from Steve | Steve must leave the band...

Yes, it is true. Steve can no longer play the trumpet. Actually, I never have played the trumpet but today the doctor removed a device inserted in the left side of my nose called a trumpet. Its purpose was to provide a structure for the surgical site to heal around so that the end result will be to have a left nostril to breathe with. It was also where the feeding tube was inserted when I had that. This trumpet was the last device to be removed and am I glad! It was creating a lot of discomfort (okay, the correct word is pain) whenever I swallowed. Since it had been stitched to the inside of my nose I felt like a bass in the everglades with a fishhook in my nose and every time I swallowed (which is more times during the day than you normally would think) the pain meter would get a nice escalation. So that is gone and I can now swallow with ease and breathe a lot better – freedom feels so good… thank you LORD!

We also met with the radiologist doctor yesterday to evaluate the need for radiation treatments. It was a long appointment but very encouraging. The doctor reviewed the pathology reports stating there was no evidence of cancer in the nerves, was no evidence of cancer in the bones, was no evidence of cancer in the margin area around where the tumor was extracted except for one area in the upper sinus cavity but could not determine how much because it was small. The diagnosis was that there is a 30-40% chance of reoccurrence and with radiation treatments it gets lowered by 20%. We discussed the side effects. But it was determined that there is no urgency to have to do the treatments right now. We have a follow up appointment next month to decide which direction to go. Our focus right now is for everything to just finish healing. The first meeting with the oncologist is April 1 (no connection to Fool’s Day, that is reserved for Atheists (Ps 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God…”) While we gather information and continue to heal I continue to do my anti-cancer diet (mostly vegan) and alternative protocols to help build my immune system. So we will know more later and will keep you updated.

                It is hard to believe the surgery was one month ago from this past Monday. How time flies when you are having….. fun…. We are so thankful to the LORD for bringing us this far and healing so quickly.. God has made these bodies so amazing on how they heal and mend (Ps 139:14 “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”) There is still much to heal in my throat and neck and back and face. We thank you for praying still – it is much needed and appreciated.

 

Steve & Sandy

Colossians 4:2 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”

from Steve | I am SO THANKFUL!

I have been home for 7 days now and so far Sandy doesn’t want to discharge me! She said I could stay a while longer! Healing is going well but mentally it seems so slow. But all I have to do is think of other individuals that are going through or have gone through much worse challenges than I and I must close my mouth and be thankful.

Today, when I think what has taken place the past 12 months and especially the past 3 weeks I get overwhelmed with thanksgiving.  I am so thankful for:

-          My faithful God and Saviour Jesus Christ who promised to keep me, promised to never leave me, promised to never forsake me, promised to love me, promised to protect me, promised to give me all I need, and I could go on for pages…. What an awesome LORD, there is no one like Him!

-          God’s word – it sustains me, gives me eternal life, comforts me, reveals to me what is true – so important when there are so many lies out there.

-          A family that genuinely loves and cares for me. They have been tested and they shine forth. Our kids have honored Sandy and I like no other parents could enjoy. Sandy has gone through the wringer and has been so faithful.

-          A church family that demonstrates biblical Christianity in how they weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. How God has stirred in their hearts to encourage, to pray, to give, to help…. Wow, they have honored God – they get it – how ministry is supposed to work. We are so blessed!

-          Others friends around the world who do the same – just amazingly generous. How can this be? It has to be a God-thing…

-          The tumor is GONE! – How God used the doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff that are very skilled at what they do to answer our prayers and get this thing off my face!

-          This affliction – yes, this affliction. It is a journey I would not volunteer for but one that God chose me for - it pressed me toward my Saviour, knowing nothing can touch me without His loving care and always meant for my good and His glory. It’s all about Him, not about us. We have to start with God (not ourselves) to make sense of things.

-          I am thankful to be alive – I am so blessed to have had 58 years of no hospitals, no surgeries, two eyes and good health.

-          For all the prayer intercessors on my behalf! You definitely made the difference!!! I thank God for you.

Prayer requests:

-          Continued healing of my body - my left back where tissue was taken (staples to be removed Monday), throat (8 inch cut) where lymph nodes were removed, left face where flap is (looks like a large skin-colored pouch from forehead to bottom of nose) – that it heals correctly (will take months)

-          Challenges of finding my new normal – one eye and all the surgery challenges, vocation, get back to prison ministry

-          I make the right choices going forward to help my body be cancer free (close, but not quite there yet).

