I mentioned that some struggle with health issues...

In high school we ran the option. I was the quarterback and Kelly was one of my half backs. We battled other teams in southeast Michigan together for a few years. We had great games and from those great stories.

In our younger days we shared the ability to handle our whiskey, we spilled our share while listening to the lefty Jimi Hendrix. We ended many late nights with one last OFC Old Schenley, a fine Canadian whiskey while listening to our favorite tune from Hendrix "The Wind Cries Mary". Ol Shallaly (we called it), at times our medicine, other times the fuel for trouble and another story.  

We grew up and moved on. Kelly married a beautiful woman from Russia. They had their first child last year. along with doing other things Kelly is an inventor, his name was included on a patent as he helped to develop and create a battery cell interconnect system.

This morning Kelly is looking at a different battle. His cancer has returned. The doctors will remove a tumor from his brain today. Please lift up prayers, prayers for Kelly that his fear is removed, for his wife and son, for his mother and father, and for the fine surgeons, that God is with them and working through them.

Check the comments for progress Kelly will be making!

Thank you! Enjoy your day and a new week.

Keep your hearts from fear and bitterness, take care of your heart!

Need A Pick Me Up...Need Some Inspiration?

I'm inspired by two things today, a musician and a story. Thank you Katie for the introduction to Brian Ernst.

Check him out  www.brianernstmusic.com
            and   http://bit.ly/wQxv8q
          his new album is To Love or to fear

 

And the story...

The phrase “Burn The Ships” comes from a historic conquest of history when, in 1519, Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortez landed in Mexico on the shores of the Yucatan, with only one objective…seize the great treasures known to be there, hoarded by the Aztecs. Cortez was committed to his mission and his quest for riches is legendary. Cortez was an excellent motivator, he convinced more than 500 soldiers and 100 sailors to set sail from Spain to Mexico, commanding 11 ships, to take the world’s riches treasure. The historic question is “how a small band of Spanish soldiers arrived in a strange country and swiftly brought about the overthrow of a large and powerful empire that was in power for over six centuries?”

For Cortez, the answer was easy. It was all or nothing! A Complete and Total Commitment. Here’s how Cortez got the “buy in” from the rest of his men. He took away the option of failure. It was conquer and be hero’s and enjoy the spoils of victory…or DIE! When Cortez and his men arrived on the shores of the Yucatan he rallied the men for one final pep talk before leading his men into battle, and utters these three words that changed the course of history. “Burn the Ships”.

Amazingly, the men conquered the Aztecs and had succeeded in something where others had been unsuccessful for six centuries. With the victory Cortez and his men took the treasure. Why did they win? They had no escape. No fall back position. They had no choice! It was "succeed or die". Their ships were burned. They had no way to get back. Their backs were to the wall.

I look forward to seeing you all in April! The calender is coming soon for updates.

Keep your heart in check...keep it healthy and free of fear and bitterness!

Hans Wallsten and the Invention of the Stent

It happened so fast, it felt like Mike Tyson was jamming a solid right directly into my chest. My arms were loaded with beach gear as we trudged thru the sand to the car, it was our first visit to the beach for the 2010 trip. The trip was our annual vacation to Lewes, Delaware to spend some precious time with my parents. Lewes is wedged  between the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean, the quiet town has been a perfect place for my parents to enjoy their retirement and an equally fantastic place to visit with my wife and kids..This year would be a special trip.

Back to the Tyson right, it felt like it was going through my chest, it was so scary and the pressure was so tremendous that as I tried to hide behind the car and not alarm the family my head began to fill with terrifying thoughts. It was happening too fast...is this really happening!! Five minutes before I was swimming with my kids in the ocean, an hour ago I was eating a ham sandwich with sand in it, what the hell is going on here?

The dream continued in the hospital...this has to be a dream. It wasn't a dream and I was in there for three days. The three days were probably more brutal for my wife as she tried to remain calm with the kids and pass the time with my worried parents, hundreds of miles from her family, friends and support. Facebook took on new meaning! The lack of coffee/caffeine mixed with the nitroglycerin patch which they slapped on my sun burned chest had my head split open and melting. I've had more than a few crippling hangovers in my time, this headache provided a terrific reminder for why I stay away from the drink.The night before we were to find out how serious this situation was seemed to be the low point. The doctor said if there's some blockage you'll need a few stents or "if it's a mess we'll have to do surgery, now try to get some sleep."

