Next Monday, November 2nd marks an important day in the Horne household. My wife, Charlotte, will have her final reconstructive surgery to complete her recovery from breast cancer. She is now cancer free! This has been a long 14 month surgery, but one that she has handled with dignity and grace. Her positive spirit has truly been an inspiration to so many and the model on how to cope with such devastating news.
 
Charlotte was diagnosed in August, 2008 with triple negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive types.  We were told that we had to hope we caught it early enough that it had not spread to her lymph nodes. A few days later, Dr. John Cox performed her surgery only to find a day later that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. As you can imagine, our hearts sunk and our family was devastated. But, as only Charlotte could do, she comforted the rest of the family. Her faith and spirit lifted the rest of us through a difficult time.
 
A second surgery was performed to remove lymph nodes, followed by extensive chemotherapy and weeks of radiation. It was a long journey, but each day, she faced the challenge with an amazing attitude. There were days when I was tired and just did not feel I could exercise, but each day, no matter how much chemo had been pumped through her veins, she got up and jogged on the treadmill or rode on her bike. I knew then that her incredible will to live would lead to her survival.

Now, 14 months later through all the hardships and different wigs we bought, her spirit remains the same. Her short haircut looks adorable and her smile is as infectious as ever. She talks to cancer patients each week, lifting their spirits and letting them know that it is not the end of the world. It helps and she knows it!

We are blessed to have Dr. John Cox in our life. His skin saving, nipple saving breast cancer procedure should be spread all over the world. He is a genius and a doctor who cares. If you know of anyone facing this horrible disease, you owe it to yourself to tell them to seek him out. We will never forget him. How fitting is it that as we wrap up breast cancer awareness month we are able to close the chapter on this long journey? I only hope that other victims of this disease can be just as lucky.

During a recent conversation, I was asked, "What motivates you to come to work?" I thought that I would share my answers with you and also encourage you to think about this question and share your answers.

Love
I am motivated to come to work because I truly love what I do. I love building companies, helping patients and families get their lives back. An unexplainable sense of pride and accomplishment comes over me whenever patients tell me that LSI is the best medical facility they have ever visited. I addition to providing outstanding service to our patients, I have a strong passion for mentoring young employees and helping them to define and achieve their goals.

Fear
The thought of disappointing our patients and employees evokes a strong sense of fear. I am fully aware of the importance of the work we do and its impact on others. For those reasons, I instill and uphold the principle that each and every staff member is dedicated to nothing but the best. I promote the understanding that while we have the esteemed position as the leaders in minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery, our status is contingent upon our surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction.
 
Responsibility
I am also motivated by an overwhelming sense of responsibility. Our employees and patients rely on my guidance and leadership. It is my duty to create and maintain the necessary conditions for my staff to achieve success, as well as to ensure patient satisfaction. The fear of disappointing reinforces this sense of responsibility, but my confidence in our proven abilities are extremely reassuring.
 
Self-Worth
Everyone loves to be needed and I am no different. It is very fulfilling to have people who believe in me, find value in my work, and trust me to help them in achieving their goals.
 
Work Ethic
My dad was a great man of modest means, who came from a generation that upheld the principle, "hard work leads to success." He is no longer here to guide me, but the principles he instilled continue to influence my decisions.  I always feel his presence, especially when I am facing difficult decisions.

Giving Back
Last, but by no means least, I am motivated by my duty to give back. LSI gave me my life back, so why wouldn't I want the same for others? I consider myself the luckiest man alive because many people have done a lot for me. I am extremely fortunate and grateful to have so many angels on my shoulder, and as such, I must reciprocate.

According to a recent study conducted by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, texting while driving increases your risk of an accident by more than 23 times! Since these results were publicized, attention to this phenomenon has increased significantly, prompting legislative action and social response. The reported findings resonated with me, since I had recently been a victim of this careless practice.

On May 27th at approximately  6:45am, while on my way to work, I came to a complete stop, observing the red traffic signal. In an instant, I was knocked unconscious for a few seconds and later awoke, experiencing terrible pain and electric shock down my arms.  I had been rear ended by a truck that was pulling a trailer. The driver of the vehicle did not see me because he was texting.  I presumed that he was distracted because he almost ran me off the road a few minutes before the accident.

Through this unfortunate experience, I now have first-hand knowledge of the dangers  involved in texting while driving. As a result of the accident, I have been experiencing neck and arm pain. In addition to the physical impact, I have a badly damaged car that will not be repaired until the end of August, at best,  had to supplement the cost of repairing my vehicle and incur the cost of a rental vehicle after the 30 days covered by insurance.

