In the past, if a cruise director tells a joke that isn’t funny or says something inappropriate he or she was booed or if it’s really bad a member of the fruit family is hurled at us …… and a pomegranate traveling at high speed can be very painful.
However, that was then ………today, we face a new and much more potent weapon.
Shoe-throwing is the in thing. Everybody is at it. I fully expect somebody to put in an application for it to become an Olympic sport in 2012. The joy of this activity is that anyone can do it – you don’t need specialist equipment or clandestine training.
If someone is annoying you, simply remove your shoe and hurl it at them.
It all started with our mate George W whom, I have to admit, reacted quite coolly to his shoeing in Iraq. He, of course, earned the rare distinction of a double shoe attack, the highest insult in the shoe-chucking world. Last week, however, the Chinese premier only warranted a single shoe attack – which was a bit insulting as it was a sports shoe, a soft shoe, unlike the ones Bush ducked. Chucking a Dwyane Wade basketball shoe is the equivalent of shooting someone with blanks. Surely steel-capped work boots would be the weapon of choice for the connoisseur?
Everyone keeps going on about how a shoe assault is the greatest insult you can produce in the Arab world and until the recent spell of walk-by shoeings I had never been aware of this fact. Obviously I know you have to take your shoes off in a mosque, but I always presumed that this was some form of practical cleaning directive.
The first time I became aware of the power of the shoe in political protest was when I watched that mob spend ages trying to pull down the statue of Saddam (why was he called Saddam? We never called Hitler Adolf or Stalin Joseph … what was that all about?). When they finally managed to get a vehicle to pull the statue down, they all started spanking it with their shoes. This, we were told by Wolf Blister in his breathless live commentary, was a powerful symbol of Iraqi defiance.
I think the whole shoe thing started because people who attend these conferences in the presence of a world leader are always searched for weapons…………and shoes is all they have left.
You could try hats, which fly well, but they don’t do much damage unless you’re Odd Job the Bond villain. I suppose a chunky Brietling or Cartier watch could hurt a lot, but then you’d lose the watch and somebody like President Bush would probably think he was being showered with presents. Underpants………well if they are flung at a President or Prime Minister they may think that this is a cue for them to become Tom Jones and start singing Delilah.
The shoe makes sense. My advice, however, to future shoe attackers is to use a female operative. A well-aimed pair of six-inch stilettos could be used to devastating effect (again there is a Bond precedent with the horrible Rosa Krebs and her “killer” pumps). At press conferences you’ll soon have to remove all your clothing and footwear and sit naked on the floor writing notes and unless you have been blessed with horse-like qualities ….. you will have nothing big enough to use as a weapon.
Meanwhile, the man who threw the shoe at Bush has become a global hero. The make of shoe he threw has supposedly been identified by an enterprising shoemaker in Turkey as one of his products. He already has hundreds of thousands of advance orders for them. I wonder what he’ll call them. Maybe Bush Puppies? Why not Bush Whackers?
It will only be a matter of time until Nike and Reebok are competing for that lucrative throwing shoe market. Someone should invent a shoe that comes back to the owner… they could call it a “shoemerang.” Sorry, couldn’t resist that………….OK, got to run ………..President Sarcozy of France is holding a press conference ……………………….. and I have a pair of Timberlands with his name on it.
Now, let’s see what’s been happening to Jaime and the good ship Carnival Splendor as she continues her voyage to California. Here is her latest Dear John Letter.
February 7, 2009
Dear John,
I would have sent you this letter sooner, but I could not because our satellite on the Carnival Splendor was down. Apparently our satellite needs 305W of signal to allow the phones, internet, and entire system that connects us with the outside world to operate properly. When this letter was written, we were only receiving 113W of signal. To top it off, our satellite was trying to access the proper signal and became unbalanced, so in Fortaleza tomorrow (which is probably today by now) we hopefully will have everything up and running.
Now today was not just like any other sea day in Carnival history. Today was the very first time any Carnival vessel has ever crossed over the equator into the southern hemisphere. I feel honored and so special to have been a part of this historical event. I can add to the lists new experiences being a part of the very first Carnival Equator crossing ceremony. I recently learned that it is nautical tradition for King Neptune to welcome pollywogs (newcomers) into the other hemisphere. A huge production is to take place to cast away evil spirits and welcome novice seaman to the other side of the world.
As you probably expected, the entire entertainment department worked together to make this ceremony a success. The entire cast, the entertainment staff, and even some of our technicians all dressed up as different characters to help make this a memorable experience for our guests.
