please call or text 988 or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a live volunteer crisis counselor.

Sens. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, and Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, introduced a bipartisan bill on Wednesday to re-establish national emergency suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth — which have been stripped by the Trump administration at a time when the vulnerable group needs it most.

In July, the Trump administration terminated the 988 hotline’s LGBTQ+ services, which connected young people in crisis with counselors trained in supporting LGBTQ+ youth. This new bill, backed by the LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention organization Trevor Project as well as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, would modify the Public Health Service Act to reinstate those services and require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to maintain them. The bill now moves to committee.

The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ young people seriously consider suicide each year in the United States, as they face high rates of bullying, assault and discrimination. And when the 2024 presidential race was called for Donald Trump, calls and texts to the Trevor Project’s own crisis hotlines spiked by 700 percent, as LGBTQ+ youth felt afraid about the outcome of the election.

“Given that LGBTQ+ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers, the need for these services remains pressing,” said Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, in a statement. “This is not about politics, or identity; this is about doing what is best to support our country’s highest risk populations — and save young people’s lives nationwide.”

During his first term in 2020, President Trump signed a bipartisan law to create 988 as a more accessible resource for mental health emergencies. The free hotline launched in July 2022. Since then, millions of people in crisis have turned to 988. And nearly 1.5 million of those calls, texts and chats were sent by young Americans seeking specialized LGBTQ+ services.

“We are in the middle of a mental health crisis, and the 988 lifeline saves lives, plain and simple,” said Baldwin, who wrote the original legislation to create the 988 hotline. Cutting funds for specialized services within 988 puts the lifeline in jeopardy, she said in a statement.

“There is absolutely no good reason that Donald Trump took away this specialized help for our LGBTQ youth. Mental health does not see partisan lines or geography,” the Wisconsin Democrat added.