Grube family's growing medical bills.

UPDATE: Thank you to every single person who has donated to this amazing family! We have reached our goal faster then we could have ever imagined. We would like to keep this fundraiser going the whole month of November. Please continue to share and help this incredible family! I am speechless at the amount of people who continue to support The Grube Family. Thank you for the bottom of my heart as well as theirs.

Hi Everyone- My name is Jen Moyer. I am a close friend of the Grube Family. I have asked Steph and Adam if I can share their story and how we as a community can best help them.

As some of you may know and some of you may not, In May, Steph began her journey to battle thyroid cancer. She had surgery to remove the cancer in July and has bravely beat cancer. With that being said, Steph has not has an easy battle. She has landed in the hospital countless times before during and after her surgery. She has had every complication you can think of as she is on the road to recovery. Last week Steph shared an update with friends and family members. I hope you will take the time to read why we as her friends wanted to step up and help her and her family.

Steph has overcome losing her voice which luckily has returned, however there are a few complications that continue that are life threatening. Steph's parathyroid glands aren't working, and she is unable to maintain calcium levels in her blood. Something that sounds so simple in theory is actually quite difficult and awful.

When her calcium is low, she experiences tingling, nausea, tetany, and convulsions (that look like seizures) which has led to four or five ER trips and days-long hospital stays to get calcium infusions so that she can stay alive.

When her calcium is high, she experience dizziness, mental confusion, and scary high blood pressure that has also led to hospital stays. It's a constant battle to guess the right amount of supplements in order to keep stable levels.

While the hope that all of the above is temporary there is a chance that it can remain permanent. Steph currently is taking 15 different medications and supplements to stay alive. Some days it's completely overwhelming, and she has to find every ounce of strength just to keep going. She never actually feel well, and even on her best days, she only feels okay. At her worst, She is fighting for her life in the hospital.

Not only has this taken on Steph emotionally it also has come at a financial cost. They are already over $20,000 in medical bills beyond what insurance will cover, and that cost will keep rising as she continues to need life saving medication.

Both her oncological surgeon and my endocrinologist said that after more than thirty years in practice, they have never had a patient have every possible rare complication after a thyroidectomy. She is a rarity and not in a good way in her words HOWEVER we as her friends find her a rarity in a positive way. Steph always has a smile on her face even wehn inside she is exhausted. She will always pick up the phone, send a message to check on her friends, her daughters friends and their families. Steph is always willing to help. She is incredibly witty, knowledgeable and incredibly talented ( not to mention their amazing Christmas card ideas every year). Steph is always there for her friends and family and supports us all however she can. It is our hope we can raise some money to help take the burden off the family while she continues to battle beat and heal from her surgery.

Thankfully Steph is cancer free and we hope with every ounce of prayers she continues to get better each and every day.

The money raised will go directly to helping offset Steph's growing medical bills.