Our dance cast acted as Merpeople (that’s the politically correct version of Mermaids), they also portrayed soldiers and henchman to the King we also had mystical children of King and Queen Neptune. The wonderful Pauly our dancer acted as King of the Pollywogs. Dan was the mad scientist – because every ceremony needs a mad scientist. Just for the fun of it, Lauren was the naughty nurse. The wonderful Pierre, our enormously massive back lounge technician played the role of King Neptune and I was happy to act as his Queen.
During this ceremony Goose narrated some of our guests being forgiven for their heinous crimes! Some of these terrible deeds included: saving deck chairs on Lido, cutting in line in the Splendido Lido restaurant and the villainous scandal of neglecting to clap during a production show. Our guests were disciplined in a stern yet appropriate manner… One wrongdoer was forced to kiss a dead fish, one gentleman had eggs broken over his body and another man had a can of Fosters poured over his head (last time I checked, that was alcohol abuse!)
After the guests had experienced the proper cleansing ceremony and been forgiven for their sins, the Staff Captain turned up! Our Staff Captain – Alessandro Lemmi is second in command of the vessel and very involved not only with navigational aspects but also with disciplinary concerns on the ship. He turned up and playfully attempted to put an end to our imperative ceremony because it was “very crowded and we were being too rambunctious and disrespectful to our guests!” Luckily, King Neptune was there to save us all! He informed everyone that the Staff Captain was out of line, it was HIS ocean and HE was in charge. The King commanded that his minions throw the Staff Captain in the pool as his punishment for attempting to negate his power! They followed through with this request and Staff Captain Lemmi was regretful of his wrongdoing.
You missed quite a production! It is not too late to make reservations to join us for the second one – which will be taking place during the third leg of our South America run. I am sure next time it will be even bigger and better! All of our guests smiled and cheered, and each of them received a “Crossing the Equator” certificate made by Lauren to commemorate this historic event!
When the ceremony was complete the incredible fly on entertainer Marcus Anthony played a matinee show on the Lido deck. He had the accompaniment of Jim Hanson and the Splendor Orchestra, as well as the hard work of our technical team to set them up and make them sound good! The fiesta continued throughout the day as we head toward our first Brazilian port – Fortaleza!
I hope this satellite connection stays strong!
Can’t wait to share more from the ports.Your Buddy!
Jaime D =)
Another brilliant entry Jaime and as always we say thank you for sharing your adventures with us.
I am writing today’s blog through very tired and bloodshot eyes ………..because I have to admit I am very tired. However, it’s one of those “feeling tired” that is very rewarding. You know what I mean……….the feeling tired after running a marathon……………..feeling tired after having rumpy pumpy………………although I must admit I have never run a marathon and rumpy pumpy is just a distant memory. I had told myself that I would be in Chitinitza………Chiternetzer………….Cshitunatzer……….the place with the Mayan pyramids. I really wanted to go but I am defeated. Yesterday was a brilliant day with the bloggers having had a great weather and, although the seas became a little choppy later in the day, everyone was having fun. The day started at 9 am and finished for me at 1 am and as much as the mind was willing to explore and climb the enormous Mayan pyramids, the body told to me to bugger off.
I think I already mentioned in yesterdays blog about the Q & A session and the rest of the activities throughout the day…………however, just in case I didn’t and to prove to my readers that I am not a lazy sod and should as I write be atop a bloody Mexican pyramid……….here is what I did yesterday.
8:00am – Meeting with Stephanie, Stephanie, Tom, Tony and the ship’s senior management to discuss day
8:24am – Had a poo
8:35am – Breakfast on Lido with bloggers
9:00am – 10:30am – Q & A session with Bloggers
10:30am – Dining Room Re plan with Maitre’d , Kuki from Cruisemates, Host Mac from Cruisecritic and Big Ed from Big Ed’s Group – I will come back to this in a moment
11:00 am – Press Interviews with coffee
11:55am – Had a second poo (the coffee built a road straight through me)
Noon – lunch with bloggers
1:00pm – Press Interviews
1:45pm – Live Radio Interview with a Denver radio station that is nationally syndicated
2:00pm – Tea Time with Cruisemates and Kuki
3:00pm – Tea Time with Big Ed’s Group
4:00pm – Change and shower for Elegant Night
5:00pm – 6:00pm – Elegant Photos with bloggers – we took 270 photos
6:00pm – Host Dinner Table
8:00pm – Drinks with Bloggers
8:30pm – Showtime
9:30pm – walk around ship and drinks etc with bloggers
10:30pm – Hosted Sing a Long
11:30pm – poo number 3
Midnight – Watched Lewis Nixon’s Midnight Show
1:00am – Bedtime
So, as you can see it was a busy but oh so rewarding day. During the day I was showered with gifts for the Thingy and hugs and friendship from so many wonderful people. It was a joyous day and each and everyone of the hundreds of Bloggers onboard have been truly wonderful……..and my emotions are all over the place as you can probably tell from how crap my writing is today. I think Tom captured some of the highlights so here they are.
