Day 3, Part 2: Really Good Day

I'm really glad to add this blog today. I didn't like this morning's very much. It seemed like a lot of complaining, though I'm trying to journal what's happening, so I hope it's not really complaining.

Anyway, I was amazed by a really good day so far. People have been wonderful today! Nurses, doctors, janitor, Jerry, nutritionist ... I can't remember all the reasons people have come in here. I'm not sure what it was, perhaps just the right combination of cheer and snappy humor. The janitor and I got to talking about fasting and especially about struggling through the third day of a fast.

That's Dr. Greer at the end of the bed back in October

And Dr. Greer just came in! I had given him one of my books, so he was just saying thank you and checking on me. I think he actually read it even, based on his comments!

Yesterday, my wife had a conversation with Little Richard, downstairs by the elevators. Yes, really! Little Richard! (I should probably know more about the guy, but all I know is that he's a musician.) He's being treated for something here at Vanderbilt.

My wife recognized him, but he actually struck up the conversation with her, not vice versa. Just picked her out of a group of four or five people at the elevator and started talking to her!

The conversation was short, obviously, but he gave her a book—about him, not by him—and signed it.

This is the radiation mask they used to hold my head in place for brain radiation, exactly molded to my face.

One of my other conversations this afternoon was with Dr. Strickland. I got out and walked 5 laps, which is 1/5 of a mile, and it was hard. In fact, it was so hard that on the last lap, I stopped briefly at the nurse's desk to lean on it and get up the strength to walk the last 30 feet back to my room.

Dr. Strickland came by just then, and he wanted to help me to my room. He kept asking whether I was okay, and I assured him I was just gathering strength. "Honestly, I'm not worried about passing out at all," I promised him.

"Yeah, but I am," he answered.

He let me walk back to my room, though.

So long distance has gone from 2 mile to .2 miles in 3 days.

This is Paul Pavao, signing off from the Vanderbilt Fun Center in Nashville! Good day to you!