{"id":14227,"date":"2018-01-19T12:57:06","date_gmt":"2018-01-19T19:57:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=14227"},"modified":"2026-04-07T15:03:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T21:03:15","slug":"train-engineer-back-aboard-after-brain-tumor-threatens-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/train-engineer-back-aboard-after-brain-tumor-threatens-hearing\/","title":{"rendered":"Train engineer back aboard after brain tumor threatens hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Train
Train engineer Stephen Mullen can hear the whistles he sounds for work after surgeons removed a brain tumor that threatened his hearing. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon. Colorado Railroad Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As the train rumbles along its tracks, lugging 18,000 tons of freight, it hisses and chugs, then the engineer blows the train\u2019s whistle.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an iconic American sound. And for Stephen Mullen, it\u2019s especially sweet.<\/p>\n

Mullen has worked as a train engineer for 20 years. These days, he guides freight runs from Denver to Trinidad in southern Colorado.<\/p>\n

A scary experience a year ago threatened his future on the railroad and his ability to hear the trains.<\/p>\n

In January of 2017, Mullen, 46, felt some tingling in his jaw. At first, he thought he was having some sort of allergic reaction. But the dull feeling persisted. So Mullen called his primary care providers at UCHealth\u2019s Family Medicine Clinic in Westminster<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A nurse consulted with him and knew that the strange sensation could be a sign of something serious, like a stroke. It was nearly 4 p.m., too late to get in that day, so she urged him to go to an ER. At about 5 p.m. another nurse followed up. She arranged an appointment for the following day with Mullen\u2019s trusted primary care provider, Dr. Anju Visweswaraiah, and reaffirmed that Mullen should get checked out that night. He took her advice.<\/p>\n

The next day, Mullen came in to the Westminster clinic and shared some shocking news with Dr. Visweswaraiah.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a brain tumor,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Scariest moment: Brain tumor threatens hearing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Scans from the ER the night before showed he had a large growth on the left side of his brain called an acoustic neuroma or a vestibular schwannoma<\/a>. Mullen was relieved to learn that his tumor was almost certainly non-cancerous.<\/p>\n

But, brain tumors threaten hearing and Mullen faced losing his hearing on his left side.<\/p>\n

And without his hearing, Mullen feared he couldn\u2019t do his job.<\/p>\n

On the trains, Mullen communicates constantly with dispatchers through a radio system and he must respond regularly to sonic alerts.<\/p>\n

\"Head
Dr. Anju Visweswaraiah of UCHealth Family Medicine Clinic in Westminster helped Stephen Mullen cope with a brain tumor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr. Visweswaraiah, who is also a senior instructor with the University of Colorado School of Medicine\u2019s Department of Family Medicine<\/a>, immediately connected Mullen with a neurosurgeon and an ear, nose and throat specialist at UCHealth\u2019s University of Colorado Hospital<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dr. Samy Youssef<\/a>, the neurosurgeon, and Dr. Samuel Gubbels<\/a>, the otolaryngologist, met with Mullen within days.<\/p>\n

They confirmed that the tumor was not cancerous. But, if left alone, it would keep growing. It had to come out and the surgery could leave Mullen unable to hear on one side.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was probably the scariest moment,\u201d Mullen said. \u201cThey told me that I had a 95 percent chance of losing all my hearing on my left side because the tumor was intermingled with the hearing and balance control (centers) in my brain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even so, Mullen felt lucky he\u2019d learned about the tumor relatively early.<\/p>\n

Sweet sounds: train whistles, birds, dog collars<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cMany people wake up one day and have no hearing and never get it back. I was lucky I was paying attention to my body.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mullen\u2019s wife, parents and siblings, two of whom also work for the railroad, rallied around him and he went in for the surgery on Feb. 23. The surgeons carefully removed nearly all the tumor. They deliberately left a small piece \u2013 while cutting off blood supply to the tumor\u00a0 \u2013 in hopes that Mullen could still hear the whistles and other sounds at work.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait
Stephen Mullen was thrilled to keep his job and his hearing after doctors removed a brain tumor. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon. Colorado Railroad Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When he woke up, he got great news.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey told me it was a very successful surgery,\u201d Mullen said.<\/p>\n

The one side effect has been a persistent ringing in his ear, but the surgery preserved Mullen\u2019s hearing. At first, he felt like his ear was plugged up. Then, little by little, his hearing improved.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the third month, I was up to 95 percent. It\u2019s incredible. I\u2019m so grateful to Dr. Youssef and his team. They did such a wonderful job,\u201d Mullen said.<\/p>\n

Mullen has found himself appreciating even mundane sounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe take things for granted: horns honking, the dogs barking,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Stephen
Stephen Mullen. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon. Colorado Railroad Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He and his wife have two Morkies, a mix of Yorkshire terriers and Maltese.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing able to hear the jingling of their collars as they were climbing up into bed was great,\u201d Mullen said. \u201cAnd you notice the small things, listening to birds, even the traffic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with the brain tumor, Mullen had also been dealing with high blood pressure. So, all year, he has continued to see Dr. Visweswaraiah and her team frequently.<\/p>\n

\"Stephen
Stephen Mullen has worked for the railroad for 20 years. He loves his job and was thrilled to keep driving trains after doctors removed a brain tumor. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon. Colorado Railroad Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe have been fine-tuning my blood pressure medications,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve been lucky to have her as my primary care physician. I have the best of the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

‘Love my job’<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Dr. Visweswaraiah credits Mullen for being proactive about his health and paying attention to the subtle tingling in his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s an amazing patient,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Mullen\u2019s good instincts allowed her team to provide seamless care. Any time Visweswaraiah needs to consult with a specialist, she can call UCHealth\u2019s DocLine<\/a> and immediately speak with an expert.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can have a neurosurgeon on the line in two minutes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

And Mullen had to have his blood pressure under control.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone has very high blood pressure, it\u2019s less safe to have brain surgery,\u201d Visweswaraiah said.<\/p>\n

When Mullen was first recovering, he had to be careful about his balance and the left ear felt like it was under water. He felt like his brain compensated and he was able to tune in to sounds more intently with the right side.<\/p>\n

\"Stephen
Stephen Mullen with his wife, Cindy. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon. Colorado Railroad Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Once he\u2019s a full year out from his surgery, Mullen\u2019s doctors can try to address the ringing. For now, he\u2019s learned to live with it.<\/p>\n

Along with hanging out with his wife and her two children, Mullen enjoys riding his motorcycle and building and flying drones.<\/p>\n

Getting to go back to work has been a real blessing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI missed it. I love my job. It was a wonderful feeling to get back out there,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m so happy and grateful to do the simplest things that I used to take for granted, like blowing the horn for a crossing. The first time I was able to do that and I didn\u2019t have any problem was unbelievable. The confidence comes back and you think, \u2018Hey, I can do this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the train rumbles along its tracks, lugging 18,000 tons of freight, it hisses and chugs, then the engineer blows the train\u2019s whistle. It\u2019s an iconic American sound. And for Stephen Mullen, it\u2019s especially sweet. Mullen has worked as a train engineer for 20 years. These days, he guides freight runs from Denver to Trinidad […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":14234,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[4758,9138,1112,184,351,1792,1497],"class_list":["post-14227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-innovative-care","tag-brain-tumor-treatment","tag-ear-nose-and-throat-care","tag-ear-nose-throat-care-otolaryngology","tag-neurology","tag-primary-care","tag-uchealth-family-medicine-center","tag-uchealth-university-of-colorado-hospital"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBrain tumor threatens train engineer's hearing - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Brain tumors called acoustic neuromas or a vestibular schwannomas can threaten hearing. 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