I really can’t find any more words to describe how I feel but to each and every person who took the time to give me a hug and send their best wishes to Heidi and the thingy yesterday………….I say a huge, massive, gigantic, Herculean heart felt thank you.
I mentioned we had to re-schedule the dining room yesterday and this was because I had been a bit naive in my planning. I had envisioned that with an open plan seating arrangement that people would want to swap tables and meet as many people at dinner as they could………….this turned out to be bad planning on my part and caused one or two concerns on night 1. You see, it turned out that the three major groups of Cruisemates, Cruise Critic and Big Ed’s Evil Krewe really wanted to sit together for the whole cruise.
And so, with the help of the Maitre D Mercin and Stephanie Meads, we divided the dining room up into four sections with the aforementioned groups sitting together and a fourth section for the 100 or so guests not affiliated with any of the “families.” And it worked perfectly and everyone was happy. I walk around the dining room each and every night to each and every table to make sure everyone is OK………..it’s very rewarding but it means I get bugger all food and have to force myself not to tell a table “Look, there’s a whale”……..and when they all turn their heads grab a handful of Prime Rib of their plates.
Well, eventually, I sat down for the main course but just as I was asking for some horseradish for my beautifully cooked and free (with reference to The WhyshouldIhavetopayforasteakwhenitsfreeoncarnival of the Seas) steak I heard my name being shouted by some guests to my right. …………..a lady was lying on the ground. ‘She’s down” yelled one guest……….”John, get help,” yelled another.
Now, in cases like this, the first thing that needs to be done is get immediate medical attention. It is often natural to go over and see what the problem is but unless you are a doctor or a nurse and have medical training there is nothing you can do. So, the first thing I did was call our 911 number, explained the situation calmly and request medical assistance. I then went over to the lady who was lying on the floor. And……..as is often the case in a medical emergency, she was being attended to by two ladies both of whom were nurses.
We checked her breathing and put her in the recovery position and then her eyes opened and the first thing she saw was me kneeling down next to her holding her hand. Now, this sight may have sent her into shock but luckily she just held my hand and tried to smile. I had called 911 at 7:12pm……….at 7:15pm the nurse and doctor arrived ………..that’s three minutes …………..brilliant.
Well, we all left the experts to take care of her and about 20 minutes later they helped her up and she was back on her feet again…………..she had fainted………….luckily it wasn’t anything more serious than that. The guest (one of my blogger friends) kept apologizing to me saying “I’m sorry; I’m sorry”…..I told her there was nothing to apologize for because while she had been unconscious I had eaten her lobster.
I want to thank the ship’s doctor and nurse whose names I am embarrassed to say I don’t know. But I do know they arrived in double quick time, something which many guests commented to me on later in the evening. It could have been much worse………..actually……it was…………….because when I returned to my steak it was gone…………the table was on dessert…………….and I left the dining room happy in the knowledge that the guest was OK………….proud of the medical staff and the guests that helped…………..but I also left the dining room ………….starving bloody hungry.
As I said, it’s been a rewarding and emotional two days. I have been given amazing gifts including gift certificates and money for the Thingy from Kuki and my Cruisemates friends……..which I really couldn’t take but I was threatened with violence if I said no…………I have had plaques and cakes and blankets and one lady from Big Ed’s Krewe spent months making a huge quilt for Heidi and I ……………it was all truly amazing.
You know, I mentioned in one of my Q & A sessions that two or so years ago Heidi and I had gone through a rough patch ……….. not personally……….our love for each other has never once wavered…………..well…………..except the time when I had a huge torpedo-sized poo and forgot to flush the toilet……….which her MOTHER (who was staying with us) discovered a few hours later …………………… anyway, what I mean by a rough patch is that I think that we had decided that we had lived at sea long enough. Heidi wanted children but she also wanted the normalities of life which you just don’t get on a ship. I had also professionally come to a halt. I had been honored to deliver lots of new vessels and loved the entertainment side of the job still. However………….I to was beginning to find the cabin claustrophobic as well as a life aboard ship itself.
And so we made a decision to deliver the Carnival Splendor and then that would be it. I had even discussed my retirement from Carnival with Vice President of Cruise Programming Roger Blum and others. But as I explained yesterday to a group of blogging family and friends ………..the blog itself rejuvenated me and allowed me to find a new love…………….writing. From that came the Brand Ambassador role and so much more and who knows what’s next? I still love being a cruise director and always will and as you will see from this brilliantly written piece by MSNBC’s Anita Dunham Potter……..the best thing about the blog are the people I have met. Have a read of this.
http://www.expertcruiser.com/blog/carnivals-john-heald-blog-kept-me-from-quitting-high-seas/
While there are far too many people for me to mention by name who have shared in their own personal stories with me these last three days there is one lady I want to mention …………..her name is Louise who told me proudly………is. From East Texas. Louise asked to sit with me last night after dinner and so we found a quiet spot to talk. I had assumed that maybe Louise was unhappy about something but as it turned out it was much more personal.
