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Apr. 26—The track season was just two months away — the most important in his career since he was a junior — and Cameron Frenk found himself having to step away from what he loved most.
The Cheney High long-distance runner was training for the indoor season when he discovered he had a tumor the size of his fist behind his right ear.
Frenk noticed he had lost some hearing. So he scheduled an appointment with a doctor. Tests showed he had lost 40 to 50% of his hearing, and scans determined he needed surgery.
The technical term of Frenk's condition was acoustic neuroma. It thankfully was benign, but had grown on the hearing and balance cranial nerve. It connects the ear and the brain.
It's a slow-growing tumor. His doctor told him that he could have had it for five years. It had to be removed because over time it could be life-threatening if not removed.
Frenk underwent surgery in January. What was expected to be an eight- to 10-hour surgery stretched to 19. Two surgeons had to take turns during the delicate procedure because nerves were wrapped around the tumor, Frenk said.
A friend of the Frenks is a nurse and she was present during the surgery, updating the family frequently.
The surgeons successfully removed the tumor, but Frenk permanently lost hearing in his right ear. He compensates for the hearing loss by leaning to his right, pointing his left ear to people so he can have a conversation.
"It went from 'Hey I'm going to work my way to state this year in track' to 'I'm going to see if I can run again,' " Cheney coach Derek Slaughter said of Frenk. "It was abrupt. Track season last year was really just getting him back on his feet."
Frenk spent a week in the ICU and two more weeks at home before returning to school.
Doctors said recovery could take between three to five months. Although he would return and start training again, he couldn't get anywhere close to the times he wanted to post to catch the attention of college coaches.
"It was just another obstacle to get over," Frenk said. "That's what cross country running is at its core, right? I just knew if I was committed I'd get through it. I had too much love for it, especially coming back for my junior cross country season. The doctors said my recovery could be longer, but they didn't know how much I wanted it."
Initially, Frank had to relearn how to dress himself and walk. The simple routine things that he had done prior to surgery returned, but he had challenges.
"Just trying to stand up at first was really difficult," Frenk said.
By mid-March, Frenk wanted to start training again. He finally got a release from his doctor.
Losing all of his running base meant he had to essentially start over.
"There was a chance he may not run again," Slaughter said. "If (the surgeons) had clipped or nicked the wrong thing, he could be living a different life."
After getting his feet under him, Frenk ran in junior varsity races. But his time in his favorite event, the 3,200 meters, was a minute slower than the previous season.
It was midsummer before Frenk felt he was returning to form.
"I just put my head down and started training again," Frenk said. "I was running about 65 miles a week during the summer."
Last fall, Frenk helped Cheney to third at State 3A cross country, finishing second on the team and 21st overall — less than a second from earning a medal. He finished in a time of 15 minutes, 54.8 seconds.
His personal best (15:50) came the week before at district.
Frenk was ecstatic with 16:18.1 at a season-opening meet in early September — when he felt the adrenaline from his first competitive race in a year.
He's been an integral part of a talented senior class that helped Cheney win two academic state championships during cross country. He carries a 3.9 grade-point average.
Frenk went from finishing 132nd at state as a sophomore to 21st last fall, improving by more than two minutes.
"He was a rock last fall," Slaughter said. "I'm going to miss him so much."
Frenk and two teammates — Calvin Hilton and Holland Hurd — are going to run at Spokane Colleges, starting in the fall. Frenk is hopeful the junior college route will open doors to a Division I opportunity.
"At the end of the day, if you've got spikes on your feet, it doesn't matter what jersey you're wearing," Frenk said. "It's still the same oval or the same trees you're running through."
Fifteen months removed from surgery, Frenk is making up for lost time.
Frenk ran a personal-best 9:27.44 in the 3,200 two weeks ago, finishing fourth at the Pasco Invite.
He hopes to qualify for state for the first time in the event next month. The challenge for Frenk is he's in one of the most competitive districts in the state. The top three earn a state berth. Others can qualify for state by exceeding the automatic qualifying time (9:13.53).
"He's got more in him," Slaughter said. "He will put himself in the running to get to state."
Frenk ranks fifth in the area. There's much work to do in the next month.
"Given the right race and the right guys, getting there is doable," Frenk said of earning a state berth.
"I'm willing to compete. I'm not afraid of that."
