Glad to hear all went well Jim. Was thinking of you this morning as you were in surgery.

Take the time to rehab properly and get well. I know I would be itching to get back up, but do as I say not, as I would do.

Matt Colpoys

Jim: For someone with such a big heart, fixing a little stinking valve should be no problem. And you are stubborn and a good dancer, so you have that going for you. But, it is a big deal. So, we are thinking about you most now. We know we will be laughing, eating, drinking, dealing, playing, building, and hugging together soon, but in the meantime, to our great, wonderful, and dearest friend, know that our prayers, love, and hearts are with you.

To your speedy recovery, with mucho love,

Craig and Debbie

Jim, we will keep you in our prayers during your surgery and recovery. Looking forward to seeing many more pictures from Panama!

Shane

My thoughts and Prayers are with you for a speedy recovery. You stood by me in my cancer surgery and recovery and continued checkup. You have a heart that is big but will continue to effect everyone in your life and I do not believe God is done with you yet. So take the recovery time to rest as we all know you never do.
Linda Mann

jim it is who thank you .......jack and margaret

You have been in our thoughts and prayers all day today and will be tomorrow. Best wishes during surgery and keep that positive outlook :)

Kristin & Laura
L2K

Jim, Good luck to you. Six months from know this will seem like a million years ago and you will feel better than you can imagine right now.

Jerry H
Louisville

Jim:

There are those here that may not know you but you will be in our thoughts and prayers all day tomorrow.

John in Phoenix

You haven't mentored, enlightened, chastised, laughed, yelled, smiled, ignored or wowed me enough...are you better yet?!?! Xoxo C

In my prayers.... Best Wishes ....Amy

Look out, even more blood flowing to your

"extremities"!

Mike

Jim Dom and I will have you in our prayers tonight and tomorrow morning. If the Lord brings you to it, He'll bring you through it. We love you and will be following the updates tomorrow!!! Ellen and Dominic

Jim,

Sending you all of my prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery!!!!

God Bless!

Jeff Ross

James,

Sending you well wishes and all my love during your surgery and recovery. I will see you soon.

Sharon

Hi Jim - Well the big day is tomorrow and I wanted to let you know that you are in my thoughts/prayers; and to assure you that your office is totally covered from this end.

I'm sure you have read the following many times but thought I would post it here so you can read it many more:

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets; other times there were one set of prints.

This bothered me because I noticed during the low periods of my life, I could see only one set of footprints. So I said to the Lord, "You promised me Lord, that if I followed You, You would walk with me always. But I noticed during the most trying periods of life, there is only one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have You abandoned me?"

The Lord replied, "My child, I love you and would never leave you. The times when you have seen only one set of footprints are the times when I carried you."

God be with you, Dee

Hi Jim,
Great job on the positive outlook. I agree, it's not your time yet!
Best of luck Thursday!
Looking forward to visiting you during you recovery! Hope you're able to take it easy so your body can heal.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Love Paul & Glenna

jim i would love to see you but have a cold so best i and those like me stay away the last thing you will need is more visitors as you will be swampewd rest assured that margaret and i will say our prayers for you best of luck on thursday,,,,,,,,,,,that part about noy lifting will be the hatdest for you as you are so use ro lifting for those around you love jack and margaret

Hi Jim, it's great to be able to be updated about your up coming surgery. I have a friend who is a nurse at Mercy Hospital. She probably will be checking in on you. Her name is Julie Whalen. She has short dark hair and a great sense of humor. LOL I also wanted to let you know, if your looking for a Chauffeur, I would love to help out when I can. Your in your prayers, Love ya, Cheryl and Darryl

Jim, Just got off the phone with my friend Julie. She works with JBT all the time. She will be working Thursday morning and she will try to be the nurse in the room with you during your surgery. You will be in excellent hands. I helped set up the heart program at Mercy and trained Julie. We all will certainly be praying for you and you will be fine. Yes, you will feel so much better after a week or two. You will not feel so tired. What valve are you having repaired or replaced. Your aortic or mitral valve. Well they have a great team there and you will be well taken care of.

Will be thinking of you.

Juliette Mader

Jim, you sound in great spirits! Keep it up and we all send our very best wishes from Panama (and Hong Kong), and will KEEP you in our thoughts and prayers!
Ted & Maricia

Here is to a smooth and easy recovery. We look forward to seeing you soon, maybe the July conference. You are such a wonderful and strong presence.

Jim,

Don't worry bout a thing. I went through it in 1992 and look how I turned out. Still scratch at the bar. Good luck and stay with the therapy. You may suffer some depression after surgery, but realize that is normal. Mine occurred for 15 minutes when I got home from the hospital and my Dad was helping me up the steps to my bedroom and I broke down. Just realize it will happen to you and it will be a normal thing.

Good luck, again, and feel free to give me a call if you want to discuss further.

Peter Christman

Jim, in my eyes you are very lucky to have caught this in time. As you know Shawn's Dad wasn't so lucky (he didn't even know there was a problem) and my Dad has had two heart surgery in his life. Both very successful. I have no doubt you will fly through this with flying colors. You are a very strong person and it's going to have to take alot more to take you down. I've never met anybody like you in my 40 years...you are an amazing person and I'm happy to be apart of your life. Looking forward to seeing you soon!!