You see Louise is dying………….she has cancer……..and has been given six months to live and this she told me was her last chance to do what she loved most………….cruise with Carnival and spend one last vacation with her husband Scott. Louise has been reading the blog for a year or so and decided that she would like to come and meet me and the bloggers. …………………this is by the way the most difficult portion of any blog I have ever had to write. Louise told me she’s frightened and in pain and she loves her kids and she doesn’t want to die. “I’m in a nightmare,” she told me, crying big great racking sobs. Her husband held one hand and I held the other. Louise then asked if I would do her a favor and publish these words in my blog which I promised her I would and so she handed me a piece of paper which contained these words…..and these will be the last words of today’s blog.
“I am on the Lido Deck and as I take a deep breath and I think: “Thank God I’m alive to spend more time with my husband Scott and the boys is the most important thing in the world. The marvelous thing is that I get up feeling normal. The toxic effects of the chemotherapy are still with me and Herceptin affects the heart, I’ve been very breathless but I have been able to walk around the ship OK. Today I feel at ease. Yes I am scared and frightened but here on the ship I am at ease. I remember very well that mixture of screaming hysteria and disbelief I felt when I was told I had cancer. I was incredibly fit; I danced, I walked the dog for miles. My cancer turned out to be HER2-positive, the most deadly variety, and my chances of survival, with chemo, were just 11%. The doctors told me just after Christmas that I had only months to live.
Scott and I spoke about coming on this cruise because I wanted to have one last vacation with my dear family and I had all my savings sitting in a bank. What else would the terminally ill woman want to buy? A new pair of shoes? So here we are and we are all having a fun time. I have been reading John’s blog for sometime now and I enjoy his funny sense of humor and I have enjoyed meeting so many people whose names I recognize from the comments they send in. It was during the Tea Time yesterday that John joined us for that I decided to ask him to put this letter in his blog. I have lived a normal life and not done anything out of the ordinary. I am 51 years old and I think I have been a good mother and wife. I wanted then to use John’s blog thingy, as he calls it, which I know has thousands of readers to tell Scott and Brandon and Ben that I love them so very much and I wanted the thousands of readers to know this. I am crying again now but have to stop as we are all meeting for a family portrait photo. Thank you John for allowing me to do this and allowing me to share my love for my family with thousands of people.
Louise
Look, friends — there are a few things you should remember before you comment. The space below is for you to post your comments about the post I've just written above. If it is something that's unrelated, please use the Ask John tab above. Now, while I may not be able to reply to your comment below, I do sit in my underpants almost every morning and read everything that is here. So feel free to comment on the comments and then if someone wants to comment on the comment to the comment then go ahead as well. Please be courteous unless the poster is French...........then you can say whatever you want.
Off to try for some Midnight photos, but rest of pictures through Progreso are up.
Pirates in the dining room? Arrrrrrg.
Oops – may have forgotten link…
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/Blog_2009/index.htm
and Oooo La La
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/Blog_2009/prog/indexProg2.htm
Louise,
Wishing you the most wonderful Carnival holiday. Enjoy.
God bless.
Dear Louise:
We are going to be praying for you. This group is very powerful when they pray. We have seen many prayers answered. We believe in miracles. Fight! Believe!we are here for you. Glad you are there with your family and our bloggers family and our wonderful John. I would have asked for the same thing. Keep strong you are not alone!
Muchos huggos
Nanni
Jaime:
Would have love to be there! It sound like so much fun Good work!
John:
I read about Big Ed’s tea time. I wanted so much to be there! I’m glad everything went great
love to all
I was very happy to see all my friends giving you all the things that they did with so much love. Aren’t they special??
Miss and love you all
Muchos huggos
Nanni
Louise- you are leaving a legacy of love with you family. Sending all of you prayer and love. Deby
Hi John,
What a sobering story. I’m at my desk writing this and tears are rolling down my cheek. I hope no one walks by. Good thing Simon Legree isn’t here today. Louise’s story makes every little daily mishap so trivial. John, would you please give her my best wishes and tell her how deeply her story affected me.
Jaime’s blog was wonderful. I could just imagine the crossing the line ceremony. How much fun.
But still, my mind is still on Louise and her family. I don’t know what else to say. I know this will be with me for a long, long time.
