Steve Loutzenhiser, a father of three and high school teacher from St. Peters, Missouri, thought of himself as a very healthy person until he was hospitalized with a severe tumor on his spine in late 2024. He began experiencing intense back pain, describing it as feeling like being stabbed in the back at night, particularly between his shoulder blades. After weeks of persistent pain, his chiropractor advised him to get an MRI, leading to a shocking diagnosis.
In December of the same year, Loutzenhiser met with Dr. Camilo Molina, a neurosurgeon at the Siteman Cancer Center, who revealed that he had an ependymoma, a benign tumor located on his spinal cord near the base of his neck. This unexpected diagnosis disrupted his life dramatically, as he had never faced any major health issues before. Symptoms included back pain, balance problems, vision issues, headaches, muscle weakness, numbness, and seizures.
In addition to the back pain that brought him to the hospital, Loutzenhiser also experienced Lhermitte’s sign, an electric shock-like sensation radiating down his spine and limbs upon neck flexion. Further tests revealed potential consequences of the tumor’s growth, including loss of sensation, balance, strength, coordination, and urinary control. The diagnosis was met with tears and uncertainty, as his wife Jackie expressed concern over how their family would cope without him.
Presented with two options by Dr. Molina – monitoring the tumor or immediate surgical removal – Loutzenhiser chose the latter due to his emotional inability to live with the uncertainty. He underwent surgery on January 7th, with Dr. Molina likening the procedure to defusing a bomb.
“Removing a bomb in small, minuscule fragments.” “If you apply too much pressure, they may be permanently paralyzed. However, if you don’t apply enough pressure, a significant part of the tumor remains,” Molina explained, pleased that he managed to successfully extract the tumor. Following the challenging surgery, it took Loutzenhiser approximately a month to regain his ability to walk independently. He is now progressing towards recovery, expressing gratitude to all the medical professionals who supported him throughout the journey. “It feels like I’ve lived through a decade of experiences in just four months,” he shared with the publication. This information was originally reported by People.
