Serious Brain Surgery for Ryan Banta

Friends, I have serious news about my physical health.

Back in September, I found out I have a non-cancerous tumor in my head called an acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma. Thankfully these tumors are very unlikely to be cancerous. It has been hard to keep this from the public as my wife and I met with the necessary doctors for options and solutions.

The surgery is highly survivable at 99.5%. However, the surgery also comes with some permanent physical trauma I am not looking forward to.

First I will likely become permanently single-sided deaf in my right ear where the tumor is located. Cochlear implants are not likely an option with the direction of my surgery to best save my facial nerve and get close to removing all of the tumor in my surgery as well.

Secondly, I will temporarily lose my balance and will have to work hard to get it back to 90% as the body adjusts due to redundancy in our balance systems.

Probably the scariest possibility is losing my facial function on one side that could be permanent paralysis or weakness.

What are my options? 1. Is what they call the watch and wait to see if the tumor will continue to grow. 2. Is radiation through either Gamma Knife or CyberKnife. 3. Surgery either translab or retrosigmoid.

Currently, most doctors have either suggested surgery with different teams discussing translab or retrosigmoid. I originally wanted to do the Gamma Knife as it seems to be the shortest turnaround and recovery. However, if it fails to shrink or stop the growth. Traditional surgery to remove it could become more difficult.

I am currently set up to have surgery with Dr. Friedman and Schwartz in San Diego. All the doctors have been very kind and helpful. They are experts at the surgical removal of the tumor. Here is their information if you are interested. https://providers.ucsd.edu/details/32904/ent-head-and-neck-(otolaryngology)-surgery

Time on the surgery table can be anywhere from 6 to 13 hours depending on difficulties. I have been told recovery depends on 4 weeks to 3 months.

Now I know that this may come as a shock to those I have not shared this with yet. Know that we were trying to save some of you the worry but also didn’t want to let everyone know until our choices have been reduced so our path can be a bit more clear on how we wanted to proceed as a family.

I am aware that many of you would like to help, reach out, and provide support. I also know some of you might not know what to say as our family has been through so many difficult challenges over the year.

Here’s what you can do: we are going to set up a gofundme to help stem the cost of travel, our high deductible, and any other bills unforeseen we might need to help ahead. Any money that we do not use will be given as charity to the Acoustic Neuroma Association.

I will need some of Michelle’s and my friends to travel with us during some of the time we are out in San Diego to offer her and me some support as it could be a tough 11 days away from home. I have had a few friends on the west coast offer to visit and maybe even pay for our stay out there as well which is greatly appreciated.

If you want to drop by and say hi to the family, have a drink, share a meal, etc. before or after surgery please do we would love to see you.

If you want to donate to another cause and you are a coach it might be nice to buy my book the Sprinter’s Compendium to gift it to a friend, family member, or colleague you think it might help over the holiday season.

After my surgery, we will need people to help around the house since I won't be able to do some of the daily physical activities I am used to like things in the yard, general maintenance, etc.

I will need people to walk with me and workout with me as I try and recover all of my physical, mental, and spiritual faculties.

I will need a good person who can help my wife and I set up some legal paperwork as well.

Frankly, my biggest goal is I want to shortest possible recovery time and not to lose function of my face. I want to smile and cry. I don’t want to make people uncomfortable. I still have a lot I want to give to my wife Michelle, my daughters, the school I teach and coach at. But most importantly I want to live the rest of my years as a contributor to this world as a net positive. Serious medical diagnosis recalibrates what is important. I find myself wanting to be even closer with my kids and wife. Organizing things so they can be good without me as a physical or spiritual burden. I would be lying if I told you this hasn’t challenged my faith and trust. That is why we will need your support in many forms. Know that I love you all and I want to fight like hell to get physically and emotionally back ASAP.