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My life as I knew it ended and began anew on August 12, 2004. That was the day that my best friend, Andrew James Schroeder died very suddenly from a massive seizure at 9:45 AM alone in the shower. His partner Frank found him curled up on the floor of the shower in the fetal position with the water still running, a smile on his face. That was at 6:30 PM. He had been lying there all day.
Andrew had called in sick that day. He said that his back was bothering him. He was on my mind all day long. I called and asked him if he wanted me to call his doctor for a prescription for a muscle relaxant, but of course I could not reach him, so I left a message.
Frank called me at home around 6:45 crying and hysterical. The paramedics and police were there and needed to know his doctors phone number for the death certificate. He had recently changed doctors, so I had to call a doctor friend to obtain the number for me. She did so very quickly and I called Frank back with the info.
After I hung up I went outside to our patio and totally lost it. It was a warm and muggy August evening with not a breath of wind to be felt. My grief was pouring out of me when all of a sudden it happened. Out of nowhere a strong breeze came up and blew right through me. My wind chime was ringing like crazy. As I looked up I heard Andrew's voice speaking to me. He was telling me goodbye. He said he was in a better place now. He loved me and asked me to take care and watch over his partner Frank. He told me that his death was supposed to happen. He asked me to continue my quest to increase my psychic abilities and to use the new power that would be coming to me to heal people. He said that before we incarnated in the Earth-plane reality we had made a soul contract that this very event would occur. The shift of energy would propel me in a new direction, which was my destiny.
Then he was gone. But I felt strangely comforted and loved. Still grieving, I walked back into the house. I could not go to sleep, did not want to read. I heard a voice tell me to watch a movie, but what do you watch when your best friend dies? I found myself walking into the bedroom where we have cabinets full of hundreds of videos. I found myself reaching into a cabinet and I pulled out a movie. It was "Pay it Forward" with Kevin Spacy and Haley Joel Osmont. Andrew wanted me to watch it. I put it in and was awestruck. It was the message Andrew wanted me to know, to help others and help them help others and heal the world. There were scenes that felt like Andrew was talking directly to me.
I was also guided to immediately begin keeping a journal. I found a blank journal I had for years but never used. I began writing my feelings and thoughts that very night and have not stopped. I am now on my sixth journal, with well over 600 pages. I feel that I will someday write a book based on my entries. Perhaps this blog is the prescursor to that!
Mighty God, father of all,
Compasionate God, Mother of all,
bless every person I have met,
every face I have seen,
every voice I have heard,
especially those most dear;
bless every city, town, and
street that I have known,
bless every sight I have seen,
every sound I have heard,
every object I have touched.
In some mysterious way these
have all fashioned my life;
all that I am,
I have received.
Great God, bless the world.
Jim Avedikian graduated from the University of the Pacific in 1970 with a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy. He began his professional career at Haizlip's Pharmacy in Lemon Grove, California from 1970-1973.
In 1973 he moved to the Los Angeles area and began working at Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital as a Clinical Staff Pharmacist, where he stayed until 1980. His next career move was to St. Joseph's Medical Center in Burbank, California, where he accepted a position as Clinical Staff Pharmacist, but was soon promoted to Assistant Director of Pharmacy. He held that position until 1985, when he was recruited by Huntington Hospital in Pasadena to become the Director of Out-Patient Pharmacies for Congress Services Corporation.
In 1995, Jim decided to open his own pharmacy with a grand vision for a totally unique concept in health care. He would incorporate traditional medicine with Eastern medicine to enhance health care outcomes. After months of looking, the perfect location was found in Pasadena at the corner of Washington and Altadena Drive, and Phoenix Pharmacy and Wellness Center was born.
From the very beginning, this concept was recognized as unique. In 1995, Phoenix won Best Pharmacy Awards and Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award from the California Pharmacists Association. The tradition of excellence and innovation has continued to this day, as Jim accepted the eleventh consecutive award for Best Pharmacy from Mayor Bill Bogard at a ceremony held on September 30th at the KidSpace Museum in Pasadena. Other awards bestowed on the Wellness Center complex have included Best Vitamin Store, Best Alternative Health Resource, Best Chiropractor, Best Acupuncturist, and Best Personal Trainer. Additionally, Jim Avedikian has been honored as Citizen Of The Year on two occasions, and was runner up again in 2005.
Jim began to specialize in HIV treatments in 1985 and continues to pursue this specialty area today. He has served on the board of many local non-profits, including the AIDS Service Center and the Greater Pasadena AIDS Fund. Most recently, he has become passionately involved with Huntington Hospital's Phil Simon HIV Clinic and their project to establish an HIV treatment center in Arusha, Tanzania.
In January of 2006, Jim accompanied a medical team to Tanzania led by Dr. Kimberly Shriner. In April of 2005 he chaired a fund-raising event entitled Voices For Africa - A Legacy of Compassion, which raised $40,000 for the Africa project.
Jim's commitment to compassion and caring is emphasized by his philanthropic efforts to many worthwhile charities. He has established a $300,000 endowment for the Phil Simon Clinic and contributes generously to many local charities.
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