After this horrible experience, I am championing the cause against this unsafe practice. If you are texting while driving, I urge you to desist immediately, join me in discouraging others from doing so and help raise awareness to the associated danger. Visit our Facebook page, post comments and repost the link to your friends and family. Thanks in advance for your support!

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In March of this year, I wrote a post, in which I shared with you the 50 things I love. My hope was that you would get a chuckle or two from a light-hearted post. During that time, there was a lot of bad news circulating, especially about the financial crisis and the toll that it had taken on a number of folks. Over the past few weeks, a somber mood has been lingering in the wake of several tragedies. So, today, I compiled a list of my 50 pet peeves, hoping that it will break up the cloud of sadness and bring about a couple smiles. Enjoy!

1.    Paralysis from over-analysis
2.    Driver cruising below the speed limit in the left lane
3.    Kids wearing their pants so low, you can actually see their under garments
4.    Pessimism
5.    Large, chaotic  areas
6.    Closed MRIs ( I'm a little claustrophobic)
7.    Tardiness
8.    Chicken liver
9.    Awaking from a wonderful dream
10.    Faithlessness
11.    Sinus headaches and allergies
12.    My ADD
13.    People who are discourteous to airline employees due to circumstances beyond their control
14.    Insincerity
15.    Child abuse
16.    Inefficient road systems (Did someone say Tampa?)
17.    Intolerance
18.    Animal abuse
19.    People who lack integrity
20.    Athletes' use of steroids
21.    People who wander aimlessly through malls
22.    Servitude
23.    Complicated remote controls
24.    Waking up at 5:10 am every morning ( I wish I could sleep in every once in a while)
25.    Dimly lit restaurants
26.    Middle seats on airplanes
27.    Colonoscopies (Every 5 years after age 50! Are you kidding?)
28.    Rude talking heads on cable TV
29.    Laziness
30.    People who text while driving
31.    Overbearing fragrances
32.    Littering
33.    Cowardice
34.    Zoos ( I don't fancy seeing animals behind bars)
35.    Clutter
36.    Spam emails
37.    Indiscipline
38.    Sales calls from telemarketers
39.    Road construction during peak traffic hours
40.    Exploitation of children and the elderly
41.    Long legal contracts when a handshake would suffice
42.    Unfair business practices
43.    Male ego
44.     Waiting in a doctor's office way beyond a scheduled appointment
45.    Talking in movie theaters when a film is in progress
46.    Shirt collars without stays
47.    Stopping at a crowded gas station when time is of the essence
48.    Prolonged cell phone conversations in public areas
49.    Sarcasm
50.    Having to tell people in pain that they are not candidates for our procedures

It seems that in our fast and furious lives, we are always trying to find new things to do to celebrate special occasions. We all try to create something a little more special than the previous birthday, anniversary, holiday, etc. Personally, at my age, being with family is sufficient to fulfill my need for that something special. This past Father's Day was extra special, yet simple and effortless.
 
Father's Day happened to fall on my birthday-even a greater reason for someone to try to make it extra special, right? So, if you're wondering what I did, here goes. I woke up late (6:30 by my standards), had coffee with one of my best friends- Bemac, and read the Sunday paper.  I spent the rest of the day with my two month old grandson Adam.
 
For lunch, we went to the Columbia Restaurant, a historic Tampa eatery. After lunch, my wife and I spent the day babysitting little Adam together, while his parents got a well deserved break to go see a movie. Later that afternoon, Adam and I watched the US Open, took naps, and watched more of the US Open. I promised to take him to watch the tournament live someday and play 100 golf courses when he's a little older.

We finished the day with his first dip in the swimming pool. He loved it! I then mustered up enough strength to run on the treadmill, although some would disagree on whether that could be classified as running. We ate dinner on TV trays, while we all watched the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. My favorite line in the move is Brad Pitt's statement, "There's nothing wrong with growing old." That line was the ideal climax to an unforgettable day!
 
In retrospect, I can definitely say that I had the perfect Father's Day and birthday! I am, however, extremely blessed because with my kids, everyday is a perfect Father's Day. How did you spend Fathers Day?

You have heard the old saying, "getting old ain't for sissies." All you 50 somethings who are reading this are nodding your heads saying, "Boy is that so true." Your skin gets thinner , your bladder gets smaller , your waist line gets bigger , hair grows where you don't want it, but  not where you want it , and the only six pack you buy is  reading glasses at Walmart, so you can leave them everywhere the light is dim. You have to think before you eat because it will affect your cholesterol, triglyceride, or keep you up at night. Based on these physical changes coupled with social representations of aging, one would think that nothing good can be said for growing old, except it beats the alternative.

