In a recent comment on the previous posting, Paul’s friend Leonard Marcus expressed his concern that there had been no new posting to the blog since Paul’s birthday. I realize that others may share that concern, so I felt it appropriate to share my email reply to Leonard with you all to allay any fears that the lack of news may cause.

Here’s what I told Leonard.

My name is Perry Nelson and I am the administrator of Paul’s blog. I have been posting second hand information that I’ve received from his friends in Germany about his condition since his stroke. My primary contact, Dr. Stefan Kempinski, said in his last communication the day after Paul’s birthday that he was sitting up and had a lot of presents and flowers that day. Stefan had planned to take him out on his birthday for a meal away from the hospital, but when the day arrived, Stefan felt that Paul wasn’t yet up to going out so that event was canceled. In that same message, Stefan told me that he (Stefan) would be away from Berlin for the next three or four weeks so I haven’t had any further word since then. Stefan’s absence therefore accounts for why there hasn’t been any further posting on the blog so you shouldn’t infer anything ominious about the lack of later information. Unfortunately I myself don’t have any direct way to communicate with Paul.

I will continue to post to the blog as I learn other details and I am hopeful that the time will come soon when he will be able to carry on some kind of conversation by phone or gain access to the Internet and be able to communicate by email. If and when that occurs, I’ll let everyone know via the blog.

Today I heard from Dr. Kempinski again after he visited Paul in the new hospital. He said that Paul’s condition was pretty much unchanged and that his ability to speak has not improved any. The hospital where Paul is now housed is not a long term facility and he is permitted to stay there only for a maximum of four to six weeks. Fortunately, the German insurance system does cover Paul’s stay in this facility but it does not cover long term care should that be necessary.

I wish the news were better as I’m sure you all do, but this is all I know at the moment. As more news becomes available, I’ll post it here.

I would point out that Paul’s 85th birthday is March 3rd. If you should write him as mentioned in the previous post, it might be a good idea to remember that milestone.

I had further word from Dr. Kempinski today. He indicates that he saw Paul and that his condition is about as it was the last time they visited together. Paul is talking some but not as articulately as he used to speak. The newest development is that on Thursday of this week Paul will be moved to a different hospital, Evangelisches Geriatriezentrum Berlin.

I have explored that website a bit and found a link to the postal address for the hospital. It is my plan to communicate with Paul by mail because I anticipate that trying to speak with him on the phone would be a bit problematic, given his stroke-induced aphasia even though he may have regained some of his ability to speak. If you’d like to drop him a card, I’m sure he would appreciate knowing that there are a lot of people who are concerned about him and pulling for his recovery.

I received a message from Dr. Kempinski, a friend of Paul’s who is also a medical doctor, informing me that on Sunday or Monday of last week Paul was found incapacitated by one of his neighbors who immediately summoned an ambulance for him. The ambulance took him to the Klinikum Benjamin Franklin where he was admitted to their stroke unit. Dr. Kempinski visited Paul on February 4th and confirmed that he had had a stroke and was unable to speak but fortunately he did not have any paralysis. He also noted that Paul was very depressed as would, I think, be expected.

Then on Saturday the 7th, there was some good news. Dr. Kempinski reported that he had visited with Paul and that he had started to talk though still somewhat inarticulately. He described Paul as in “much better condition” than the last time he saw him only a couple of days before.

Of course, the reports I receive from those in Berlin are the only things I have to post here about how Paul is doing. Dr. Kempinski has said he plans to visit Paul again on Monday, and I am hopeful he will provide another report after that visit. If he does, I’ll pass the news along.

On Paul’s behalf I would like to thank you all for your interest him and his health and for your good wishes and thoughts. If and when I am able to speak with him by phone, I’ll convey them to him.