Wednesday & Thursday Report: Real Estate, Vandy Hospital & more

Today is a bit of a down day. I prefer to write about yesterday. I don't feel great; I'm just beginning a 3.5 hour in clinic dialysis. The patients around me are very sick. The nurses continue to tell me about the expiring patients and other sad stories (is this a Hippa violation?) My personal nurse today is lovely. She happens to be 300 pounds and is a Reiki expert in holistic medicine. Lives in Ireland but is here to help her ailing mother. She gave me a brief overview of auras, chakras & angelic vibrations. I do believe in God & my own attitude, but I've never had an angel adjust my insulin for me. No fairy takes away the phosphorus that I am struggling with. It seems like God has given me my own brain to figure out my dosage. This reminds me of all the masseurs that tell me to buy this or that thing which will cure my Type 1 diabetes. There is so much mythology about our bodies....(sorry everyone! I'm a grouch on some eastern medicines.)

Yesterday was an amazing day(Wednesday). I felt great. One day after my treatment and a horrible crippling headache after treatment on Tuesday. So what did I do since I felt so darn good? Everything. I had a fantastic meeting with some great Realtors, exchanging needs (active buyers) and current listings. The attitude of these top Realtors has changed over the last year, more about that later. I listed a house yesterday; I rephotographed a house. I was interviewed about listing a $1.1 property w/pool & volume square footage. I visited Vanderbilt to pick up some contrast die for a test they are running on me this evening. And a highlight: unexpected windy and warm weather led to a hike and tour of a spectacular home. This was a once in a lifetime tour...a celebrity home that everyone seems to be talking about - and the tour was by the architect himself, a Cape Town native, relocated to Nashville. I had a fun dinner with friends.

First a word about the Realtors: we sit in a circle and take turns talking about Issues, Buyers & Sellers. The point is to let each other know about some "inside info" - houses that are coming onto the market and buyers that need something specific (all buyers want something specific).
As each realtor took his turn, the mood turned humorous, everyone laughing at the craziness of this market. It seems that everyone is finally admitting that the market is down, and there is a feeling of helplessness with the sellers who don't see the writing on the wall: prices are too high. When someone would say, "Please remember my house on Maple Street...It is so cheap, why isn't it selling?" Rapid fire questions followed: "Isn't it a 2 bedroom?" "Where is it on that street, I fly down it everyday!" Which led to laughter because IT IS A BUSY STREET and a 2 bedroom house at that price is just too high! Several other issues were addressed, like Drivit vs. Real Stucco and house-sale contingencies. One realtor friend was to meet with representatives of Obama's cabinet and HUD and Freddie and Fannie. She asked for notes on what to tell these guys about the stimulus package! I hope Obama hears us....Overall our discussion was a good reminder to talk honestly with the sellers about what listing prices should be. This is particularly hard because a lesser man (realtor) might just take the listing at any price....I myself fall in love a little bit with my sellers and believe in them and their pricing, when the market situation might be telling me differently. The only thing that I can be sure of is the really large number of listings in every category, and they are not selling quickly. I try to convey this to my clients; I try to get real feedback from the other Realtors after showings! I am brainstorming ideas about marketing. Anyhow, there was a lot of helpless laughter, but good ideas exchanged. I am inspired to call buyers and sellers in a few minutes. I have a big list. I just saw this as a comment on today's economy.

Yesterday's visit to Vanderbilt City, as I call it, was like a dream. It felt like I was in a Sims City game: thousands of people with purpose crowding the walkways, bridges & mazes and parking labyrinth, and a snarl of patients wheeled into off-limits hallways. The intensive care waiting area was full of families, waiting to hear about their loved one's condition. Walking to the back areas of radiation, I passed a patient on a bed with at least 8 people carrying his IV bags, breathing mechanisms, etc. He looked exactly like my friend Tommy on a ventilator. It gave me a shiver, honestly thinking only of myself post transplant and not really of Tommy. Ooof.

The tour of the celebrity home was fascinating. It resides on a steep hill near my home that I often walk to when time limitations keep me from the parks. This particular one is fraught with neighbor complains and zoning fights for the past 2 years. At issue is the style: contemporary concrete, looks industrial, and the view blockage. Honestly from the top of the hill, you really can still see everything. When the trees on the side of the hill are full, the house is behind them. Total time to finish construction is estimated at 3.5 years. The architect said that it was in the planning stage for 1.5 years.

My friend that was walking with us just happened to know the architect and he just happened to be there to give us a hard hat tour. This massive steel and concrete block has intrigued me since the beginning. The combined 2 lots now have more concrete than I could describe, with retaining walls and walk ways and the building itself. Steel reinforced everywhere. The only wood that I saw was the plywood haphazardly thrown down on the second floor. Ceiling heights were 20 feet. there were 3 floors with a pool above the 3rd floor (so I'll say 4 floors) There were bars everywhere (I counted 6: 1 in each guest "apartment" which equaled 2, 1 in the office, 1 in main living area, 1 on the 3rd floor "ballroom", 1 by the pool and I don't remember where the others were. There was a curved room on the 2nd floor that was to have curved velvet couches and the architect called the Elvis room. There was a swing around TV; there were walls of German glass that reached 20 ft in heigth. There was an outdoor room with a fountain and a 15 foot table. You could see to Goodletsville and of course all of Green Hills and Vandy's campus and downtown. There were soaring walls of concrete with light-washed walls for Huge Art. The house was oriented for south-western exposure. The windows opened and the volumn ceilings removed the need for air conditioning throughout many months in Nashville. The concrete walls were specially built for economy and energy saving. Mere mortal forced to look on from the hill won't see any windows. But the side facing downtown and the view is all special glass. Magnificent views.

We rode a lift to the second floor and tipped toed around on the scattered plywood. We climbed a 25 foot ladder to the unbelievable third floor and another same size ladder to the open rooftop pool. We had assistance the entire time even though it was after working time. The architect had arranged the house for entertaining. The third floor was over 4000 square feet of open space and again, 20 ft ceilings. The Pool was above us and there was an aquarium-like window built into its side so that partiers could see who was swimming from below! Guests could take the elevator straight up to the party floor and leave their coats in the 30 ft closet in the back; they would never have to enter the private residence. It all seemed like a huge museum project, especially when I heard the budget overrun. The architect asked me not to send out the pics that I took, I'm sure to respect the privacy of the celebrity. I dare to post the view here.. and I haven't mentioned who the owner was, Have I?

Other fabulous things happened yesterday: long-time friends out to dinner, a nice call from my niece, more loving from the family, Srabble efforts on Facebook (won't anyone else play me?)

I'm hoping for big results from today's treatment. I currently have 1.5 hours remaining. I have even higher hopes for my ConRay CT scan. This will help determine if the dialysisate fluids are leaking into my surrounding tissue. The test is scheduled for 5:30 tonight and I am hopeful for NO Headache so I can celebrate positive test results! Thank you for all the prayers and messages.