My Carribbean Adventure

or “How I almost made an early exit from the planet”

Those of you who saw my short Facebook post about 3 weeks ago and were interested in knowing what happened on my highly anticipated seminar in Jamaica, the first gig I ever missed. I said I’d record the story so I wouldn’t have to tell it again and again and again.

So here it is. It’s about half an hour (in 2 parts). Pretty harrowing.

Part one

cayman-adventure-part-one1.mp3

Part two

cayman-adventure-part-two.mp3

8 Responses to My Carribbean Adventure

  1. Sherri Baker May 9, 2009 at 2:33 pm #

    Oh mon, John! I’m sure you turned JoAnn white with that one! I certainly am glad you had all your guardians looking out for you that day! And you know, I think you’ve had your ‘three’s’ now. I know of two – your broken leg and now this but I’m sure you can think of the third. So you should be good to go now! We can’t do without you, my friend, so keep yourself healthy! Love you a whole bunch! Give JoAnn a hearty hug from me. Love you both, Sherri

  2. Peter Kimmel May 10, 2009 at 2:28 pm #

    Whoa! John! So glad that you are alright. I know you would have done everything to make that gig. Good thing you listened to your intuition. If you were going to miss a gig, that was the one to miss. The guy on the plane who motivated you to get off the plane gave you lifesaving advice. I am still wondering and concerned as you did not say where the blood was coming from (ulcer?) OR where it was going internally! That is a lot of blood to be just hanging around inside somewhere. . . .

    My best regards to you and Joann.
    Peter

  3. John Braheny May 11, 2009 at 11:05 am #

    Sherri, thanks for the love. Yes this was the 3rd and hopefully the last.

    Peter, I think the explanation is simple and I offer this advice. If you’re taking daily aspirin, whether they’re adult or “baby” doses, even when they’re “coated”, be sure to take them WITH a meal. Don’t let them sit in your digestive tract by themselves. They’re VERY corrosive. Yes I’m convinced the guy in the seat behind me was an angel, disguised as a compassionate man. (We can all be angels like that) Most people don’t have the nerve to try to tell a stranger what to do, even when they know it will help. I assume he was motivated by the experience of his friend, though and just didn’t want to see it happen again. I owe him, and several others, my life.
    Thanks for your concern.

  4. Bev Prigley May 13, 2009 at 1:57 pm #

    What a story! Someone was sure watching over you. Happy all is fine now. Thanks for sharing your experience. Bev

  5. Marilyn Harris May 13, 2009 at 5:50 pm #

    Wow! What an adventure! So glad you were being cared for by the universe and so many wonderful people! (The last trip I took to NYC was similarly scary, “running on empty” with no sleep for a couple days before taking the red-eye – it’s pretty awful to be away from home and not feeling up-to-snuff! I wound up cancelling virtually all my business plans to just REST! – so I can empathize!) You did everything RIGHT, John!! As the lyric goes: “Take good care of yourself, you belong to us!”

  6. Linda Olson May 19, 2009 at 7:15 pm #

    Good grief, John! ENOUGH! I’m declaring you a medical-crisis-free zone from this point on. You’ve paid your dues, and now you get a free pass. What would we do without you and JoAnn? I think the Universe has spoken – we need you longer on this planet! Hooray for your recovery!

    Love you tons ~

    Linda

  7. Rachel Collard May 27, 2009 at 9:54 am #

    John, I have only just read/listened to this and can’t believe it! I was under the impression you were in Jamaica (sunning yourself), then you come back, sort out a contract for me, critique a song for me and now I know what your trip was really like :o(

    Take it easy and look after yourself!

    Rachel

  8. Kent Vogel August 27, 2009 at 12:24 pm #

    I would like to get your address if possible and cultivate a long term association. I’ve got arrangers working on thirty tunes and I’ve written a march. I’ve also been a drummer for fortyseven years and have written a drummer’s method book with Marv Dahlgren who was the principal percussionist with the Minnesota Orchestra for fifty
    years. I am studying your book like its a college course. I look forward to hearing from you. Be Well! If you can’t tolerate aspirin,by all means stay away from Alleve. Best Wishes, Kent Vogel

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