Melony Aponte Undergoes 13-Hour Surgery for 4.5cm Brain Tumor After 5-Year Delay

1 articles · Updated · Newsweek · Jun 13

Aponte, now 26, had 99% of a 4.5-centimeter acoustic neuroma removed in a 13-hour operation on April 9 after an MRI confirmed the tumor in March 2025.
Five years of symptoms preceded the diagnosis: left-ear hearing loss, nonstop tinnitus, migraines, panic attacks, facial numbness and worsening balance that she initially dismissed or linked to stress and COVID-19.
The rare, noncancerous tumor affects about 1 in 100,000 people and typically grows on the nerve connecting the inner ear to the brain, often first showing up as one-sided hearing loss.
Recovery left Aponte partially deaf in her left ear and required two weeks in hospital plus rehabilitation, where she said she had to relearn walking and eating.
More than a year after surgery, she says she has regained her enjoyment of food and is sharing the six warning signs she ignored to raise awareness.