Thomas Lee
Cross-Country Motorcyclist Rides Again After Brain Surgery at Broward Health Medical Center
In August 2022, Thomas Lee, an information technology director, began experiencing frequent slight headaches. Initially, he didn’t think much of it, attributing it to spending long hours in front of a computer. However, his condition quickly escalated.
"I had the worst headache of my life and felt nauseous," Lee said. Initially dismissing it as a typical headache, he pushed through his workday. However, by lunchtime, the pain had worsened significantly, so the Fort Lauderdale resident decided to leave work early, hoping rest would help.
For the next four days, Lee felt very ill and weak. "I thought I had the flu, COVID-19 or food poisoning," Lee said. "I decided to ride out whatever I had and mostly slept during those days."
Lee's mother became very concerned after not hearing from him. She flew in from Arizona and took him to the Emergency Department at Broward Health Medical Center.
"I was having trouble seeing, it was difficult to focus and everything looked blurry," Lee said. "That's when I realized I was losing my vision."
Once at the hospital, a multidisciplinary team quickly took action. An X-ray, CAT scan, and MRI revealed a large pituitary tumor affecting the muscles in his right eye and causing vision loss
"The tumor was bleeding and compressing his optic nerve," said Daniel Klinger, M.D., a neurosurgeon with Broward Health. "The mass was about the size of a walnut."
Dr. Klinger performed a minimally invasive procedure to target the tumor at the base of Lee’s skull. He created a small opening in the back of the nose to insert an endoscope that provided a high-definition view of the surgical area and used specialized instruments to remove the tumor.
"The skull base surgery offers hope and improved quality of life to patients with tumors previously considered untreatable," Klinger explained.
Lee, a passionate motorcycle collector, was uncertain if he would regain his vision to ride his bikes again.
Since having the surgery, Lee has had no further complications. "If something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore the signs; go to the doctor," Lee said. "I was bleeding internally and didn’t know."
Today, Lee is back on the road doing what he loves, riding cross-country again.
To learn more about Neurological Services at Broward Health, click below.