I do have one question for you to answer when you get a chance – Since I booked the 11/15 Dream cruise before it became a Bloggers’ Cruise, I selected late seating dinner. Should I change it?
My best to all of you,
Hugs,
Carol
John,
could you give Louise a HUGE hug from my Mom Susan who is currently under going chemotherapy. I read Lousie’s letter to her and we both cried, tell Louise she has not led an ordinary life, she is a wife & mother and that is something to celebrate. With this letter she has touched the hearts of all the bloggers around the world & Im sure there will be many prayers for her and her family over the coming months.
xxxxx to you Louise.
On a lighter note, can I just say “wow John, 3 poo’s”!!!!
That Prep H must be working wonders
Lots of love
Lorraine & Mom Susan
I print off & read this blog to my Mom everyday while she is in Hospital & it brings a smile to her face, she is very jealous of the amount of poo’s your able to pop out
John
I was truly touched by the video and the comments at the end of the blog. It was wonderful watching our blogging buddies be able to spend time with you and to let you, Heidi and the thingy know just how much you all mean to us. I am sure you and Heidi don’t understand how much you have touched our lives and brought joy and laughter to many of us when we needed it the most. Just think all those years ago when you started out with Carnival Cruise Lines you thought you and Heidi were just “cruise directors” but you have become so much more to so many people. You have truly become like family.
We can hardly wait til we are having our own “tea time” with you in December on the Dream. It is only 296 days til we sail – we are counting the days!!
Keep us posted on Heidi and the thingy – it was great watching her video from home – I wouldn’t mind seeing one of those every week so we can stay up her progress.
Looking forward to December and the Dream.
Thanks for everything.
Jet
After that brilliant video about you receiving the many gifts from the people who love you was to be end of my comment but thus Louise’s comment will have to be the end. This very strong woman showed me that even in the dire parts of life, we think of those we love and what they have given to us. I don’t know you Louise but I love you and hope for your family that they will have your strength as you have. John, there’s not much more I can say. I’m sitting here writing my comment with tears all over my face. Please God accept my prayers today for Louise.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
Once again a wonderful blog and with Mr. Bills photos(both of you ROCK)Do hope you are both going to be on the Dream Transatlantic.
Tears are flowing for Louise and her family.
Jamies letters are great.Thank you.
Love to Heidi and the Baby.
Val.
Ont.
Canada.
Morning John
In regard to the shoe throwing at Bush. They have put up a statue of the sho in honour of the guy who threw it. I hope this link works. Let me know what you think.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/01/29/pf-8190421.html
James From Georgetown,ON Canada
Good Morning John,
Please let Louise know that she is a brave and loving person. She is leaving a wonderful legacy for her family and she will be in my prayers. It’s funny how life is I have just finished reading a email from a friend of mine and the email finished with “If you look at what you do not have in life, you don’t have anything, If you look at what you have in life, you have everything. ” God bless you and your family Louise. We are all truly blessed to have such friends as the Bloggers.
Joan
Louise
May God grant you peace and comfort. How wonderful for you that you get to lay down your burden for this short period of time and take in God’s beauty that we all take for granted. We all should be grateful every day for what we have and to make the most out of it. I know it is important to have a savings for the future but I want to enjoy my life and my family before it is too late and then have to ask myself why I didn’t do this or that when I had the chance.
My prayers are with you!
John,
I only started blogging a short time ago but witnessing the hearts of everyone who are on this site and on the boat with you now, makes me feel glad I stumbled on to this site. You too are blessed John and you and Heidi are touching the lives of many and that is what life is about. Sacrificing for others.
God Bless
Karen
Hello John,
Thank you and to Jaime for keeping us current with the news from both ships. I’d really like to be on either one of them right now.
Louise – our prayers are with you and we hope that you make the best of this cruise and have a great time with your family.
Linda
Wow. What a range of emotions today.
Louise, I’m sure I speak for many of us in saying that our thoughts are with you and your family.
John, you clearly got back some of the joy you bring to all of the readers of your blog thingy (even those of us who couldn’t be there). To see you at a loss for words was impressive! Thanks for sharing the moment with us.
Hey Louise,
Nanetteali’s right you know. Get this lot behind you, as I am sure they are, and who knows what might happen! And don’t forget someone has got to be in that 11% you’re talking about so why shouldn’t that be you?
Just over 1 in 10 and with a positive mind, make that 9 in 10. So with those odds best you book your place on the next Bloggers cruise. Hang in there, one day at a time is just fine OK.
Have a great week with John and your family.
AA.
John, please let Louise know that through my tears I am praying for her. Her letter was very touching and I know that prayer from this group has done wonderful things. Tell her to enjoy her family and enjoy the cruise. I am sure I would do the same thing.