 

Steve & Sandy

Isaiah 25:1 “O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”

from Steve | no place like HOME!

Well, it has been 11 days since my surgery to remove the tumor and my left eye and today I got to come home! This is about a week or two earlier than originally planned by the doctors and staff. This has to be a God-thing because all the reports keep coming back that I have been healing faster than anticipated. Also, I am now too healthy to stay in a facility for any further treatments if we want the insurance company to pay for it. We met a lot of great people and had great care but being home is the best!

There are so many thoughts to share about this experience but I do not want to write a LONG treatise that no one will want to read. Here are some highlights to the 11 days:

-          For me the surgery was easy (I was unconscious for 24 hrs!). Now the days following in ICU were pretty intense. So Sandy’s worst day was Monday (day of surgery), mine was Tuesday, the following day.

-          The doctors and staff at the hospital, burn center, and the rehab facility were tremendous. (of course, they had half the world praying for them!) We met a lot of great, talented people and had many interesting conversations. It definitely takes a special type of person to do that kind of work! We thank God for them.

-          Our kids have been such a huge support to Sandy and I. Way beyond what words can describe! How privileged we are as parents! (Ps 127:3)

-          We have been blessed by so many visits, posts, comments, cards of encouragement, flowers, and gifts from all over this planet – it still just amazes us! Thank you very much!!

-          Sandy has been such a trooper throughout this entire journey. I know this isn’t easy on her and I hate she has to go through it but she knows as well that God can be trusted and He does everything perfect and in His time.

-          Our pastor and church family have been such a HUGE support for myself, Sandy, and our family (just the way God designed it to be) – He is honored

-          The follow up visit with the ENT surgeon yesterday was very encouraging

o   The pathology report showed no cancer was found in lymph nodes taken from my neck or margins of where tumor was – AMEN!

o   Healing process is going really well. All tubes, IV’s, drains, some of the 200+ stitches removed

o   The trach hole is still healing so it makes talking difficult (no comments please…) :)

o   Most of my face is numb and will be for about 5-6 months (so I feel no pain where the tumor surgery took place)

o   Most of my pain is in my neck (all the way across) where lymph nodes were extracted and on my back side where all the tissue, muscle, etc was taken to make the free flap for the face – but my pain over all has been surprisingly low (I am very thankful for that!) – actually less pain than before the surgery

-          What is really awesome is I can now sleep more than an hour or two stretch! I slept 3.5 hours two times last night – that is a record for the past 8 months! Woo-hoo!

-          Future expectations: it is supposed to take several months for the free-flap (the 11cm skin patch) to shrink down to its intended size for future cosmetic surgery. In the meantime, my face looks like it has an over-inflated half softball sewn on my face as a tarp. Most people think I have a HUGE patch on half my face but it is the actual skin flap taken from my left middle back (which still has staples in it to keep my back together). So, it will take months to fully recover from this but the scary stuff is over.

 

There are more details we would love to share but you get the idea of the our progress along with the other posts. You, as with us, can see God’s hand in this entire event and we give Him thanks and praise. Again, we want to express our thanks to you for your thoughts and prayers and concern! You have been amazing! God has been honored by your participation in our journey. We are anticipating to see exciting things on how God orchestrates this into His majestic plan. He has brought us through a big, dark valley – thank you for holding us up when we could not do that ourselves. We rejoice together!!

 

Much love!

Steve & Sandy

Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

post surgery update | one week!

Oh what a week! God has been so good to our family. Thinking about last Monday so much has happened - thanks to our God, Steve is doing so well recovering!

Steve is now officially moved out of the University Medical Center and is now at Cedar Village. 

[5467 Cedar Village Dr. | Mason]

Ryan was able to transport him there this afternoon and help him get all situated in his new room. 

The doctors are very pleased with the progress he is making in his recovery. He should be able to get his feeding tube out tomorrow, which I know he will be so thrilled for-as it had been really irritating his throat. 

Steve has another checkup with the doctors on Thursday, so pending the status of that appointment he may be able to go home after that!! (A big praise there!)

I know many of you have been so kind and thoughtful asking about sending cards and visiting him.

It is best to keep mailing cards to their home address. We will make sure Steve and Sandy get them! 

