On my myspace page I have a picture of me laying in a hospital bed and I seem to be asked the same question, "what happened?" I guess enough time has passed and I guess its time to talk about that "hot summer day."
On two consecutive mornings I woke up with a "spasm" in my leg and foot. After taking a shower on the second day and starting my day I was sitting at my home computer working on emails and in a flash my head crashed against the keyboard and about 2 seconds later I was back up like nothing had happened. Following those events my foot started to "spasm" again and then I new that something was wrong! So like the fool that I am I stumbled to the car and drove myself to the Burbank Urgent Care. There I sat for close to 2 hours "spasming" all the while. Once the doctor decided to see me he had no clue to what was happening. He suggested that I go to the emergency, so again I drove myself to St. Joseph's in Burbank where they were waiting for me. Now, all this time I did not take the situation too serious because hell if there was a real problem the urgent care people would have arranged a ride; right?
So the emergency people rushed me to a bed, I signed all kinds of papers and was rushed into a big white room where a group of Umpaloompa looking folk prepped me for a cat scan. That was quick and harmless and I was sent back to the room and I waited for 3 or 4 hours to see a doctor. Finally he comes in and tells me that he doesn't see anything. Mind you he has not seen my foot get all crazy! He was trying to tell me that I was suffering from some kind of headaches.
Well as he was ready to send me home my foot started acting up and I pulled my sock off and asked if this looks like a headache to him? He said no and sent for a neurologist.
In comes Dr. Melvin Balafski, this man looked like he was ready to go home or he came in just to see me. It took him like 2 hours to come in and I was sound a sleep when he got there!
He started asking questions and said something like "I can't believe I'm here to see a guy with a migraine." Right! So we talked a little more, the wrestling topic came up and I learned he was from Chicago and when he was younger he was a fan (were'nt we all?) Anyhow, while we were talking my foot went at it again, but it was under a blanket and he did not see it and he asked me to "do it again." WHAT? He sat in a corner chair as my foot sat naked, I wanted it to do it so bad, I wanted to go home. OK, it finally happens for about 3 seconds and he asked if I made it move, when I said no, he asked if this is how its been the whole time, and I said yes.
Involuntary Movement:
Still laying on the slab, he started poking at my foot, leg and calf. He used sticks and a spur! I really couldn't feel anything and that is what puzzled him. Now this is all on my left side, the right was perfect. In fact when he ran the spur up my right foot I practically kicked him in the face, that thing hurts! The Dr. tells me that he will have to admit me. I said he couldn't cause I had to be in Texas for a big double shot weekend - priority's!
Well he was pissed at that point! He tried everything to get me to say in the hospital for tests, he said I needed an MRI, BRI, ZRI anything that ends with an "I"! But, I checked myself out signing a paper stating that if I were to die he nor the hospital were liable.
The next day I was off to Texas, cane in hand...how stupid was I?
So I arrive and no one knows what is going on. All the staff knew was I was not feeling well. In my mind, knowing the pro wrestling business, I thought that if people knew I had a STROKE I was prey!
Yes folks, I didn't say it early on, I was diagnosed with some kind of stroke. The second Dr. looked at the car scan and noticed "spots" and that was his professional opinion.
Anyhow, I was walking around backstage in my full suit, getting ready to conduct interviews and we had a full house of over 5,000 in Houston. I was so confused. I've never really taken any type of medication, so they really did a number on me. My speech was slurred, I could not stand up straight without the cane and I felt like hell. The venue I was in was an open air rodeo arena and it was raining and it was humid. YES I WAS STUPID!
Here is a interview from that day that I conduced with Bob Trobich, one day after having a stroke. You'll notice I'm leaning on Bob, I'm trying to make it seem that I could not hear him, but in reality he is helping me stand up & at the end of the video I pretty much start loosing it and can't think:
The next night we were bussed to McAllen and we crowned new NWA World Tag Team Champions in Karl Anderson and Joey Ryan. I actually had a great time, well what I do remember!
So I get back home, check myself in the hospital and spend 5 days and 4 nights in St. Joesph's where I was poked and pulled every which way, had test after test and fought with just about anyone who walked into the room. My Mom and Grandmother visited and so did my Sister. Shanesphotos.com came by and snuck hot dogs and ice cream to me. That was great!
In the end I did in fact suffer from a stroke and after 6 different types of MRI's they said I have 3 lesions on my brain. Today, I still feel weird cause I don't know what is going on in there! I try to take each day as easy as I can, but with the cards, wrestling people, production people, Nissan Motors and just about everyone else its very hard to keep things easy.
So, I gotta say that I've really done something special just keeping my head up and in the game while dealing with this stuff. Thanks to everyone who has helped me during all this crap, don't think I didn't take notes! And to the fans, always a big thanks, your professional support is one reason I keep pressing on!
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