“You’re not even surprised by unexpectedly finding yourself in a hospital ICU. Because your mind simply can’t cope at that moment, and you’re too weak to even think. That’s a great starting point for a story.”

A few years ago, Ed van Hinte fell into a coma out of nowhere. Eight firefighters dragged an unconscious Ed down the stairs, out of his house, and into the ambulance. After days on the brink of death, he awoke in the hospital, his kidneys failing. It was the beginning of a long road to recovery.

As it turned out, Ed had had an infection that led to septic shock, a very serious sepsis that progresses very quickly – often resulting in death. Ed barely survived the sepsis and decided to write his story. For this book, he collaborated with illustrator Fynn van der Ziel and designers Céline Hurka and Rudi van Delden, who created a visual book that is simultaneously haunting, humorous, and artistic.

Despite its disastrous starting point, ‘Ziek’ (Unwell) is a refreshing book, in which the intensive collaboration with artists elevates Ed’s illness beyond his personal observations. Imagery, typography, and content are uniquely and intimately interwoven. ‘Ziek’ is a colorful representation of the strange dreams and sober thoughts that unfolded in Ed’s mind after his near-fatal septic shock.