Local recovering after recent brain surgery

It's hard to tell by looking at local Ches Meyer that he had brain surgery only one month ago. It's almost unbelievable when speaking to him. His positive attitude is simply incredible.

"I just want to say thank you to the community of Ekalaka," he told the Eagle on Wednesday morning. "They have sure been good to me through this whole deal. It's very humbling. I'm used to being on the other end of a benefit. It's a lot tougher being on this end."

It really started about 2.5 years ago for Meyer with a lost sense of smell. He originally attributed that loss to COVID, but he said that looking back now, the fact that the smell never came back could possibly have been a symptom of a brain tumor.

Then a year ago, Meyer had a heatstroke during the Days of '85 fair and rodeo. Soon after, he began having frequent headaches. At the time he blamed the headaches on the heatstroke. Now he knows it was from the growth of a tumor.

"It had just gotten too big," he said.

"Then, in the last eight months to maybe a year, my wife and parents noticed a change in my temperament and attitude. I had also been low on energy and ordered a sleep apnea test."

But before that test kit even arrived-on the way home from the hospital after the birth of his second daughter, Murphy-the vision in Meyer's left eye had gotten bad enough he had to pull over and let his wife drive.

"It was fine until I got to the gravel on Beaver Flats. Then I noticed I was having trouble driving on the right side of the road. My depth perception was off. So I pulled over and had Jess drive."

After, Jessica scheduled an eye appointment for Ches in Billings on the morning of July 21st. The couple was already headed to Billings that weekend for a wedding.

"I didn't even make it through the preliminary testing at the eye appointment. After one of the first tests the eye doctor knew I had pressure on my optic nerve. They told me I needed to get an MRI as soon as possible."

Meyer's in-law's neighbor, a PA at St. Vincent's in Billings, arranged a meeting with a neurologist in the ER. "She got us through the emergency room so we could get the MRI quicker."

"All of the sudden a neurologist walked in, he's doing some tests with me looking at his finger. I told him I noticed my eye had been feeling a little funny for three months or so. He seemed alarmed and almost a little upset I had let it go for that long. But I'm a rancher from Carter County that doesn't go to the doctor much."

"Then he left and everybody else at the hospital was wondering who I was and why that neurosurgeon came down to see me right away. I said, I guess I know good people."

The neurologist immediately ordered an MRI and about 45 minutes later was back with results.

"He told me I had a tumor the size of a fist in my brain. It wasn't the fact that I had a tumor, but that it was that big I was in disbelief of."

The neurologist told Meyer that they believed it was an olfactory groove meningioma, and was likely benign.

"I guess they are more common than you'd think. They can sometimes grow for 10-20 years."

The next step was for Meyer and his family to choose where to go for surgery to remove the tumor. He said that his mother is a nurse, he has aunts who are pharmacists and a cousin who knows multiple brain surgeons in Denver. In addition to those connections, he called Dale Diede, a friend back home who is also a PA, for additional advice. Meyer had several options.

"We prayed about it. Ultimately I asked God to make that decision easy for me, and it was easy."

Meyer chose to have surgery right in Billings with highly recommended Dr. Goodman who was also able to squeeze him in quickly.

"He did my surgery on his day off, which was pretty cool. I also had this great support system in Billings helping. They brought meals, visited me in the hospital, gave me a place to stay."

The surgery was predicted to last 6-10 hours but lasted 13. The family received regular updates until about hour 10.

Jessica and the couples' two daughters, 4-week old Murphy and 4-year-old Mesa, waited in the hospital with a number of other family members.

The tumor was very vascular and gave the surgeon a challenge. There was also a large portion of tumor in Meyer's nasal cavity. He said the surgeon got as much as he could from the top and then put a membrane in, but that he will have to have the rest of the tumor that is in the nasal cavity removed by an ear, nose, and throat doctor in the future.

After surgery, Meyer spent about a day and a half in the ICU before moving to a quieter place inside the hospital. Then, four days later he was released from the hospital, but had orders to remain in Billings with relatives for the next few weeks.

"I had to sleep in a recliner for two weeks to keep my head above my heart. That was also the most comfortable because my head was too swollen anyway. I looked like a bobble-head when I came out of there."

For those first few weeks, Meyer spent a lot of time resting and enjoyed occasional visits from family and friends.

The tumor was in the emotional part of Meyer's brain. He said that he could tell that shortly after surgery as he struggled with being moody or temperamental and would have a hard time stopping it. In the last month, though, he said that has improved.

"I just had to rest my brain. Now I can tell my strength and even brain strength-if that makes sense-has gotten a lot better."

After two weeks in Billings, Meyer was excited to find out he was able to go home to the family ranch on Beaver Flats. He had 59 staples that were holding an incision from temple to temple removed, and was released. He can't do any strenuous activity for the next couple months and said that his family has him "under lock and key."

He can, though, drive for short periods of time and help with minor tasks on the ranch, as long as he doesn't lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk. He's not taking any medication-not even acetaminophen-except for an anti-seizure medication that he must take for six months post-surgery while his brain heals.

Meyer said that his vision has improved in his left eye, but still isn't 100 percent. His sense of smell hasn't really come back. But all in all, recovery is going incredibly.

"I do have a 2-inch circle on the top of my head that's still numb I guess. The doctor told me not to tell people that though. I asked the doctor why. Have you ever heard of the term 'numbskull?'" he joked.

Community Support

Meyer's sister and brother-in-law, Wes and Caradee Mulder are at the ranch this fall helping while he recovers. Friends and neighbors have also helped at the ranch and have delivered meals. The family has received financial donations from many people - some they've never even met.

A raffle to raise money was started weeks ago; tickets are still available through local Leah Brence. A benefit roping is taking place next weekend at Ekalaka Track and Arena. Many have also helped Meyers through prayer.

"I really want to thank Leah and the Brence family for the raffle and the track and arena for putting together this roping. Actually, there's just a ton of people who need to be thanked. I'm pretty sure the whole Town of Ekalaka deserves a big thank you. It's just incredible and humbling what the community has done," Meyer said.

Meyer is also looking forward to attending the benefit roping for his family, scheduled for next Saturday, September 9th at Ekalaka Track & Arena.

"Oh I'll be there, shaking babies and kissing hands," he joked. "I'll also be answering lots of questions. It'll be good to see people I don't get to see all that often."