I don't have enough space here to discuss that night. I'm a rookie writer but my hope is to put it in a book some day...it was a powerful night in a few ways. One of the main things I'll never forget was what at first seemed like a feeling of regret. It wasn't regret though, a solid 4th and 5th step years ago with my sponsor had set me free from those insidious regrets. It was simply a feeling of what I HAD NOT done yet, my heart was drowning as my head was flooding with all the missed possibilities of what I had not shown and taught my kids..it was a long and terrifying night...a different type of terrifying..a different level of powerlessness. For the second time in my life, I was again finding that when I'm at my weakest is when I'm closest to my Creator.

So I'll wrap it up with this, one of the main arteries going to my heart was more than 99% blocked. They call it the widow maker. I received one stent and was told a couple hundred times how lucky I am. I appreciated that but wasn't comprehending lucky at the time. And a few days later we were heading back to Cincinnati, I was still wondering if it was a dream.

Some say that the first medical stents were invented by Hans Wallsten, a Swedish engineer, and were originally called Wallstents, this later being shortened to stents. Thank you Hans! His family lineage may have included Vikings, I don't know, but I would buy that man the finest Swedish beer and toast to his wonderful name...God love em. The first heart stent was invented in 1969 by Charles Theodore Dotter (thank you kindly Chuck), experimenting on the peripheral arteries of a dog...a dog! It was not until 1986 that the first human coronary heart stent implantation was performed, by Jacques Puel in France...a Frenchman?? thank Jacques!

For many of us we don't take the diet and exercise advice too seriously until a diagnoses gives us the incentive and motivation. It was hard to swallow the whole thing...me?..."but you don't look heavy?" It was a scary situation followed by a creepy depression that lingered for about 6 months. I tried to write more than a dozen times and the desire just wasn't there, the task seemed too big and my thoughts weren't clear. Two things forced me to get up and keep moving. I began my cardiac rehab with a new group of friends, I was definitely the youngest on the team. In the inquisitive and curious mind of our beagle puppy (Rufus) there was no such thing as depression. His life was all about pooping, eating the house, big naps and playing with the family. He had no time for me wanting to lay around in any kind of depression, this simply didn't fit with his joyful plans for the day. Along with his enthusiasm for life there was a new lacrosse season starting, a patient and loving wife supporting me and awesome friends who inspire me and make me laugh, I started feeling like Jorge again.

I'm back! I'm doing what I need to do to take care of myself. I'm back to share my passion with The 8 Dynamic Shifts, the Distinct Genius Program, A Real Conversation, launch a new website, discuss the problems that plague small businesses and finally to share kick ass stories from people who show courage in the face of adversity and are willing to share their passion and inspiration with others. For those who know me well I appreciate your patience with me, I talk fast and I go on serious rants, you guys listen to my rants...as they go on and on. I'll try to funnel my rants into the blog, give your ears a little break...I did want to say how much I appreciate every one of you. Thank you Lisa, thank you to my friends who make me laugh my ass off (the belly laugh laugh), to my coach Sancho (I am listening!),  and my friends at lacrosse who I coach and play with, looking forward to getting back out there with the TP Bulldogs. When I spend time with you I'm not only enjoying the moment but I'm also soaking up and observing your distinct genius...you guys fuel my passion and belief in the DG program...you are amazing people...

'Good to see you, good to see your face again' - Neil Young

George

...and then you meet someone like John Jamian

I've been going on sales calls for 19 years. That's a lot of sales calls. I've met some terrific people, heard some great stories and faced a decent share of rejection. Every once in a while a special one comes along, you never know when it's going to happen.

This week was one of those special one's, I had the opportunity to meet with John Jamian, the executive director of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority. John is a businessman, former U.S. government official, and Michigan State Legislator. He served as Deputy and later Acting Maritime Administrator, the head of the U.S. Maritime Administration, an agency of the United States Department of Transportation. He was confirmed as Deputy Maritime Administrator by the Senate in 2003 and became Acting Maritime Administrator in 2005. Prior to his service at the Maritime Administration, Jamian was elected to three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1991 to 1996. From 1997 to 2001 he served as Executive Director of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority and from 2001 until his appointment as Deputy Director in 2003 as the Executive Director the Armenian Assembly of America. Since 2006 Jamian has been a partner at Jamian, McElroy & Hamlin LLC, a government affairs consulting firm.

John shared some terrific stories, we share an appreciation for history, specifically the local history of Detroit. I was fascinated by the fact that he not only appreciates history but has been part of making history for the City of Detroit as well as the Great Lakes Shipping Industry. With his permission I will share articles that he has written as you will find them engaging and delightful.

I share with you all what John shared with me, go after the things we are passionate about. If we really want something we will make it happen. I found those words encouraging as I continue on the path of what inspires me. I love meeting great people, hearing and making great stories and encouraging each other to continue taking action.Meeting amazing people expands my thinking, the world becomes larger and more interesting.