However, I have finally found one wonderful reward for getting older - my first grandchild. Adam Corbitt Salman was born on Friday, April 24th, 2009. He weighed 8 lbs. and 5 ounces and was 21 ½ inches in height. My daughter endured 28 hours of labor to deliver this little angel and my future sidekick. And, she was absolutely correct when she said that night, "Dad, he is PERFECT!" He is definitely the best medicine for all the aches and pains that come with growing older.

 
Moreover, he is a friendly reminder to take care of myself, so that I can share in the joy only a child can bring. I can truly say that little Adam has reinforced my sense of purpose. I find it amazing that a beautiful little baby can bring about huge changes in our lives and thank God for these miracles. Like with each of my children, when I held him in my arms, I had a feeling that I had never felt before.  It was and is indescribable and I look forward to spending each passing day enjoying each moment.

So, I may have to put on my reading glasses to see every perfect little feature in his face, but I thank God for the opportunity to watch him grow. And, I am thankful that his arrival has opened my eyes enough to finally realize I have not done enough with my own children, family and friends. I can't wait to start the second half of my life and do better than I have done before!

This past week, I had the pleasure of dining at Mastros City Hall Restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona. Mastros is a magnificent restaurant, specializing in steaks and seafood. While there, my colleagues and I ordered seafood towers for the table and much to my delight and amazement, out came a four level display of all kinds of fresh seafood, accompanied by dry ice that left a trail of smoke almost as big as a fire!

It was a remarkable presentation and overall experience, and having grown up in a home with a mother who has exceptional culinary skills, I have high expectations. So, if you are a seafood or steak lover, perhaps on your anniversary, spouse's birthday, kid's graduation, or some other special occasion, I encourage you to try Mastros City Hall.

Over the past few months, many of you have become familiar with my story. You know about my experience with pain, how Dr. Dt. Louis gave me my life back, and the subsequent partnership, out of which LSI was established. In addition, I have shared my goals, business ethics, and important medical and company information. During this time, many of you have also shared your stories and contributed ideas based on your experience, for which, I am thankful! Today, I would like to share with you a light-hearted post about some things that I love. I hope that reading this post will prompt a chuckle or two. God knows we need a few chuckles in these tough times!

1.    My kids' accomplishments
2.    Memories of my dad
3.    Kids
4.    Great steaks (Pittsburg style)
5.    Soft serve ice cream (chocolate and vanilla swirl)    
6.    Colorful Robert Tablot ties
7.    Fast cars
8.    Good penmanship
9.    Practical jokes
10.  Pentel pens
11.  Chuck Yeager and John Glenn
12.  Dirty martinis
13.  Great dreams
14.  Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, Paul Newman - Now that would be a fun
       party!
15.  Double rainbow
16.  Babe Ruth calling his home run shot
17.  White Castle and In and Out Burgers
18.  The Kentucky Derby - It's like the Superbowl Married the Masters
19.  The Rolling Stones - They still give me hope that I could be a rock star at my age!
20.  Onside kicks in football
21.  San Diego Weather
22.  My mom's fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans cooked to mush.
23.  Christmas morning
24.  Cirque de Soleil shows
25.  Breakfast for dinner
26.  Joe Cocker
27.  Watching and listening to the bagpipe player at sunset at the Inn at Spanish Bay at
       Pebble Beach
28.  Perfectly still lake at sunrise
29.  Tina Fey's impression of Sarah Palin
30.  Vin Sculley's voice
31.  Peter Jacobson's attitude and humor
32.  Barbeque ribs at the Rendezvous in Memphis
33.  Reading the Sunday morning newspaper
34.  Drinking iced cold milk out of a frozen beer mug
35.  New TV shows - MAD Men and Friday Night Lights
36.  Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
37.  Kevin Costner's movies - Bill Durham, Field of Dreams and Tin Cup
38.  Grandmas - nothing better than grandmas!
39.  The three words "I love you"
40.  Hanging out with good friends
41.  Magic tricks
42.  Take me out to the ball game - 7th inning stretch
43.  Angel hair pasta
44.  Bobby Bowden and the FSU Seminoles
45.  Great Architecture
46.  Hitting the sweet spot on a golf sheet
47.  Sedona Arizona, Yosemite, The Grand Tetons
48.  Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee
49.  Watching The Wizard of Oz as a child
50.  Fenway Park and a Fenway frank