I was very happy to read that you have received all the items Ed’s Krewe has worked so hard on this past year. Enjoy them and know that everything was done out of love. (Shipping them back home should be fun!!! LOL.)
The cruise isn’t over yet!!! Have fun my friends!
Big hugs to all,
Princess Lori
aka Catmama
Nanni is so right. This is a very very powerful vessel louise. The blogger’s will all have you in their prayers. They have been known to empower spiritual reward and also the miracle of life. There are people in cyberspace who now will be praying for you each and every day, and remembering what you have gien your husband and children on this Blogger’s cruise. Be ther next December so that we can meet. nanni will be in port and we will shower you with hugs and kisses! Yours,
kap ( Kathie )
Hi John/Heidi/Everyone:
I’m just speechless after reading today’s blog. My thoughts are with Louise and I am impressed at her strength and fortitude to publish something like this. These words are truly inspirational and I know they will live on forever. The power of this group of people will have you in our thoughts for a long, long time.
Loving the pictures from Mr. BillZydeco and the article from ExpertCruiser/pictures posted are amazing. The quilt is beautiful and I can tell how much you love it.
Sad that we can’t be there with you but i’m thankful that i’m able to read along and see everything (thanks again Mr. Bill).
Keep your head up John and thank you for everything you do for this blog. You can evidently see how popular it is and I bet the Dream bloggers cruises will be even more successful.
Thank again!
David
Oh Louise, I’m so sorry to hear that. Please enjoy your time with family and your cruise to the fullest. May God bless you.
((hugs))
WOW…Louise, your story moved me. Everyone is passing through, unfortunately you are aware of the end of this journey. Your awareness in many ways is a gift, because you can tie up any loose ends with your family and make it clear how dear they are to you. There are no guarantees in life, I pray for you and your family…God bless you!
Tina
Oh and John as for the thong underwear, relax and accept the string (haha)
Hi John,
PLEASE give Louise a great big hug from me.
Yes, she doesn’t know me from a French bar of soap (do they exist??), but she truly touched my heart with her letter.
She is an amazing lady, wife mother……..and never will be ordinary.
Louise, be strong, keep the faith and know that there are thousands of people whose hearts you have touched in some way ot the other.
We all pray for you and wish you a recovery…….and many more wonderful years and Carnival vacations to come
God bless.
Miguel Rodrigues
Snr. Maitre d’
John,
Thank you for sharing Louise’s story with us. Please tell her for me that she had said that she was fiftyone and had never done anything special. Life itself is a miracle and is only as special as we make it. Sharing a memory with her family of a cruise with the Crazy Bloggers is as special as it gets. May God truly make your cruise full of these extraordinary memories and I know your family shares the Love you so graciously expressed to them and all of us.
James & Nancy the Cruzin2some
Hey, John,
I thoroughly enjoyed today’s post; from shoe throwing to equator crossing to your schedule and the video, it’s all good. And then the impressive handling of a medical emergency followed by Louise’s story. How could you ever even imagine your blog could be boring???
Thanks for all the things you shared. BTW, I agree with Jet: a video from Heidi every week would be awesome. Would love to see her reaction to all the gifts you guys were given by the bloggers!
For Louise: Don’t give up! I, and hundreds (if not thousands) of bloggers, will be praying for you daily. Miracles do happen…just look at Lance Armstrong. You seem a wonderful wife and mom and I know your family is urging you to keep on fighting. It’s wonderful that you chose to take the bloggers’ cruise and celebrate life with people who will love you as if they’d known you forever. May God bless you and your family.
Hi Heidi! Give Thingy a pat for me.
Your Pal, Myra
John,
Thanks for publishing Louise’s letter. My wife of 22 years passed away 6 years ago from breast cancer. Form someone who has been there, my prayers, thoughts, wishes and hopes go out to Louise and her family.
My new bride and I just returned from an 8 day cruise on the Miracle. We were very pleased and proud to participate in the ship’s mile walk for the Susan Korman foundation. My question: is Carnival sponsoring this fleet wide, or was this just unique to the Miracle? My bride and I will celebrate our 1st anniversary, aboard the Holiday, in April and would love to walk for the cure on our favorite ship.
Again, thanks for Louise’s letter.
George
Dear John,
PLEASE REPLY
I’ve been thinking for quite some time about asking you if you’d do something for me and seeing your post about Louise is the final “push” I needed.
I have several friends who have, over the past few years, been diagnosed with breast cancer. For the most part they’ve beaten the odds and are doing well, though one colleague didn’t survive the battle.
