Update on Steve

[Kayleen]

 As requested by many folks here is the update on Steve.  He is in week #4 of his radiation treatments. Due to his low blood count his second round of chemo was put off until next Monday. He is tolerating most of this OK. He has the normal side effects that always accompany treatments. Loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, etc. However he has not lost his hair yet.
  His care plan is that his last day of radiation will be the 19th of March and he will return April 16 for more tests and then have surgery scheduled.
  I have never gotten on my soap box where individual vices are concerned, however if any of you use tobacco products, drink alcoholic beverages, are over the age of 60, have excessive bouts og aacid reflux, either wuit or get checked out by your physisian, and yes GUYS this means you. This type of cancer affects men 6/1. Had this problem been taken care of a few years back, we would not be going through this right now.
  As the care giver this is one of the heaviest loads I have ever had to do. Not only is it hard to see someone you care about loose over 60 lbs., but to see them be sick 24/7 is hard. The positive part is, is that I have finished projects that I started years ago. We have a new granddaughter born February 26th, Sylvia Rae( Steve's daughter Amy) and Jenna(Kelley) will be offically adopted the 18 of this month.
Life is way to short not to take warning signs serious.
God bless each of you and take care.
Kayleen
 

[Irish Dave]

Kayleen:

Thank you for the update, I know many folks were awaiting news of Steve's progress. I'm sure both him and you will remain in many thoughts and prayers. Certainly in ours.

Sound words of advice as well. We should take them to heart.
God Bless.

[Trap]

   Kayleen, Thanks for the update and the PM. Be sure to tell Steve that his pards are pulling for him.

[pawnee jim]

Kayleen, tell Steve to hang in there, and give him our best. Thanks for the update.

Jim Paul

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Kayleen, we've met, but we don't "know" each other.  I met you and Steve at the Convention a couple times.  That said, I hope for the best for both of you!

God Bless - and have fun with those "kiddies", too!

[Will Ketchum]

Kayleen, hardly a day goes by that I don't think about Steve and wonder how he's doing.  He is lucky to have you there.  It must be terrible to go through something like that alone.  Tell Steve that he is in Joan and my prayers. 

Thanks for the udate and please keep us posted.

Pete

[bear tooth billy]

kayleen,

Tell Steve we are thinking of him
as you know we recently went through this with Pam's breast cancer and her granddaughter Bailey's leukemia, both are now done with treatment and are doing well. We made it through and you will too remember you have lots of friends supporting you
   

     John Hoker

[RattlesnakeJack]

Miz Kayleen:

Extend my Regards and Best Wishes to Steve ..... and don't forget to take proper care of yourself too, Young Lady!!!

[Ol Gabe]

Thanks for the update Kayleen,
As the above posts indicate, many families have already gone through much of the same, we have as well with the exact same thing as Steve, and the U of I is the best place to get 'r done! My wife's cousin had the same thing and has recovered fully after his treatments there, and he is now kickin' butt again bit time! My brother-in-law has recently had a brain tumor removed the size of an orange, yeouch! He is a tough retired Navy Fly-Boy, an Iowa Country Boy, and had been working for UPS on overseas runs so we expect he'll be writing his war memoirs soon in his retirement days, but with a full recovery through modern, successful doctoring, lots of love and lots of 'Get Well Soon' cards. So please post an address here so we can send some to Steve, OK?
All our love to both of you, you are always in our daily prayers.
'Ol Gabe

[Frenchie]

Miz Kayleen:

Extend my Regards and Best Wishes to Steve ..... and don't forget to take proper care of yourself too, Young Lady!!!

Madame Kayleen, that goes for me, too!

[Kayleen]

To our very wonderful friends in the cowboy/cowgirl world,
  Thank you so much for all your prayers and support. The hardest part of all of this is seeing someone be sick that has not really had a sick day in his life. As the care giver I find myself overwhelmed and not really knowing what to do other than jussst be here.
  If you want to send well wishes to him,
Steve Groninga
10657 Hwy #57
Ackley, Iowa 50601
Currently he has done his last chemo up and at the end of the week they will pull the line from him and radiation will be done on the 19th.
Again thank you all for your prayers.
Kayleen

[Gripmaker]

Kayleen,  Thanks so much for the address. A card will soon be in the mail and I expect Steve to read it to the grandkids a year from today and for many more years to come. We are praying for you and Steve.

Rev. Larry Little aka Gripmaker

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Kayleen...
My family and I are praying for Steve, my nephew just went through chemo so I know how you must be feeling..

Bill, Pat & family

[Kayleen]

 Today was the day we had been waiting for. We were to have gone home. Notice this is past tense. Steve was admmitted in the the hospital today. They are running tests and due to being on steriods following chemo his diabetes went haywire and registered around 900. Normal is between 100-140. We have a little mountain to climb again.
Later folks,
Kayleen

[Kayleen]

Hello from a rainy day here in Iowa. Since my last session here on the forum Steve has been in the hospital yet one more time and seems to be having a difficult time staying hydrated. I even keep track of what he drinks and it sort of makes my head spin to think of drinking an equivelent of 18-24 glasses of water a day. He has started eating some real people food but relys mostly on Ensure for nutrition. Next week we travel back to the hospital for tests and see when they will be doing surgery.
Maybe when all this is said and done we can get back to normal.(what ever that may be) A hearty thank-you to everyone for the prayers, cards and calls.
We appreciate all of them.
Thanks guys,
Kayleen

[Will Ketchum]

Kayleen, thanks again for the update.  I think of Steve nearly every day and he is in my prayers.

Regardless of the past problems I have always thought of you and Steve as friends to Joan and I.

We sure miss the fine times we had at the Prairie Fire Range

Pete & Joan

[Kayleen]

 Howdy folks,
This is the day we have been anticipating for the past 5 monthes. Steve will be having surgery at 8:00am. It will last6-8 hours depending on the damage done by chem and radiation.
  Please remember us in your prayers today.
Kayleen

[gw]

Hope all goes well  and Steve makes a speedy recovery.  Prayers for both of you.

[Trap]

  Good Luck to Steve, We will all be thinking of him.

[Irish Dave]

You'll both be in our thoughts and prayers for a full and speedy recovery.
God bless.