Love Micholina

Very sneaky way of throwing the sci-fi channel in your journal. I just caught that. one day of sci-fi, no Star Wars. Love U:)

Jim the next few days are the hardest . Have faith in your choices and trust in your medical staff. You'll do just great,, this spring we'll run around the pond and chase the birds.
Don Barnes

Jim We are very thankful that you are at peace with your decision. It is because of your FAITH!!! Prayer is an amazing thing. It gets us through whatever the Lord brings our way. We love you!! Ellen and Dom

Hello from Panama...Starting countdown to a new and more energetic life, if that's possible. We miss you here in Cerro Azul and upon your return we'll have a party to celebrate. Take care and follow the doctors orders.
Rachelle & Smitty

I totally agree with going with your feelings. I have chosen my local non-teaching hospital 4 miles from home and a local surgeon recommended by several cardiologists after considering a much larger teaching hospital in L.A. that does heart surgery all day every day. It was so big, so bleak and I just felt I would be happier in a different setting. I especially felt this way after reading the entry recently about the students arriving every morning bedside and totally ignoring the patient!! All the best to you.

Hi Jim. Mickey and I are thinking about you. We also believe that you aren't through yet. You're in our prayers. Hugs, Ellen.

Jim,

Glad you are at peace with your decision. I am 6 weeks out and soon you will be too!!! Best of luck and happy recovery!!

Hi Jim
Just read your HVJ for the first time. I had my valve surgery at the CC last March and am doing well. Just wanted to comment on the lack of anxiety you feel. I was the same way, right up to they put me under. I attribute it to my faith and prayers of others. I had also used the CD that was made available to me from the CC. It was on relaxation and guided imagery. I used it daily and was listening to it on my IPod. Take care, best wishes to you.
Fran

Hey Jim,

As the day draws near take it from someone who was on the other side of the heart surgery thing and just let it happen. As I went into the OR suite I simply looked back at those who love me and with my right thumb heald high I quoted that famous actor "I''ll be back". See you Friday.

Love

John

Best wishes to you Jim for a routine and uneventful surgery and a speedy recovery!

Vickie

Jim, knowing you and how thorough you are I am confident that this course of action is the right decision. Now it is time to put the analysis aside and rely on the good Lord to protect you and heal you through the talented hands of the surgeons who will perform the surgery. Know that you are in my prayers and God bless! -Vic M.

Brother Jim

I found this and thought of you:

"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind.
But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see.
Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!"
~ Dr. Seuss-

Believing, trusting, waiting, hoping...praying for you

Don

We will have you in our thoughts.

Diane & the AM&AA Teams

Jim, thoughts and prayers with you. JBT just completed a 5 bypass surgery on another friend of mine. All went well, he is home enjoying Sci Fi and starting to get out a bit. Keep positive. Keep smiling. One day at a time. John Gallo

JC,
Keep in mind my wife Rosemary is a cardiac RN and willing to help in any way. Further, please know that you will remain in our intentions throughout. Stay strong my friend....DD

Jim I'm so happy for you that your decision has been made!!! We stand behind you and will be keeping you in our prayers....lots of prayers.

I look forward to your postings and will syay in touch.

God Bless Jim!!!

Ellen and Dom

I add lots of love, Jim! I was impressed by Dr. Thompson when we interviewed him with Greg's mom a few years ago.
I shall dedicate a Prayer of the Heart to you on Thursday morning . . . its a meditation practice that comes from old mother Russia that resonates particularly well with me. :-) xxx Sandy

Happy to hear you made your decision --stressing does not help --the only right decision is the one YOU feel comfortable with--will pray for your rapid recovery --Always in our thoughts -- Love, Len & Marcia

jim congrats on your decesion was the reference to large body parts directed at the female reeaders................i hope all goes well and that you are out asap aqnd back to your old self you are really a good friend jack oneill

Several of the many things I admire about you Jim would be your ability for insightful analysis, followed by decisive action.

To me it sounds like you've got a great plan the will yield the best results. On this end, we'll just plan to back it up a bit with a little request for some assurance from above this Sunday at Mass!

I'm glad we've reconnected after all these years and I look forward to working on many more projects together in the future. You have a big heart, so I expect a quick healing process. PMC

The thing I know the most, prayers count, God listens, hears and responds-- not only to the people around you praying for a safe and speedy recovery; but, he also hears the prayers from the person everyone is praying about. You are king of relationships, that's all he wants a relationship. I am more than confident that He is listening to all of us....about you. -c

all the best Jim Cleveland clinic best place too be . I'll be thinkin bout ya

Our thoughts and prayers are with you always for a very successful surgery and speedy recovery! Nothing can keep you down, if I know you. God Speed! Let us know if you need anything to help the process, etc.

Denise and Steve

Jim, Thank you for creating this guess book, my prayers, thoughts and heart are with you.
I wish there was more that I could offer you, Rita

Hola from Panama, Jim, and we look forward to following your journal via this great tool - meanwhile, sending best wishes and prayers for your successful surgery and speedy recovery, also from Sandra y Rene on the other side of the world in Bali, unable to communicate easily.
Grandes abrazos
Ted y Maricia

Hi Jim,
I have read your surgery notes and will be praying that God will give you a successful
proceedure and complete recovery.
Love, Dad