***More detailed info on autopens***. This is a review of the article The Elusive Autopen by Kevin Martin. It appeared in _Autograph Collector's Monthly_, Oct 1994. In respecting his copyright, I have chosen not to include it verbatim.
Confidence votes 246. On the mend means recovering, usually from an illness or injury.
Critical means you are in very serious condition. It does not mean you have a 50-50 chance of survival, just that it is very serious and may need surgery or a long hospital stay to survive. You will not be going home for several days or maybe weeks but it does not mean you are at death's door.