Sundance89

This is an ode to cycling as well as the hope of helping anyone that may find themselves in a similar position.

I am celebrating my 2 year anniversary (Sep. 18th) of having a massive brain tumor approaching 5cm successfully removed. The size of the tumor and its location on my brainstem were a great threat. It should be noted that I live in Arizona and the 'famed' Barrow Neurological Institute said this tumor was too big to be completely removed and that it would require two brain surgeries with radiation in between. This approach presents many secondary problems as the partial removal of a brain tumor often turns malignant. Also, the radiation in between to control it makes the remaining tumor 'messy' for the second surgery.

I was fortunate to be lead to the House Ear Institute in Los Angles, California. Neurosurgeon's Dr. Derald Brackmann and Dr. Mark Schwartz successfully and completely removed this tumor in a 12 hour surgery. People from all over the world come to this fine institution for this specific type of tumor (Acoustic Neuroma) and they have done over 8000 procedures. If anyone you know of has this tumor, do not hesitate to use the search button and grab this thread out of the archives and send me a private message. We'll get you through it.

With this surgery the surgeons have to remove the vestibular system on one side of the brain. The vestibular system controls balance and our sense of spatial orientation. This is the sensory system that provides the dominant input about movement and equilibrioception. One must then teach the other side of the brain to take over and compensate. I had to learn how to walk again, drive again, etc. Many people post surgery fall over in the dark and needless to say, never ride a bike again. But not me. For me, it was cycling that brought me back.

I put myself out there on my bike, day in and day out. I'm an athlete, so 'just' walking and driving aint gonna cut it. I started to commute to work by bike and it forced my brain to compensate at a high level. The quick turning of my head for lane checks alone would cause vertigo, but I kept going because this was exactly what I needed. I had zero stamina, but I started training again at the gym and I slowly put back on the 40 pounds of muscle I lost post surgery.

A client sponsored me in the Tour de Scottsdale last year more for the comeback it represented, but I had to pull out because I just wasn't ready. That same client graciously sponsored me again this year. For every marathon, triathlon, or any sporting event for that matter, there are a thousand stories of someone's path to get there .... this is mine.

I owe a big thanks to the people in my life that lead me to a successful surgery, and the rest goes to cycling for bringing me back strong.

(And of course we like pics in this forum... so here it goes)


MRIBrainTumor-24-1.jpg

Creatre

Congrats on making it through and working hard at regaining what you had lost. I can't imagine trying to learn all of those things again, or even going through all the stress of weighing options before surgeries. Good luck in the Tour de Scottsdale. I'll be at the crit on Saturday, and maybe a spectator on Sunday for the long ride.

diverguy

You're my hero. Great job persevering when others would have given up. You are a lucky, healthy, and 'wealthy' person. Thanks for sharing your story. Good luck at the Tour.

cyanemi

That is an amazing story. Congratulations on your recovery and determination.

mzeffex 

Good job, you won't drop out this year.

Also, damn, that thing is huge.

Daytrip

Congratulations. I'm cancer survivor myself, and the biking helped me get through treatment and recovery.

rollin

Hell yeah.

Mitro

Great story, I can't imagine trying to ride with only half of my vestibular system. Congratulations and good health to you. Oh and keep it up!

Reynolds 

!!!

Sundance89

Thanks everyone, I definitely appreciate the support from the biking family. It was incredibly humbling to feel fear in doing something that I've freely done since I was a kid. The last time I felt fear on a bike I was just a little boy. As probably most everyone on this forum remembers the same experience where the first time your training wheels come off the bike, my father running behind me holding on to the seat... and then suddenly he lets go... and you're free. At that moment, everything changes. The sense of accomplishment and independence a kid feels is something you don't forget. You are riding your bike with the big kids now. Wow.

Now here it was all over again, except I'm 45 years old now, and my father was 2000 miles away in Ohio. It was very strange with the sensory overload I was feeling. A known outcome of the surgery was that I would be deaf in my right ear. In fact I don't even have an ear canal. I remember riding in a bike lane and the first time a car pulled up on my right side in the right turn lane. It scared the sh*t out of me because it was dead silent. I couldn't hear anything. I had to adjust to this new reality of being deaf on my right side through keen awareness. I also got a third eye mirror that helped tremendously. So between the lack of balance, vertigo, and deaf in my right ear, I was feeling incredibly insecure riding in traffic. Everything was going by way too fast. But cycling rules. For me it's truly a zen experience and was the best rehab I could use.

I've come a long way when I think back. There are many books out now on the brains' ability to adapt and brain plasticity. It's a fascinating arena combining the potential we all have with our brain, that combined with the human spirit, and we can do anything.

MrTuner1970

Great story!

love2pedal.com

Congrats on the recover!

Quel

Yikes, that's a scary picture. My friend's dad recently had a brain tumor, though apparently not quite as bad because one operation did the trick. Sounds like he went through very similar physical therapy afterward too. About 3-4 years ago now. His short term memory still hasn't recovered 100%, but it's amazing what doctors can do today. Congrats!

chasmm

Thank you for sharing that amazing story with us. Continue to ride strong and live well. Best of luck to you!

cyclezen

Sundance89, You've added an interesting twist on your other post about the Tour de Scottsdale...

all the best for your efforts at the coming event. I'm sure you'll give it all you've got; and that's what it's all about.
nice to see cycling come through once again as a vehicle to help dealing with what life throws at us.
ride on Brother...
you da man!

and don;t forget to post all the details of your Tour...

JRonaTrek

WOW man....that is awesome. I will be there as well. But as a spectator, as I am training for tour de Tucson....I have so much respect for the sport, and so much respect for the Human Power of Will and fight that persons like you carry. Thank you For sharing this Story. it is definetely a GREAT thing to share.

Sundance89

Well "boom goes the dynamite", I did my first tour. Feel pretty good, came in at a conservative 4:10 for 70 miles with plenty left in the tank. The course was pretty challenging with our usual headwind coming out of the east in the mornings and lots of ups. It was over 100 degrees so I stopped a few times to top off my water and did a quick stretch to avoid cramping.

I definitely want to thank this forum for giving me good "big guy" training tips and riding tactics, not just for this event, but for every weekend workout with my group ride. I took my time and spun the ups and then pulled the pacelines on the downs with a few other fast riders. Top speed was 42.7 mph. Now that I popped my cherry, I am certain I will be below 4 hours next year easy. Aside from being conservative on the ups, I probably wasted 10 minutes in traffic at the start of the race.

But the main thing for me were not the minutes, it was the big picture in what my health represents... and for that I am grateful. Can't wait till next year. In the meantime, I'm looking at doing 3 tours a year and I might 'cut up' and lose 10 to 15 pounds to ease the burden of cycling with 255 pounds. That will be a hard sacrifice though because 'most' of my weight is muscle and came from busting my butt in the gym. But there's always room for less body fat and cycling only inspires me to do more.

Creatre

Well done man, congrats! I was there as a volunteer at the expo after the finish. Looked like a fun ride, and a lot of happy people at the end. I think I may ride it next year myself!

Sundance89

The volunteers rock. Everyone was incredibly nice and help make this a great event. Appreciate it and see you next year!