I recently volunteered for a program called “The Army of Women” which is sponsored by the Avon Foundation and Dr. Susan Love (a leading researcher in breast cancer). The “army” consists of women who have volunteered to partner with research scientists studying breast cancer. By signing up you agree to recieve occasional emails informing you of research studies you may be interested in joining. The goal is to sign up one million women. Some of these studies involve answering a survey and others are more involved, but it is always up to you to decide whether you wish to participate. I think that Carnival Corporation, partly because they are already involved with the On Deck Walk for the Cure (which I particpated in on the Westerdam a couple of months ago) and your blog, because a number of bloggers have mentioned their battles (or that of a family member) with breast cancer, would be a good resource for increasing the numbers of the Army of Women.
Would you consider posting this or a mention of the program on the blog? Or even adding a link on your site? I’m including a link to the site so you can see what I’m talking about.
http://www.armyofwomen.org/ourgoal
Best wishes to you, Heidi and Baby Thingy!
Regards,
Anne E.
John: I don’t have words to express how much your blog means to me. You always bring a smile to my face no matter what a bummer of a day I’m having. Please don’t ever stop being yourself.
Today’s “Louise” blog was very special, and has kept me in tears throughout the day. Our prayers will be with Louise always.
Thanks for all you do. We are looking forward to the December Dream cruise with you and the other bloggers.
Mary Lou
Let Louise know many thoughts and prayers are with her. Her life is not ordinary to her family. Keep strong!
Louise,
You have chosen to spend your time exactly as I will if I have advance warning of when my time will come, that being with your blood family and also with your other “family”. John and Heidi have drawn all of us together in what is probably, without a doubt, the largest family in the world! We are all so close because of who John is and what he has done by blogging and bringing all of us together. We are all there for each other, in sickness and health, in good times and bad, but above all else, we are there for each other with any bit of support or encouragement we can offer. Even though so many of us have never actually met in person, we feel close to each other. You are truly an amazing person, so strong and courageous. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this most difficult time. I have been feeling sorry for myself for missing out on all the fun of the bloggers cruise, but now, more than ever, I am really sorry that I am not there because I would have loved to meet you!
Sheryl
John. please let Louise know that our prayers are with her and that God works miracles. Only he knows when our time has come to join Him and our loved ones that have passed on before us.
The doctors could be wrong. I’ll be saying prayers for her.
Countess Carolyn………. from the Carnival Fantasy also
Oh John,
My heart goes out to Louise and her family. Please give her a big hug for me. I agree with Nannie, tell her we will all pray for her and God can heel her. Thank you so much for spending time with her. You are such a kind man. The rest of the blog was great. I so wish Geoff and I could have been there with all of you. Please give Heidi my best. I read in one of the last few blogs that someone told you that the blog had become bland. Well, she’s wrong! I still come home from work everyday to find out what you’ve been up to. Please keep writing as long as you can. It’s sometimes the most fun of the day for me and like today, it’s the most touching thing of my day. God bless and keep you.
Leasa
John as usual another great blog, but Louise’s letter truly left a grown man crying. Please give our
best to Louise and let her know our thoughts and prayers are with her, God bless her
Papanh
John,
What an amazing and classy way to end the blog. Please let Louise know my wife and I are praying for her and her family. My grandmother was in her shoes 4 years ago. She was so healthy ate right and walked miles every day. She was the healthiest person in the family. She was given 6 months to live and made it 3 years. She was able to see my cousin graduate high school and me graduate college. Now I have tears in my eyes again. Let her know she is not alone and the Lord is looking out for her and her family.
John,
Thank you so much for sharing Louise’s story with the rest of your–and her–blogging family. How touching and understandable that she wanted to spend a short time of pleasure cruising with Carnival and with you. I know that it has been one of our own great pleasures, both here and in Europe. Please let her know that we are holding her and her family up in prayer.
It won’t be easy for them to say goodbye to a loved one, but the memories of their can love live on long after they have passed, and comfort can come from remembering the happy times–like cruising the oceans of the world.
Much love to Heidi and Thingy–and of course to you, John.
Your friends, Rus & Nina
Lousie – no one can know, really know, how you feel – the devastation, loss, uncertainty, temporariness – unless you have been there yourself. My heart cries for you, and you will be in my prayers. Whatever you do, wherever you must go, know that God will be with you and He knows all your needs and loves you. Peace to you.
John:
Great blog as usual. I can see how hard you are working to make this a great and memorable cruise for your bloggers. So jealous that I could not be on this cruise.
Jamie is doing a wonderful job relating this great cruise. I do enjoy each installation. I am very, very jealous that I am not on that cruise.
Louise, as a cancer survivor having gone through kemotherapy and radiation, I know how hard this is for you. I also know that you are enjoying every minute you share with your loving husband and children. I hope you have a wonderful cruise with all your blogger friends and John of course. My prayers are with you. God bless.
