Thread: Gonzalez happy to be alive

Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez playing on Sunday quietly became the comeback story of his life.

In an exclusive interview with FOX Sports Gonzalez revealed for the first time that this off-season he suffered a case of Bell's Palsy, a stroke-like virus. Unfortunately, that wasn't even the biggest scare of his career, nor his life.
"It happened in May," Gonzalez said. "I was sitting at home when I lost all the feeling in my tongue, my face and I got this terrible pain in the back of my head. Then it started getting worse, like someone was sticking a knife down my neck and in my traps muscle. I knew something was very wrong. Actually, I thought I was having a stroke."

Trying to remain calm, Gonzalez was rushed to the hospital with his son Nikko, then-fiancé and now-wife Toby and brother Chris in tow.

"Man, it scared the crap out of me," Gonzalez said. "How would you feel if all the sudden your face goes dead, you can't blink and you can't feel your tongue? I had this burning in my neck. It was bad."

At the hospital, it actually got even worse as doctors informed him he'd either had a stroke, a brain aneurysm or spinal meningitis.

"When I heard those three I started freaking out a bit," Gonzalez said. "Then the doctor said, 'Well, it could also be this thing called Bell's Palsy but we don't think so.' They had to strap me to this gurney and transport me to a hospital across town for a brain scan. I gave my little boy a hug and I almost started crying. I said to myself, 'I guess football is done.' "

Thankfully, the All-Pro tight end was, in fact, suffering from Bell's Palsy, which is treatable.

"They told me I couldn't play if the symptoms persisted but about a month into it I started to fully recover," Gonzalez said. "People usually come out of it with antibiotics and treatment, I used a lot of acupuncture with antibiotics. But some people it stays with them and they also told me in some cases you could die."

Gonzalez, fortunately, recovered but his nightmare didn't end there. Shortly before training camp he went to give blood to make sure everything checked out fine.

It didn't.

"I went to the stadium and the trainer Dave Price said I needed to come see him immediately," he recalled. "I went in his office and he had this look on his face that said something isn't good.

"I asked him what was wrong and all he would say is, 'Tony, it's not good but I don't want to say anything. You need to get to the hospital immediately to take another blood test. You need to go right now!'

"I kept asking him to tell me and all he would say is, 'It's bad.' "

Gonzalez got to the hospital but was kept in the dark. In fact, the nurse at hospital told Gonzalez it was very bad too but also wouldn't reveal what the issue was.

"I finally talked to our team doctor who told me my white blood cell count was very low and basically, if it all checked out I would need an emergency blood transfusion," Gonzalez recalled.

Gonzalez asked the doctor what that meant for football. The answer shocked him. He had a lot more to worry about than football. He needed to worry about his life.

"I just started to cry," Gonzalez said. "I was getting married this off-season, I have this great son. I wasn't ready to go. I was basically told I was fighting for my life."

Gonzalez left the hospital but was told to stick close by in case a transfusion was necessary. A few hours later his rollercoaster ride took one final crazy twist. Somebody got the wrong blood!

"Doc told me somebody out there was very sick but thank God it wasn't me," he recalled. "Imagine hearing that? Thank God the doc re-checked me.

"How crazy is that? Basically, I got to see what it would be like if I was going to die. It's completely changed my life. I really looked inside myself, into life, so many things. I do a lot of charity work with hospitals, it's really given me a completely different view of things."

Taking the field on Sunday, couldn't come fast enough for Gonzalez. Actually, he's just happy to be alive.

"I haven't won a Super Bowl but after the doc told me I was OK, I probably felt even better than that!"

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7207460

I heard this today...I am glad that Tony was able to play today and I

hope he is fully recovered.

Years ago my brother in law suffered the same thing...he was on the

road to recovery and about 6 weeks later he was killed in a accident.

Talk about life handing you crap!

that is really scary. makes you think about what's REALLY important.

What is Bell's Palsy?
link

I'm happy to hear he's OK. Even though he's a Chief, he's a heck of a human being.

