STEVE'S BRAIN TUMOUR

(written by Josie Steve's wife )

In 2012 february I was at work with my son when I recieved a phone call from Ipswich hospital.  A nurse was on the line asking if steve was my husband, when I confirmed this she informed me that Steve had run our car under a coach and had been cut from the wreckage .  We got to the hospital an hour later,

Steve was still in the MRI suite being x rayed. It was such a shock to see Steve on a stretcher with straps and contraptions holding his head  neck and back  still as they explained that they thought he had broken one or both. The next day a doctor came and told us the great news that he had broken nothing in fact he had escaped scott free from the accident but that they had found a brain tumour that was humoungus in size and that he had possibly had it for some 15 years.

On the x ray it filled his face. Shock and horror is the only way I can explain how we felt, fear for now, his life and the future all went  though my mind. I had to bring steve home and await instructions. We were called to Adenbrooks and met the surgeon, a fabulous man called doctor Mannion. Turns out steve tumour was large and had eaten his pituitary gland which controls the body hormones . Steve had no hormones, in fact the general opinion was how did he get out of bed in the morning.

He was put on a course of steroids, thiraxine and testosterone immediatly along with lots of other stuff. His operation was shedualed for March.

We arrived at the hospital at 7am. He was going to theatre by 9am. I was allowed to walk to the doors with him, it was like all my worst days in my life rolled into one as they wheeled him off. He was back within 5 hours minus most of the tumour but some of it was wound around his optic nerves and they could not get it all out.

Steve recovered quickly and returned to work within 3 months but within another 3 months his sight began to fail. He lost his job as he could not see the computer, his licence went next and we had to muddle along as best we could. For me things looked dismal, if Steve felt it he never said it, always positive and thankful to be alive.

The doctors were baffled but eventually felt that steve's optic nerves had been starved of blood and his already fragile eyes had taken the toll . Life was a struggle for some time and then ipswich hospital registered Steve blind, we had people coming out of our ears for a while. A dissability pension appeared along with carers wages, such as they are. Steve began long cane training, I was taught to lead him and a few new gadgets came our way. Blind veterans UK turned up and help was ours from that moment on . We were booked into their Brighton centre to be assesed and helped to move forward, we felt exremely priviledged to get such help.

Life began to look up, we started to go to the MBS fairs at weekends where Steve was a reader, of course I had to drive him and hang about which was awful, so I started a table for Steve selling spirit balls, angel orbs and angel hearts.. All hand blown. So this became our life, something to go for and all suiting steve's passion for mediumship.

We were going great guns until Steve's second MRI after the op, the doc said a second tumour was growing and it had to come out, you could have knocked me down with a feather. The shock was so huge, poor Steve he could not believe it. 3 months later and a year from the first one we were again in Adenbrooks and our hero doc Mannion was opening the side of Steve's head up. This time he was gone 6 and a half hours and looked so awful when he came back, but back he was and I could not have been more grateful, he came home after only 4 days.

Recovery was slower this time, such bruising and of course the huge gash running from his forehead to below his ear. 4 weeks later we were at the blind veterans Uk in Brighton, what a fabulous place.They help with everything from making a cup of tea to going into town alone along with training to touch type and use a talking computer. We are recieving help from them to get steve an office where he can continue his mediumship and his hypnotherapy.

We started to look forward and returned to our fairs again .Steve is open for readings again and you can find a list of our events on the events page. 

In 2017  so much had happened since the second tumour. I gave up my stall at the MBS fairs as I cared for my mother and it all became too difficult. Mum died in 2016 and I went  back at the fairs with spirit dolls which I hand made. Angels, message dolls, wish and dream dolls in fact dolls for all occasions. Some hold a crystal some a spiritual message and I loved making them .

Steve has his lovely sanctuary under the trees where he gives readings and runs his workshops and courses. 

Steve is amazing and carries on almost as though nothing happened to him. His spirituality went  from strength to strength and he nearly always gets names and dates for his clients.

Personally we still try to achieve most things and in May 2016 went to America to visit my brother where we went out on his boat every day shark fishing, it was truly amazing and we went on to go to America many times after that.

After another schedualed MRI they told us a third brain tumour had grown this time they were to give radiation treatment so Steve began a 25 day course, we went every day . This took its toll on us both, Steve was tired and of course worried, I was tired of driving and afraid to leave Steve but as usual he flew through with little fuss. By 2019  he was  well, the odd mishap (falls usually) but I cannot tell you how grateful I am that he is still with us. I think his work is not done here yet. He spends most of his time giving validations and helping people with their bereavement. And of course pl aying bowls.

In 2018 we set ourselves a personal challenge, this was to do a big trip on our own.(we had previously had family with us to help out) We decided on Niagra Falls. Niagra is great for blind people as they can feel and hear the falls. I arranged it all from our lounge on a computer. It was truly amazing we flew into Toronto where we had a taxi waiting to take us to Niagra. We spent 4 days in Niagra where we also visited a Buddist themple. Steve loved it and spent a long time chatting to a lovely monk there. We proved to ourselves that we can in fact do any trip we wish we just need to plan ahead.

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TRIBUTE TO STEVE

So here we are  a few years now into Steve's blindness, I just want to add a small tribute here to my husband who is so brave. He does not make a big deal out of his dissability and just gets on with it. He finds comfort and pleasure in his work and has a real interest in helping others find that peace. None of us know how we will cope when things go wrong but I hope if and when it is my turn I can cope as well as Steve.

<<INTRODUCING ELIAH STEVES NEW GUIDE DOG 

 Eliah came to us at the end of 2023 .After a two year wait steve was introduced to Eliah ,a big black labrador, excelent guide dog ,funny loving pet and huge.  We are once again in love.