Hi John -
Like you i have not been on in awhile, but I was very glad to see an update from you when I checked in. You really have made the most of this second ...Read more
Hi John -
Like you i have not been on in awhile, but I was very glad to see an update from you when I checked in. You really have made the most of this second chance. That is so fantastic. Keep it up and keep dancing through life (figuratively and literally). You are a great inspiration.
All the best,
-Mitch Friedman
Thank you for the post, I hope you are doing well! It has been a very busy time for me at work; and it wore me down quite a bit. Fortunately, things are back to a more normal condition now.
John, Congrats on the excellent report from your doctor. I\'m so glad echo and visit went well and you are healthy. Congrats also for your 1st place dance ...Read more
John, Congrats on the excellent report from your doctor. I\'m so glad echo and visit went well and you are healthy. Congrats also for your 1st place dance win. That is really awesome. It sounds like other than some long hard days at work, you are doing very well. I wish you continued good health & happiness. Stay well and enjoy the rest of your summer. Janis Kielbasa
Thank you for your kind words! It is always nice to hear from you!
I hope you are having a great summer and getting ready to go kayaking soon if you have not done so yet.
Before I got into dancing, I had been thinking of getting a kayak, I had thought that would be fun also. There are lots of places to do that along the Tennessee river. I have a canoe, but have not been out in it for years.
Now, my outdoor activity mostly involves riding my lawnmower; although my daughter talked me into getting my bicycle fixed up so I could go riding with her and her boyfriend when it cools down.
Hi John, I just read your update. I will check out your you tube. You have to be beaming with pride at your accomplishments and progress. Getting out there ...Read more
Hi John, I just read your update. I will check out your you tube. You have to be beaming with pride at your accomplishments and progress. Getting out there and doing what you love even when you are tired tests us all. You are an inspiration because you go for it. Just awesome, my friend. Stay well. Janis Kielbasa
Thank you for your very kind words. I guess all things considered, I am doing very well, my dancing is improving and I am having some fun doing it. My exercises are going well also, my overall condition is improving. I go to the cardiologist next Friday to see what he has to say. My main issue is a lack of sleep and I need to be careful of that.
I am getting ready to go to some dance lessons with Emily now.
Hi John, just read your update ( have not been on HVJ much lately). I loved it! Not because you threw a hissy, but because it provided valuable perspective. ...Read more
Hi John, just read your update ( have not been on HVJ much lately). I loved it! Not because you threw a hissy, but because it provided valuable perspective. We all need to realize how from we have come and how
lucky we are to be as healed as we are. Like you, I often forget and get frustrated that I am not better than I am. But let\'s be real, we are amazing. We have come so far and are SO lucky to be where we are. Getting frustrated is a sign of our progress!!! So, let\'s try to realize how blessed we are. And also be easy on ourselves for wanting more and getting frustrated. I know, easier said than done, but beating ourselves up after getting frustrated only makes it worse. So, we do the best we can and that should be good enough. Keep on dancing my friend, literally and figureatively.
-Mitch Friedman
Great to hear from you; I hope you are doing well, it sounds like you are.
After calming down, I did feel badly about how I had behaved. Fortunately, I kept it pretty low key, and not too many other people knew about it. Poor Emily received the most of my ranting and she apparently did not tell other people about it.
But you are correct we have come a long way. I am dancing, and I feel better all the time while doing it during the comp and socially; just got upset about the scoring afterwards. As Emily said, that is something we have no control over, and we can't let it affect us or it affects our later dances, partner, and other people. She said she and her partner have had similar experiences in their competitions.
I am very thankful for where I am and what I can do now. I need to work on things that I can control and not let the other things bother me. I am improving and that is what counts.
Well all my classmates got ahead of me ! Dog gone.
You look great & im proud of you. But i am insanely jealous of all the great dresses in the contest. ...Read more
Well all my classmates got ahead of me ! Dog gone.
You look great & im proud of you. But i am insanely jealous of all the great dresses in the contest. Always wanted some of those You look great. Thx for sharing
When we get to our UNION - as jeff calls it - i know all the girls will want to dance w- you Save onebfor me !!
Keep it up. Hugs. Nancy friedman.
St louis. 2-9-12 avr
John, just read your update. Don\'t be so hard on yourself. Being competitive is good but being a sour puss not so much. Say your sorry to whoever needs ...Read more
John, just read your update. Don\'t be so hard on yourself. Being competitive is good but being a sour puss not so much. Say your sorry to whoever needs to hear it and move on. Emily sounds like an amazing dance partner and I\'m sure she understands. Having a winning attitude is important as is a even temperament. So get out there and kick butt but do it with a smile. Janis K.
Thanks for your comments. Emily is amazing as a dancer, instructor, person, and dance partner. Fortunately she is also very patient and understanding. She said she has felt the same way as I did in some of the competitions she has participated in also. I was pretty rough on her and have apologized several times. I had bought some Godiva chocolates (dark which are her favorite) and Godiva chocolate liqueur before the competition to give her as thanks for her support during the competition. I gave them to her the day after the competition; so that also helped. There is one other person I might need to apologize to also, if she heard me, which I hope she did not.
