Urban Meyer reveals seriousness of cyst in his brain, wants to keep coaching: Doug Lesmerises Oct 30, 2018
By Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com,
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Conflicted, and concerned for his family and his football program, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer revealed in an interview Tuesday the severity of the arachnoid cyst in his brain.
First diagnosed in 1998, Meyer was known to have had brain surgery in the spring of 2014, but what he explained Tuesday was an ongoing issue that has flared up the last two years, triggering frequent pain on the left side of his head and an episode that dropped him to his knees on the sideline against Indiana earlier this month.
Monday, I told Meyer in his weekly news conference about those believing him to look anguished on the sideline and asked how he was mentally and emotionally. Meyer said he was fine and told fans not to worry about him.
Unhappy with that answer, and wanting to quell speculation, Meyer, 54, sat in his office Tuesday with me, Austin Ward of LettermenRow.com and Tim May and Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch in an effort to speak the truth and explain the seriousness of the cyst.
Surrounded by photos of himself with family, legendary coaches and four U.S. Presidents, Meyer's mood darkened as he delved into the details of his physical condition, unsure of sharing too many personal details but wanting a basic understanding of his health to be known to the public.
Along those lines, Ohio State also provided this statement from Dr. Andrew Thomas, Meyer's personal physician.
"The past four years, we've been working closely with Coach Meyer to monitor and manage the symptoms that have risen from his enlarged congenital arachnoid cyst. This includes aggressive headaches, which have particularly flared up the past two years."
It was difficult to pull quotes from Meyer about what has gone on, but several things became clear through the course of a conversation in which Meyer didn't want to overplay or underplay what is happening with him.
1. His condition is serious.
2. He has managed his health since the 2014 surgery, and these days that includes daily medication. The Buckeyes won the national title 10 months after his first surgery and are 56-7 in the five seasons since the surgery.
3. As with many medical conditions, the issue with his cyst is incurable and progressive. It has been managed by medication and that 2014 surgery, and Meyer may at some point have other treatment options to consider.
4. Ohio State is his dream job, and he has no desire to leave it.
"I am fully committed to Ohio State and the football program for as long I can," Meyer said.
Of course, the obvious next question is about Meyer's immediate future in his job. Meyer would not directly address that, because there isn't really a way to do so.
He does not feel very good right now. As a husband, father of three and grandfather of one, with another grandchild on the way, he is considering his quality of life beyond his coaching days.
But he's had a cyst in his head his whole life. If the 2014 surgery to remove fluid and reduce pressure in his brain followed most procedures for arachnoid cysts, he had two holes drilled in his head.
But since that moment, he has coached. He has won. He has proven he can live with this and through this, one day at a time. But every day can be different. No one knows what comes next.
Of course, there are implications for recruiting and the program at large that come with a revelation like this. But once he went down against the Hoosiers, and people started wondering what was going on, Meyer had reached the point where the mere speculation about his future could have an effect.
So he preferred these facts get out.
Yes, he has a serious medical condition.
Yes, he has coached with it.
Yes, he wants to continue to coach.
Meyer deals with regular headaches, but the symptoms worsen in singular moments of aggravation. That could be at home, in practice, or on the sideline during games. It is not the general stress of coaching college football that's the issue, but the moments of intense anxiety that have been part of Meyer's coaching style since he started.
There's probably no way to change who you are. So you stay yourself and deal with the consequences.
Meyer has his critics, and he has those who stand behind him no matter what. That was made clear through the Zach Smith saga. But there's not a side to this, regardless of what you think of Meyer or what you want to happen in his future.
The many swirling questions about Meyer and the Buckeyes can be narrowed down to this: There's a cyst in the left side of his brain. He's dealing with it.
"I put my life into this job," Meyer said. "I love Ohio State and I grew up a Buckeye, and I'm 100 percent committed to Ohio State and putting our players in the best position to win games and doing right by Ohio State."
For weeks, people have watched Meyer on the sideline and wondered.
Now, when you watch Meyer on the sideline, you will know.
https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2018/10/urban_meyer_reveals_seriousnes.html#incart_2box
