April 7, 2008
Deena and Frank came out last night and Frank made some fantastic Shish-Ka-BBB on the grill. We sat outside and I asked them to fill in the blanks for me when they were in Kingman.

Stitching Together The Blackness
Deena and Frank had just arrived at the Hampton Inn in Kingman for Saturday night's gig at the Elks Hall when Kathy called and told them I had a heart attack. After the first operation on Saturday night, Deena and Kathy met the ER doctor in the hallway and he told them I was going to be fine, but will probably need some "occupational therapy." Both women took this to mean I had major brain damage. Kathy envisioned putting together a special wheel chair with a tray in front of me with all of my books, and a sign over my head that says, "Ask Me About The Old West." She planned on wheeling me to the nearest park and helping me to relate.

On Sunday morning at about eight I opened my eyes for the first time. I couldn't talk but asked for pen and paper. After I asked about my dogs and chickens, the first question I wrote was, " What day is it today?" Third question: "Did I miss part of the gig?" Yes, had missed the entire show.

On Wednesday at about one, the nurse said, "It looks like he's having another heart attack." After three EKGs they took me to the operating room and put in two more stents.

The worst complication was I had asperated pneumonia which developed from the first heart attack, when I vomited up my lunch and it went into my lungs. Two weeks later, I'm still battling that pain. I was also battling a high fever. Deena remembers them taking my temperature and it registering at 100.7 (the majority of my radio career was spent on KSLX FM, 100.7). They rammed ice water down one nostril, while sucking up dark stuff from the other.

Frank left Sunday night and drove home. My cousin Brenda Stockbridge drove Deena to the airport on Wednesday night, and Kathy and I checked out on Friday. When the volunteer wheeled me to the front door, while Kathy got the car, the nurse asked me if I wanted to stay inside, or be outside. I said, "Are you kidding, I want to go outside and look at the beautiful Taco Bell across the street!" I wasn't kidding. One of the ugliest streets in America suddenly lookend heavenly to me.

Funny what close encounters with death will do for your outlook on life.

Awake At My Wake, Part II
"Whatever spirit is taking care of you, you're a lucky guy. You're truly loved by a whole lot of good people and you're truly blessed because of it. Maybe that love wraps you up and keeps you immune to the 'Gator' spirit that means to take you out! I'm confident you'll be fine and when you're better, LETS TALK! "
— Love you, Jeanner (Jeanne Sedello)

"You're just lucky that you were in the company of people who knew how to keep you alive until the pros go there. I have a Friend Dave Zorn, who was with KNX CBS in LA for 30 years as the news anchor and he suffered an attack and his wife didn't know what to do. By the time the ambulance got there it took 11 tries with the paddles to get him started. Because of the damage he lost 65% of his heart function and now has a motor in his chest to help pump blood.

"You should send a Birthday card to your Rock Band buddies every year on the date of your heart attack and rebirth.”
—Allen Fossenkemper

"I heard from Kathy that Mexican food would not be allowed in your new diet. Well, that's not such a tragedy; after all, as I've told you many times, everyone knows that New Mexican food is far superior to that Sonoran slop you have in Arizona anyway. So it all works out for the best in the end."
—Tracy Lee Hutton

'"You are a true innovator and your talents are yet required in the western history and publishing fields so please get better soon and get back to it."
—Eric Weider, President and CEO of Weider History Group (among other titles they publish Wild West)

"There is no stress in the world, only people thinking stressful thoughts and then acting on them."
—Dr. Wayne Dyer