Four years ago this week, former 97.1 The Ticket on-air personality Terry Foster suffered a stroke that ultimately caused him to leave his role on the Valenti and Foster Show.
Despite his stroke, Foster returned to 97.1 The Ticket, where he resumed doing his afternoon drive show with Mike Valenti until something his doctor said was enough to convince him to quit.
On Wednesday, Foster published a blog post and revealed that he regrets returning to work after suffering his stroke.
Four years ago I took a five minute ambulance ride from my doctor’s office to West Bloomfield’s Henry Ford hospital after suffering a stroke. Even as they wheeled me down for a 3 a.m. catscan that night I was thinking of ways for me to return to my career in radio.
I regret thinking that way. I regret returning to 97.1 four months later. I should have stayed gone.
Foster went on to explain that when he returned to the show, his blood pressure began “boiling” by the second hour of each show with Valenti.
Instead I got sick after every show. Although I was on a low sodium diet, eating grilled fish and steamed pea pods just about every day, my blood pressure began boiling by the second hour of each show.
My head pounded. My blood pressure spiked. My drive from the station to my house was just 16 minutes, but I was barely making it home without falling asleep. I’d take my blood pressure and read startling numbers like 192/110. 201/100. One time I celebrated because my blood pressure after one show was only 182/95.
Those were the same numbers I posted when I had my stroke. One doctor said if I continue doing the show I would either die or be paralyzed.
I quit the next day. It was the best decision I’ve made the last five years. This same doctor told me not to return. I called him a quack, but he was right.
To read Foster’s full blog post (which I highly suggest), please click here.
