He’s Going To Meet The Devil At 4 O’Clock
On Thursday, March 10, about 12 minutes after the hour of eight o’ clock, while I was hosting my award-winning radio show on 710 KNUS, I got a mouth full of marbles, brain full of mush, and I began speaking in tongues. Now normally none of you would have guessed. But I was experiencing what the medical profession calls a TIA, (a mini stroke).
I was awake through the whole thing, it lasted about 10 minutes, and I could read but the words that came out of my mouth came out backwards. I really never realized I could speak Arabic.
Thanks to Steffan Tubbs who was listening in his car, Ellen Graham and, of course, my show producer and friend Billy Thorpe. The train had gone off the tracks. I had just finished a segment with Brother Jeff who was blaming Donald Trump for Tina Peters, and about to talk to Jimmy Sengenberger about Tina Peters. Now I ask you, is it possible that Tina Peters cast a spell on me with eye of the newt, whisper of the cat, and the banshee cry of the Republican Party?
So, I took an ambulance ride, sitting backwards in the snowstorm, with a young paramedic saying, “Sir, we think you’ve had a stroke.”
I immediately said I don’t have strokes, I give them. I was taken to Aurora Medical Center. I can’t tell you how great my medical treatment was, the team that was led by neurologist Dr. Spencer, and Kaitlynn (first name only) that I promised ski lessons to.
I came through with flying colors. They told me after my trip through the MRI using the Michael Jackson drug because of my claustrophobia, and any number of heart stress tests, there seems to be zero sign of me having a stroke. But I had one.
So, they kept me overnight for observation and kicked me loose Friday afternoon. And I realized from the conversations with the doctors these things are caused by stress, stress, stress, blood pressure, and more blood pressure, and not really controlling my diabetes as I should.
And so, I’ve decided to step away from the 710 KNUS golden microphone and, you knew I’d say it, spend more time with my family. I will still be involved with the radio station at a very personal level. The men and women I work with, from Brian, Kelly, and Mel, I can’t thank all of you enough. It’s been a hell of a run.
One of my favorite fighters in boxing was Rocky Marciano. Rocky was 49-0 and took the gloves off and walked away. He died later in a plane crash but had no trauma to his head and body. On the other hand, Mohammed Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Robinson, my childhood heroes stayed too long at the dance and paid for it. Even now with Tom Brady trotting back out on the field my fear is he’ll be hurt.
And so, I don’t know what more we all have to prove. I’ll be 79 in the fall. I played my first record at KAAT Radio and I think it was an Engelbert Humperdinck hit, and now I get to say take care of yourselves. The column will continue here at the Chronicle thanks to Chuck and Julie. I’ve got a great career at 710 KNUS that I can be behind-the-scenes, and for the first time in quite a while I feel relieved.
P.S.: I’ll do a gofundme for Tina Peters if she’ll release me from her evil grasp.
— Peter Boyles