Marie
Hey John,
I can not even put into words how Louise & her story has made my problems seem rather petty. I am so glad that she is on this cruise with you & that she is having some relief from her thoughts. We all know we are going to die, but to be told how long you have to live must be the cruelest thing you could ever hear, or a blessing in disguise. I just think I would rather not know, but Louise did not have that choice did she…
Thanks for sharing this funny and sad blog, John. I still think you are a very talented entertainer/writer and read your blog every day, even though I don’t always comment. God bless you and Heidi & always thingy.
Jan in Michigan
Dear Louise,
I too am from Texas. Just north of Houston. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your loving family. God Bless You.
OMG, I have not read ur blog in some time but started back the other day because of this cruise ! Thank you for telling this womans story, I’m sure her family really appreciates it !!! I have to go wipe the tears off my computer now but hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise !!!
John,
Thanks for the poo updates. Made us laugh on a day when we really needed to laugh. Sounds like Louise will be getting lots of hugs today so as you pass them along, please include some from us as well. Thanks for including her letter in this blog.
Louise:
We know from experience that God heals cancer and we will be praying for you and your family. You are a very special lady and I’m sure your family already know how much you love them.
We hope when God heals you that you will let us all know in the blog that you are cancer free! Then we can really celebrate!
Jamie: Great to hear from you. Feel like we are there with you. Keep those letters coming!
Mike & Lori
Hi John, Heidi and Thingy,
I began to read your blog about a month or so ago when my friend TJ and I booked our upcoming cruise on the Liberty in March. I have to say that I was hooked from the first. I enjoy laughing -outloud even though there are people around me looking at me like I grew a second head- and TJ and I even use your quotes as our status messages on our gmail chat. She lives in Georgia and I live in NYC, so thats how we keep in touch through out the day.
We met in 2005 when we studied abroad in Florence, Italy. We have seriously become great friends and I am soooo looking forward to my very first cruise!!! She has cruised before, but I think she’s more excited that I’m coming with her.
We will be celebrating the fact that I became a US Citizen last October (I deserve it for all the hoops they made me jump through) and that she will be graduating law school in May.
So, like I said we have become hooked on your blog because of your awesome witty humor, but today reading your blog I was touched more than anything. First, seeing how much you were touched by the actions of the bloggers and then, by that amazing story of Louise.
It is at times like this that we have to reevaluate ourselves and be thankful of what we have. The courage that she has portrayed by putting her story here is amazing. Please pass along our best wishes for her and her family.
-GD
Louise,
Stay strong! Enjoy the gift. We are all praying and pulling for you.
Dear Louise:
My thoughts and prayers are with you and like many others I do believe in miracles and have lived with one, my son, whom the doctors told me would not live. That was over 30 years ago and I tell you this to never give up and keep the faith and I pray that you, too, will prove the doctors wrong and have your miracle. So glad you chose this blogger’s cruise as they are such a wonderful family and will support you in every way. Then there’s our favorite CD, John, who has the biggest heart of anybody and I thank him for sharing your story. God bless you.
Marlene
Dear Louise,
Miracles happen! Just know that thousands are praying for you and your family. May you find peace and comfort in that. May God’s blessing be with you always.
Diane and Richard
As I sit here catching up on your blog, my eyes are tearing up and running down my cheeks, Please know Dear Louise that your entire Blogger Family is also praying for you! You could be one of those 11 % that MAKES IT! So, Don’t give UP! Be strong, only God knows when it is time for you to go HOME! Enjoy every day with your family & friends, and experience ALL the JOY they can bring you! God Bless you ALL! John, Thank You for sharing Louise’s story with us.
WOW! The Krewe really went all out for you, Heidi and Thingy! You can get lots more than a carseat with those gift cards! AND, that Quilt was beautiful!!!!!!!!! You deserve it! Linda & Mike
Louise My thoughts and prayers are with you,Faith is strong,as are you do not give up,
-Sandra
Hi John,
Great blog today. Unfortunately, with the Internet on the ship I wasn’t able to read it on the ship. I wish we could have had a chance to read this while on the ship.
Louise, please know that miracles do happen and this group has the power of prayer and the group of folks on thingy come together will bring that power to bear for you. Please know that being a wife and mother makes you an amazing person. Those are the hardest two jobs in the world. Again our prayers are with you! Best of the world to you and yours through these terrible times. I hope you had a fantastic cruise and have many, many more!
Mike
Louise:
I, too, wish we had been able to read this Blog while still on the ship.
Please know that the warmth you are feeling this very second is the hug from your Blogger’s Family. And that their prayers and arms will wrap around you from this moment on….
Linda (Mom of DJ)