• With a bandage above his left eye and a large, red welt below it, former President Jimmy Carter was greeted by a cheering crowd Monday morning as he prepared to help build a home with Habitat for Humanity in Nashville. Carter fell at home on Sunday, requiring 14 stitches, but he did not let his injuries keep him from participating in his 36th building project with the nonprofit Christian housing organization. He turned 95 last Tuesday, becoming the first U.S. president to reach that milestone. Before construction began, Carter led a morning devotion for a group of several hundred volunteers. He walked slowly to the stage helped by a cane and several people who were nearby to steady him. Once seated, Carter spoke in a clear voice. Joining Carter at the building site Monday were former first lady Rosalynn Carter; husband and wife country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood; and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and first lady Maria Lee. Musician Eric Paslay played a song before Carter took the stage and joked about Carter's injury as he introduced him. "After that bar fight, you coming out, building houses ... I love you to death," Paslay said.
• Singer-songwriter Sia is suffering from chronic pain due to a neurological condition and a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. In a rare moment of openness, the artist -- known for keeping details about herself, and her face, private -- shared the update with her millions of Twitter followers. "Hey, I'm suffering with chronic pain, a neurological disease, ehlers danlos and I just wanted to say to those of you suffering from pain, whether physical or emotional, I love you, keep going," Sia tweeted. "Life is ... hard. Pain is demoralizing, and you're not alone." The "Chandelier" singer then went on Sunday night to clarify details about the syndrome, which according to the National Institutes of Health can cause side effects ranging from mildly loose joints to life-threatening complications. Many Ehlers-Danlos patients "have soft, velvety skin that is highly stretchy (elastic) and fragile" and tend to bruise easily, the NIH says. Sia elaborated on her neurological and mental-health issues, saying she is taking a break to receive treatment for complex post-traumatic stress disorder. The performer has also developed neuralgia -- described by the NIH as a "sharp, shocking pain that follows the path of a nerve" -- because of complications stemming from a prior medical procedure.
A Section on 10/08/2019