Considering what he's overcome, it would be best not to count out Frenk.
Continue reading...
The Cheney High long-distance runner was training for the indoor season when he discovered he had a tumor the size of his fist behind his right ear.
Frenk noticed he had lost some hearing. So he scheduled an appointment with a doctor. Tests showed he had lost 40 to 50% of his hearing, and scans determined he needed surgery.
The technical term of Frenk's condition was acoustic neuroma. It thankfully was benign, but had grown on the hearing and balance cranial nerve. It connects the ear and the brain.
It's a slow-growing tumor. His doctor told him that he could have had it for five years. It had to be removed because over time it could be life-threatening if not removed.
Frenk underwent surgery in January. What was expected to be an eight- to 10-hour surgery stretched to 19. Two surgeons had to take turns during the delicate procedure because nerves were wrapped around the tumor, Frenk said.
A friend of the Frenks is a nurse and she was present during the surgery, updating the family frequently.
The surgeons successfully removed the tumor, but Frenk permanently lost hearing in his right ear. He compensates for the hearing loss by leaning to his right, pointing his left ear to people so he can have a conversation.
"It went from 'Hey I'm going to work my way to state this year in track' to 'I'm going to see if I can run again,' " Cheney coach Derek Slaughter said of Frenk. "It was abrupt. Track season last year was really just getting him back on his feet."
Frenk spent a week in the ICU and two more weeks at home before returning to school.
Doctors said recovery could take between three to five months. Although he would return and start training again, he couldn't get anywhere close to the times he wanted to post to catch the attention of college coaches.
"It was just another obstacle to get over," Frenk said. "That's what cross country running is at its core, right? I just knew if I was committed I'd get through it. I had too much love for it, especially coming back for my junior cross country season. The doctors said my recovery could be longer, but they didn't know how much I wanted it."
Initially, Frank had to relearn how to dress himself and walk. The simple routine things that he had done prior to surgery returned, but he had challenges.
"Just trying to stand up at first was really difficult," Frenk said.
By mid-March, Frenk wanted to start training again. He finally got a release from his doctor.
Losing all of his running base meant he had to essentially start over.
"There was a chance he may not run again," Slaughter said. "If (the surgeons) had clipped or nicked the wrong thing, he could be living a different life."
After getting his feet under him, Frenk ran in junior varsity races. But his time in his favorite event, the 3,200 meters, was a minute slower than the previous season.
It was midsummer before Frenk felt he was returning to form.
"I just put my head down and started training again," Frenk said. "I was running about 65 miles a week during the summer."
Last fall, Frenk helped Cheney to third at State 3A cross country, finishing second on the team and 21st overall — less than a second from earning a medal. He finished in a time of 15 minutes, 54.8 seconds.
His personal best (15:50) came the week before at district.
Frenk was ecstatic with 16:18.1 at a season-opening meet in early September — when he felt the adrenaline from his first competitive race in a year.
He's been an integral part of a talented senior class that helped Cheney win two academic state championships during cross country. He carries a 3.9 grade-point average.
Frenk went from finishing 132nd at state as a sophomore to 21st last fall, improving by more than two minutes.
"He was a rock last fall," Slaughter said. "I'm going to miss him so much."
Frenk and two teammates — Calvin Hilton and Holland Hurd — are going to run at Spokane Colleges, starting in the fall. Frenk is hopeful the junior college route will open doors to a Division I opportunity.
"At the end of the day, if you've got spikes on your feet, it doesn't matter what jersey you're wearing," Frenk said. "It's still the same oval or the same trees you're running through."
Fifteen months removed from surgery, Frenk is making up for lost time.
Frenk ran a personal-best 9:27.44 in the 3,200 two weeks ago, finishing fourth at the Pasco Invite.
He hopes to qualify for state for the first time in the event next month. The challenge for Frenk is he's in one of the most competitive districts in the state. The top three earn a state berth. Others can qualify for state by exceeding the automatic qualifying time (9:13.53).
"He's got more in him," Slaughter said. "He will put himself in the running to get to state."
Frenk ranks fifth in the area. There's much work to do in the next month.
"Given the right race and the right guys, getting there is doable," Frenk said of earning a state berth.
"I'm willing to compete. I'm not afraid of that."
Considering what he's overcome, it would be best not to count out Frenk.
Continue reading...