I let the judges' decision get to me, and that was a mistake, as it affected me and Emily the most. She had plenty of other things going on and I needed to stay focused on my dancing, which I did not.
Emily has been pleased with my progress, and one of the judges, who also coaches me, told me I had improved since she saw me last year. That was good to hear, especially with what I have been through.
I need to stay focused, keep improving, and kick butt (while smiling)!!
John, just reading the list of dances you had to perform made me tired! I know you are disappointed in your \"behavior\", but....it takes a real man to admit ...Read more
John, just reading the list of dances you had to perform made me tired! I know you are disappointed in your \"behavior\", but....it takes a real man to admit they acted poorly with no excuses. I commend you for that!
I predict your next competition will be much different. I also suspect that there were some \"surreal\" moments involved, perhaps subconsciously that contributed to your \"bad boy\" behavior.
Keep up the hard work and put this episode where it belongs...in the \"I won\'t do that again\" file!
Keep on dancin.....
Linda Dixon, AVR 3/13/12
I think there were some background issues and problems leading up to the competition that made me a bit more vulnerable to having bad behavior; kind of like the straw that broke the camel's back. I used to be very bad about that; but fortunately do a lot better now, for the most part anyway.
I will definitely keep on dancing, and also try very hard to behave better.
Emily has been very good and supportive of me and helped me understand the judging situation better. She said it happens to everyone from time to time.
Back to competing, such great news for you John. At the end, be sure to rip open your short and show them what you got, a new zipper chest! Good luck.
-Mitch ...Read more
Back to competing, such great news for you John. At the end, be sure to rip open your short and show them what you got, a new zipper chest! Good luck.
-Mitch Friedman
John, Happy 9 month anniversary. I think I love reading your posts because you have mixed exercise with what you love to do, dance. You are keeping your body ...Read more
John, Happy 9 month anniversary. I think I love reading your posts because you have mixed exercise with what you love to do, dance. You are keeping your body and spirit strong. Your heart is repaired and full. Awesome!! Janis K.
Thanks, I had my final lessons/rehearsals last night, worked on a few problem areas, but overall they went well. I just need to relax and enjoy dancing this weekend. Dancing is a great way to exercise, lots of fun too!
Happy 8 months!! Wow, you have come so far and done so well. I know it is not easy but your positive attitude, work ethic and spirit have served you well ...Read more
Happy 8 months!! Wow, you have come so far and done so well. I know it is not easy but your positive attitude, work ethic and spirit have served you well while on this road of recovery. You have so much to be proud of, so much to be thankful for and so much to yet enjoy. Your posts always an inspiration. Continued health, love and happiness!! Janis Kielbasa
Nice to hear from you!
It seems like a long time ago that you were preparing for your surgery. Time does fly.
I have enjoyed your posts, especially your poems!
John, glad to read you got a good report and all is well with your liver. You have been through enough, as we all have, so glad you are back on track!
-Mitch ...Read more
John, glad to read you got a good report and all is well with your liver. You have been through enough, as we all have, so glad you are back on track!
-Mitch Friedman
Good to hear!! That little guy, Mr. Liver is an important organ and glad it is working well now. You\'ve done so well and continue to inspire us to keep moving ...Read more
Good to hear!! That little guy, Mr. Liver is an important organ and glad it is working well now. You\'ve done so well and continue to inspire us to keep moving towards our goals. For me, it is a daily mental exercise to get my body to daily exercise. Reading of everyone\'s accomplishments is good for my \"Catholic Guilt\" and helps push me out the door for my 2 miles trek. LOL. Continue good health and recovery to you, John!! Hugs, Janis Kielbasa
Regular exercise is important. My routine has been thrown off a bit due to the remodeling of the Livewell center at work. I was just getting a routine established, and have to try to find another routine temporarily. It is easy for me to quit and difficult to establish. There are too many other things to do once I get home, which is why I prefer doing my exercise before coming home. I just have to make a better effort once I get home.
I did get some good exercise dancing last night. One of the instructors had me dance the Viennese Waltz and Quickstep with her, definitely got my heart rate up. But, I was also more careful to take breaks and not over do it last night.
Hi John, you seem to really be doing great. It is obvious that dancing is big to you, so I am very glad to read you have that back in your life in such a big ...Read more
Hi John, you seem to really be doing great. It is obvious that dancing is big to you, so I am very glad to read you have that back in your life in such a big way. I am sure dancing again will do wonders for your spirit too.
All the best and take care,
-Mitch Friedman
I started dancing 4 years ago and have really enjoyed it. It is a great social activity and dancing also is great exercise and helps with the mind - body interaction. One person who knew me from before I started told me my overall movement is much smoother now.
Take care, best wishes for you as you resume more of your normal activities.
Dr. Doug Johnston is a world-renowned heart valve surgeon that has performed thousands of heart valve operations that include minimally-invasive techniques.
I am from: Loudon, Tennessee
