Go Steve - Steve's Updates

Updates from Steve’s cancer-free life

April 20, 2008

relay for life went great!

Filed under: lung scare — Tags: , , — By steve @ 7:48 am

It did! Relay for Life went great! Great weather, great attendance and an overall great atmosphere to support the fight against cancer. I spoke to the crowd for about 5 minutes, led the survivor lap and eventually got to light my own Luminaria.

Happiness, sorrow and optimism circled my mind in a tooth-and-nail fight to take the trophy for lead emotion. Each completed (and heavily contested) lap brought a new depth to my emotions as a survivor fighting the good fight–a good depth, one that comforts and wards off some fears that tend to tiptoe around in my head. The winner has yet to be decided.

I’ll post photos as soon as they are sent my way…I’m also working on getting the video of my speech transferred to the web and posting it here for all to see and hear. (view it here!)

It’s been a great week full of spending time with my close friends and family and seeing great old friends who have been absent from my daily life lately. Sometimes rekindling past friendships sets the heart at ease.

I’m also in the process of getting my hour long speech from the Blue Key National Conference split into sections and posted at goSteve.org so all can see it.

:.:T-minus-3 days until I’m cancer free again:.:

onward!
SDS

January 30, 2008

The first is always the worst…

Filed under: post chemo — Tags: , , , , , — By steve @ 7:19 am

The speech at Blue Key Nationals went very well. I was very excited, nervous and scared to see how it would turn out. It is emotionally draining to pour over all the pictures and stories, the memories and the pain of what happened. The first time is always the worst, but this one turned out to be the greatest. I spoke for nearly an hour, laying out my struggle, telling others what I’ve learned and answering some amazing questions.

Speaking of Blue Key, the chapter at Truman State in Missouri is holding a blood drive on February 7 & 8 on their campus. If you are anywhere near, please please go donate and help out. Blood is hard to come by and many don’t know the dire need. It saved my life-I alone recieved 42 units throughout my treatments. Without it I wouldn’t be here. Again, if you can, please donate your blood and time to make their drive successful in saving lives!

I was cast for another socket today. My limb is still shrinking, but slower now. If you don’t know, residual limbs tend to hold fluids and get larger. As soon as the stump is exposed to the constant pressure and compression of the socket, it begins to shrink. As it shrinks, the socket doesn’t fit and I can’t walk properly. Eventually the limb shrinks so much that you need a new, smaller socket. I am working on my fifth socket because my limb has compressed itself so much. I will have a new one in a week or so.

January 2, 2008

plethora of emotions…

Filed under: post chemo — Tags: , , , , , — By steve @ 7:17 am

I’ll be giving a keynote address for the Blue Key Honor Society National Conference on Saturday, January 19th. It will be my first time giving a ‘real’ speech on my battle, and it’s brought back a plethora of emotions I haven’t had to deal with.

I am walking!! (since May) but I’m on my third socket, trying to stabilize the size of my limb so I can get back to therapy and maybe even get rid of my cane! I’m thinking about getting one with flames, what do you think?

NDSU commencement last December signaled the end to my undergraduate life…now can I just find a job?

November 16, 2006

(mom [carla])

Filed under: post chemo — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — By steve @ 6:53 am

Since so many of you continue with love and support concerning Steve, I felt the need to update. Steve participated in the Relay for Life both at NDSU and hometown Langdon. How exciting to see the support for the American Cancer Society.

Steve continues to doctor in Minneapolis with frequent visits there. He looks like Steve again with good color in his cheeks and a full head of hair (no-it did not grow back curly-we will leave the curls to Libby!!) His last scans shows that he is a NERD! And that is a good thing-NERD stands for no evidence of recurrent disease! Steve does experience nausea and vomiting some days, but as his digestive system continues to heal hopefully that will keep improving. His heart function at his last test was within normal readings.

Steve is taking 12 credits at NDSU this semester and is participating in some Blue Key, ATO fraternity, and GOB activities. He is tired but it takes a lot of effort to maneuver those crutches!! He does have his prosthetic leg but can’t really use it yet until he has the OK for full weight bearing. His stump causes considerable pain as it is still healing.

We are so proud of Steve and his willingness to get back to classes. He has already fought many battles and won! More exciting news is that Steve and our angel Libby set their wedding date for next summer!

We have GoSteve beanies available as well as a new shipment of GoSteve shirts. The beanies are in both Fargo and Langdon and the shirts are all in Fargo but we will have some in Langdon next week.

Words cannot express how much your caring means to all of us. We are so grateful it is NOW and look forward to even better days ahead.

GoSteve.org was started by members of Alpha Tau Omega to help Steve Symons raise funds to assist with medical bills. Just as the dynamic world of Steve has evolved, gosteve.org will continue to grow into a site to help others with their courageous battles against cancer and amputations. More

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