He comes to Mexico all the time to help out down here, and the kids love him. Funny you never hear about that, had he gotten a dui it would be all over the news.

Here's to Tony G,, play well, unless it's against Denver.

On the field I hate him plainly because he plays for the Chiefs.

BUT off the field he is a nice guy and I would never want anything bad to happen to any football player. I had a brief moment of shock when I saw a headline that indicated that something was wrong with Gonzalez but it's good to hear he is alright.

Originally Posted by TheWookieeBronco

On the field I hate him plainly because he plays for the Chiefs.

BUT off the field he is a nice guy and I would never want anything bad to happen to any football player. I had a brief moment of shock when I saw a headline that indicated that something was wrong with Gonzalez but it's good to hear he is alright.

you hate him but feel sympathy???? that hate will burn you up...........

Originally Posted by kc vet

you hate him but feel sympathy???? that hate will burn you up...........

I don't HATE him. But when he's out on the field against the Broncos I don't like him.

Originally Posted by TheWookieeBronco

I don't HATE him. But when he's out on the field against the Broncos I don't like him.

so now you go from hate to 'i don't like him'. good for you. I don't hate anybody. no animosity from me.

Originally Posted by kc vet

so now you go from hate to 'i don't like him'. good for you. I don't hate anybody. no animosity from me.

I never thought anyone would take it so seriously.

Look, he is a rival of the Broncos, what do you want me to do send him a box of chocolates and flowers? I said I hate him ON THE FIELD, not off it. Actually I said nice things about him off the field.

Are you telling me you LIKE Cutler, Walker, Bailey, Lynch, ect when they are playing well against you? (of course Cutler hasn't played against you yet) No you don't. But you must know that all of them are nice people so in that sense you like them.

Jeez.

Originally Posted by TheWookieeBronco

I never thought anyone would take it so seriously.

Look, he is a rival of the Broncos, what do you want me to do send him a box of chocolates and flowers? I said I hate him ON THE FIELD, not off it. Actually I said nice things about him off the field.

Are you telling me you LIKE Cutler, Walker, Bailey, Lynch, ect when they are playing well against you? (of course Cutler hasn't played against you yet) No you don't. But you must know that all of them are nice people so in that sense you like them.

Jeez.

Are you telling me you LIKE Cutler, Walker, Bailey, Lynch, ect when they are playing well against you?

I respect them. do i like them??? if i meet em probably so. on or off the field. their competitors. I didn't like what elway did to us but i had a lot of respect for him. and the broncs in general. i guess that word 'hate' sets my hair on fire. I just dont understand how you can hate someone for doing their job. then turn it off like a light switch.

Originally Posted by kc vet

I respect them. do i like them??? if i meet em probably so. on or off the field. their competitors. I didn't like what elway did to us but i had a lot of respect for him. and the broncs in general. i guess that word 'hate' sets my hair on fire. I just dont understand how you can hate someone for doing their job. then turn it off like a light switch.

Hate is a very strong word.

That's why I tried to change it into didn't like. I don't really hate him in the term I want to harm him. But when he is on the field it is natural to want your players to kick the other teams rear end ESPECIALLY when it's your rivals.

Tony G is a great football player and an even greater man. When he's on the field though I want him and his team to go down.

So it's more like I like him and respect him off the field but I want him to lose and bad when he is on the field.

Originally Posted by TheWookieeBronco

Hate is a very strong word.

That's why I tried to change it into didn't like. I don't really hate him in the term I want to harm him. But when he is on the field it is natural to want your players to kick the other teams rear end ESPECIALLY when it's your rivals.

Tony G is a great football player and an even greater man. When he's on the field though I want him and his team to go down.

So it's more like I like him and respect him off the field but I want him to lose and bad when he is on the field.

thats more what i think about the broncs to. or any team we play. its a life lesson. not just football. there were people i hated while growing up. but I decided i was doing more harm to myself than them.
BTY im praying that Kevin Everett's serious injury yesterday against the broncs, does not leave him paralyzed. and im sure all the bronc players are on their knees as well as all of us.