Also. Visits to see Steve at this rehab facility are available. The best time to come would be between 3p-8p. (And just a friendly reminder to please be cautious of sickness/germs-as he has to be very careful.)

day 4 post-op update | by Roanna

Good news Dad was moved to a new room that's not in ICU.  

The doctors were able to remove the trach.  Now he will just wait for that area to heal.  It does make it difficult to talk, but that doesn't stop him from cracking jokes.  

The area on his back where they removed skin, fat, muscle is really sore.  But the area on his face is accepting that skin flap really well.  

When I see or hear about all of the hourly, daily things that our Dad is going through to heal the word COURAGEOUS keeps coming to mind. 

He is strong & courageous because God is with him everywhere he goes.  

 
"This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9

Blessings,

Roanna 

post surgery update | "thanks to The Lord"

"He's doing so well! I don't see any problems here!"

We kept hearing this news over and over today from all the doctors and nurses checking in on Steve. 

Today he took several walks up and down the hall of the ICU. And we could see little sparks of his sarcasm coming out.

In the midst of all the great progress it is still tough to see him struggle to get a few mouthed words out or to get a few minutes of sleep as he deals with a new normal with no eye and over 200 stitches.  Steve mention he feels like he is living in slow motion and time is just crawling by. As tough as it to see him in this state we know it's by Gods grace he is with us today. 

There's been talk of getting his trach removed within the next week and possibly moving to another room out if the ICU for the remainder of the hospital stay. 

So thankfully there is not too much to update from today - the recovery is going as planned. The doctors and nurses are very happy and in the exact words of Steve from today "Thanks to The Lord!"

post surgery update | can't keep that Steve down!

[lastNIGHT]
After surgery yesterday evening Steve was moved to another room in the
ICU. There, he was kept a close eye on - monitoring all his levels and
making sure all that was done stayed that way after the surgery. He
was kept asleep until this morning.

We were able to see our dad for the first time around 715pm last
night. Only several hours after the surgery. They only allowed 1
visitor at a time due to the abundance of nurses and staff still
working on him.


Small portion of my point of view at 715pm | Ryan Kuenkel
I was sitting in the waiting room on the 5th floor that consists ofabout 15 chairs and one small table in the middle of the room. 
All of us have found our spots to sit and call home for that night. I madesure I found the spot closest to the outlet to charge my phone. 
Yes I'm selfish. 

I look over and see my mom anxiously waiting trying tostay calm in her chair while Donna sits quietly by her side. I knowall my mom wants to do it go see her husband. I look around and seeour whole family waiting. Well almost everyone. Alisa just landed atCVG airport traveling from Africa and Jayme(my wife) along withDanielle(Jamison's wife) went to go pick her up and bring her to thehospital to meet up with the family.

They announced we are now able to send one visitor to his room. My momjumped up and walked down the hallway to the door and pushed thesilver button to speak to the secretary to allow her to enter. I couldonly imagine what might be going through her mind.

While waiting for the girls to get back from the airport and for mymom to return from seeing my dad, I sit there and I truly don't recallwhat coincided during those minutes but I look up and see my mom. 
I then see Jamison and Roanna run to my mom. I soon follow.Red eyed and tears running down her face she sits and cries and wesurround her. She stumbles out a few words as she explains what shejust experienced. 

We were shocked.

She said that My dad opened his eye and looked at her and mouthedsoftly that he loves her as he squeezed her hand. I'm sure that isexactly what my mom needed to hear and I'm sure my mom was the firstperson my dad wanted to see.

There is more to share of all the little things God is doing to givestrength to our family. All of the doctors and nurses have been greatto my dad.


[thisMORNING]
This morning they noticed he needed more blood and the doctors ordered
for a blood transfusion. Steve was awake at that point to give the
nurse the approval for the procedure. His coloring already looks a lot
better.

Because of the trach, it is uncomfortable for him to talk so he is
using a dry erase board to communicate. But we will count that as a
win!!
He said most of his pain was from the back of his shoulder where they
took muscle and skin.

All of the nurses are saying he is doing so well and that most people
are not trying to talk and sit in a chair only 16 hours after surgery.

Continue to pray for him in his recovery and pain.

Pray for strength and peace for Sandy.
And for the rest of the family.

All of the love and support from all our family and friends has simply
been incredible.