I asked Catrina, Stephanie's sister to send an update on Stephanie's situation for the Family Gazette since so many people had bits and pieces of the events in her life through Facebook. Here is Catrina's update:
"Auntie,
Just wanted to share an update on Stef so the family could know what was going on and mostly so they could pray for her.
Stef fell in October, tearing her rotator cuff and breaking her shoulder, which may turn out to have been a blessing in disguise. She had surgery to repair in November, and she started a long 16 week recovery including intensive physical therapy. While going for physical therapy, her knee started hurting. She has suffered off and on over the last few years with some knee pain but was finally at a place where she could hopefully get some relief. She asked the doctor/physical therapist to help with her knee pain, but after several appointments, her pain was worse which is obviously not supposed to be the case, so they ordered an X-Ray.
On December 30, she went in for that X-Ray. It showed some areas of abnormalities so her physician immediately ordered an MRI, which she had done on December 31st. She went in the following week for the results, and the news was not what we expected. The report showed possible metastatic changes in the bone (secondary cancer changes in her bone marrow) and her doctor referred her to an oncologist. That appointment was yesterday.
When she first arrived, the oncologist indicated that as a previous smoker, these areas in the bone marrow might be where the blood supply had been compromised and then restored. While rare, it does happen. The course of action would be to wait and see if there were changes in a few months. Later, after he looked at the X-Ray/MRI, he was very concerned and did not want to wait. Stef will have a bone biopsy next Tuesday morning. Once the oncologist has those results, he/they will decide a plan of action.
BTW – Stef is a very strong lady. The recovery time on her shoulder was shortened by 8 weeks!
As many folk know, I’ve started a FaceBook page, “Stef’s Prayer Warriors”. Let’s get the word out so we can get as many people as we possibly can storming the heavens with prayers for my dear sister. She’s done so very much for others, especially our mom, it’s time to give a little back. On that Facebook page, I’ve also included a PayPal link for folks to donate monetarily if they can. The gas to drive from Troy to downtown St. Louis alone is costly enough, but so is anything else Stef and Dan may need to buy, food while down there, etc. – this can help. I was going to do gofundme or another fundraiser site such as that, but they take 8% plus $0.50 per transaction, so by doing PayPal, which only takes 2%, and I think that’s only if we don’t use a bank account so I’ve opened a BOA savings account for her specifically for this. And an FYI – I will be ordering “STEF’S PRAYER WARRIOR” rubber bracelets and selling them for $1.00 with 100% of the profit going into her account.
Love you, Auntie.
Catrina King"
Those of you who attended Margaret's service last September no doubt remember the moving eulogy Stephanie gave for her mother--with only about five minutes warning. A transcript of that eulogy is in the archives of this blog. Stephanie is quite a woman, made strong by some life challenges that many people never have to face. She was a major support person for her parents in recent years and cared for her mother after Margaret could no longer live alone. When Norman developed symptoms from the illness that took his life, it was only Stephanie he allowed help and guide him through his medical care and last days.
"Auntie,
Just wanted to share an update on Stef so the family could know what was going on and mostly so they could pray for her.
Stef fell in October, tearing her rotator cuff and breaking her shoulder, which may turn out to have been a blessing in disguise. She had surgery to repair in November, and she started a long 16 week recovery including intensive physical therapy. While going for physical therapy, her knee started hurting. She has suffered off and on over the last few years with some knee pain but was finally at a place where she could hopefully get some relief. She asked the doctor/physical therapist to help with her knee pain, but after several appointments, her pain was worse which is obviously not supposed to be the case, so they ordered an X-Ray.
On December 30, she went in for that X-Ray. It showed some areas of abnormalities so her physician immediately ordered an MRI, which she had done on December 31st. She went in the following week for the results, and the news was not what we expected. The report showed possible metastatic changes in the bone (secondary cancer changes in her bone marrow) and her doctor referred her to an oncologist. That appointment was yesterday.
When she first arrived, the oncologist indicated that as a previous smoker, these areas in the bone marrow might be where the blood supply had been compromised and then restored. While rare, it does happen. The course of action would be to wait and see if there were changes in a few months. Later, after he looked at the X-Ray/MRI, he was very concerned and did not want to wait. Stef will have a bone biopsy next Tuesday morning. Once the oncologist has those results, he/they will decide a plan of action.
BTW – Stef is a very strong lady. The recovery time on her shoulder was shortened by 8 weeks!
As many folk know, I’ve started a FaceBook page, “Stef’s Prayer Warriors”. Let’s get the word out so we can get as many people as we possibly can storming the heavens with prayers for my dear sister. She’s done so very much for others, especially our mom, it’s time to give a little back. On that Facebook page, I’ve also included a PayPal link for folks to donate monetarily if they can. The gas to drive from Troy to downtown St. Louis alone is costly enough, but so is anything else Stef and Dan may need to buy, food while down there, etc. – this can help. I was going to do gofundme or another fundraiser site such as that, but they take 8% plus $0.50 per transaction, so by doing PayPal, which only takes 2%, and I think that’s only if we don’t use a bank account so I’ve opened a BOA savings account for her specifically for this. And an FYI – I will be ordering “STEF’S PRAYER WARRIOR” rubber bracelets and selling them for $1.00 with 100% of the profit going into her account.
Love you, Auntie.
Catrina King"
Those of you who attended Margaret's service last September no doubt remember the moving eulogy Stephanie gave for her mother--with only about five minutes warning. A transcript of that eulogy is in the archives of this blog. Stephanie is quite a woman, made strong by some life challenges that many people never have to face. She was a major support person for her parents in recent years and cared for her mother after Margaret could no longer live alone. When Norman developed symptoms from the illness that took his life, it was only Stephanie he allowed help and guide him through his medical care and last days.
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