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This is the story of our little family of three and how Steve came to be diagnosed with Stage IV Re**al cancer with extensive liver tumors and bone metastasis.
Steve and I started dating when I was 16 years old (he was 20....shhh, don’t tell my dad!). We became engaged when i was 19 and we married, as babies, at 20 and 24 years old. We bought our first home right before our wedding and lived there for 17 years. In June 2018, we finally moved out of our “starter” home and into our forever home in Acadiana Trace. We are blessed to live in a such a beautiful home surrounded by Steve’s cousins (and neighbors that have quickly become family) in the same neighborhood. It’s a great place to put down some roots and stay forever! We love our little community.
Steve and I struggled to have kids and never thought we would get to experience the joys (and frustrations!!) of parenthood. On our 10th Wedding anniversary, we were surrounded by close friends and family and found out we were expecting a baby girl!!! Baileigh Grace came into this world on April 4, 2012. We could not be happier and she is truly a blessing to our family. This November, Steve and I will celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary.
In July 2018, with the help of Steve’s sister and mom, we finally convinced him to go see a doctor. I had been on him for a while to go to the doctor. I knew something was wrong with him. Steve had changes in his bowel movements, blood in his stool, he was always tired and he had rapid weight loss. On July 19, 2018, he went to see Dr. Keidia at Metro GI for an exam. During the exam, Dr. Keidia felt a large mass in his re**um. He was scheduled for a colonoscopy the next day. I will never forget the doctor’s words to me that day. After the exam, he came outside of the exam room where i was waiting and said “Your husband is not well” the word mass and tumor was thrown around but i was still focusing on what he said first. I knew Steve had not been himself lately but I never expected him to say he was so sick. The thought of cancer never crossed my mind. Even while sitting in the waiting room to schedule the colonoscopy, neither of us could have ever imagined what was to come.
The next day, July 20, 2018, Steve had the colonoscopy. Once the test was finished Dr. Keidia came out to talk with us. It was then he said the tumor in his re**um was malignant. I knew what malignant meant but hearing the words, I had to ask him to explain it. I couldn't wrap my brain around what he was telling us. In my mind, my husband could not have cancer.
Steve has always been an energetic, outgoing and healthy person. He was active in sports, loves to play softball and has an amazing work ethic. He is a package car driver for UPS and is always on the go. Even on his off days, he would cut grass and do things around the house. Keeping him inside to rest for any reason was nearly impossible. Steve didn't even have a primary care doctor because he literally never got sick. This news was out of the box for him.
The following Monday he was sent for an MRI. The MRI results reveled that the cancer had spread to his liver. Not just a small spot on the liver but extensive tumors in the right and left lobes of the liver. Again, we were not expecting this news. Once we got him in to see an oncologist on August 1, 2018, a PET scan was ordered. On August 3, 2018 he did the PET scan and those results reveled the cancer had also spread to his right Ilium (right hip bone). It felt like he was being hit over and over again.
On August 9, 2018, Steve underwent surgery to have a port placed in the right side of his chest. The incision from the outside looked like it was healing perfectly. August 17, 2018, The day the last bandage came off of the incision, he started to run fever. We brought him to the hospital and found out Steve had sepsis. A staph infection from the port surgery would set his treatments back with a 5 day hospital stay. On August 18, 2018, Steve had the port removed. It felt like he would never get his chemo treatments started. We were all so upset.
Currently, Steve is receiving antibiotics to help clear the infection. He has a PICC line that was put in his left arm where he receives IV antibiotic infusions every 8 hours at home. Dealing with his current oncologist (or should i say lack thereof) and the on call oncologist while in the Ochsner Hospital system, it became even more evident to me that these doctors we selected were not the right ones to help Steve fight this terrible disease. The day after Steve was discharged from the hospital, I got to work on finding him new doctors to set up a new treatment plan. He was clearly not getting the best care from his current doctors.
Steve has switched oncologists and so far we are impressed at what she is willing to do for him. She is aggressive and wants to see Steve begin treatment immediatly. She has offered several different treatments options and we are optmistic she will find the right one to help heal him. She has also suggested he take treatments from the National Cancer Institute in Washington. We are still gathering more information but it looks like this will be in his very near future.
Steve is a father, a husband, a son, a brother, a pari, an uncle and a friend to all. He is also a fighter. I asked him recently if he thinks about the fact that he has cancer. His response was “No. Not at all.” He is only reminded he has it once he uses the restroom. This is amazing to me. He has a positive attitude and he knows he will #Knockitoutthepark . I have no doubt that as long as we keep him in front of the best doctors possible, he will be healed. God will heal him and his positive attitude and willingness to fight this will help him through it.
We invite you to share in his journey. Steve is loved by many people and they all want constant updates on his progress. I have created this page to help share his journey. Feel free to post your words of encouragement at any time. Steve will read them all. It will continue to help him along the way! Please continue to pray for his healing.
