Supporting Steve Graves #BlendedFamily
Donation protected
”Here is a story” ... those are the first words to come to mind as I begin to tell you the story of Steve & Jennifer Graves, their family of 8 includes Steve & Jennifer plus Steve’s 2 teenage boys and Jennifer’s 4 children which just so happens to be my 4 “Bouns” children. I say bonus because I don’t like the word “step”, you see ... I am married to Jennifer’s ex husband, Owen and I share custody of my 4 beautiful step children <3 Combine both our families and that’s a total of 15! We are like the modern day Brady Bunch. My oldest daughter is 27 then between Steve, Jennifer and my husband there are 5 boys and one very sweet and sassy little girl, ranging in ages from 20 all the way down to 13. I have been in Jennifer and her kids lives now for a little over 8 years and although things haven’t always been easy, I can honestly say without a doubt all the struggles have been worth it and we are one huge blended family.
So, its only natural that I feel the need to tell you a little bit of Steve’s current story and why I have started this go fund me in hopes that Jennifer and Steve can get some much needed emergency help. Back in October Steve started to feel sick, not able to eat food with out being in severe pain, doctors “chalking” it up to be a tummy bug that just needed to run its course but by November, Steve’s health was deteriorating rapidly and he was losing a considerable amount of weight, by Thanksgiving Day he wasn’t able to eat or drink anything with out screaming out in pain. Jennifer was able to get one of Steves doctors to direct admit him in to University Hospital where he still remains to this day. Long story short, Steve was diagnosed with a SEVERE case Ulcerative Colitis but while he was inpatient, part of his colon ruptured and he as rushed into emergency surgery, almost 3 hours later the surgeon informs Jennifer that Steve’s case was critical and his surgery was extremely difficult, one of the worst cases that surgeon has ever seen and also telling her that his entire colon had to be removed, resulting in him having to be placed with an Ostomy bag. When Steves colon ruptured it sent air and fecal matter into his abdomen and this put Steve in critical condition and he was immediately taken up to ICU, where he has remained since December 13 BUT it doesn’t end there. By December 19th Steve was still in severe pain, and another CT scan was ordered which showed several pockets of infection in his abdomen, one big enouh causing them to insert a drain thru his side, directly into the abscess to allow it to drain into a bag on the outside of his body, his veins are collapsing, he has had to have the NG tube inserted down his nose and his weight is still dropping daily, last time I asked Jennifer how much he hast lost it was 50lbs. He has lost almost all muscle mass and isn’t able to walk alone. Occupational therapy has been working with him and when he is discharged he will need to go to a rehabilitation center for 3-4 weeks. He has a long road of recovery ahead of him and life outside that hospital is going to change dramatically. Steve has always been very active and a hard worker, his job, before getting sick, was running heavy equipment for land clearing/excavating for commercial an residential sites, but has NO benefits thru his work, he has not worked since November 2nd. Jennifer has been working in the financial industry full time for many years and has worked her way to the top of a local bank in North Carolina but has had to take a leave of absence to be with Steve and hasn’t slept at home since his surgery on the 19th. They have missed Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, spending it away from their kids for the first time ever, as a parent that is a hard pill to swallow per say! Steve is in a tiny room just big enough for his hospital bed and one chair, which by the way has become Jennifer’s bed for weeks now. She has been 100% hands on along side of his doctors and nurses learning and watching every single thing they do to clean his ostomy bag, watching the nurses suction and clean his wounds, and just being his ‘Voice” by making sure nothing is being missed.
My husband and I took 3 of the kids up to see them Christmas Eve and just walking into his room brought my big ole husband to tears. Steve reached out his hand to shake my husbands hand and to thank him (us) for all we have done and for simply caring enough to visit him. We talked about the situation at hand but also about God and prayer and how “humbling” this experience has made him. Steve was given a bible from the hospital Chaplin, who had come in to pray with him and Jennifer and in this picture I posted above, you can see Steve sleeping with the Bible under his hand. This man wants to live, despite ALL that has happened he was SO genuine and positive and in good spirits.
My husband and I and the kids were able to leave that cold hospital and go on about our Christmas Eve, and Steve and Jennifer spent there’s in the critical care unit of that hospital. Life can change in an istant and GOD never ceases to remind us who’s in charge.
2 years ago my mother and father spent what would be their last Christmas in the hospital, we lost mama on NYE of 2016 and daddy joined her in Heaven just 3 short weeks after on January 19th. I know what it feels like to have your entire World changed in an instant. So many people, many of you reading this, reached out to help with my parents during that time by donating to their go fund me page, including Jennifer & Steve and now its my turn to Pay It Forward. I am setting this account up and asking for donations and prayers. We don’t know when or even IF Steve will be able to go back to work and as of right now, the ONLY income coming in is from Jennifer’s FMLA which will end in 30 days. She cant afford to support their large family on one income. I hope to raise enough for them to help with as many bills as we can for at least a few months. Jennifer does have insu but the medical bills have already started pouring in. ANY amount will help, I don’t care if you can only donate $1.00, trust me, it adds up and every penny will be appreciated an used to care for housing and food expenses while they are both out of work for this undetermined amount of time. Thank you all for taking the time to read their story, add them to your prayer list at church and please feel free to share this page. I will continue to update on on his condition as often as I get information.
So, its only natural that I feel the need to tell you a little bit of Steve’s current story and why I have started this go fund me in hopes that Jennifer and Steve can get some much needed emergency help. Back in October Steve started to feel sick, not able to eat food with out being in severe pain, doctors “chalking” it up to be a tummy bug that just needed to run its course but by November, Steve’s health was deteriorating rapidly and he was losing a considerable amount of weight, by Thanksgiving Day he wasn’t able to eat or drink anything with out screaming out in pain. Jennifer was able to get one of Steves doctors to direct admit him in to University Hospital where he still remains to this day. Long story short, Steve was diagnosed with a SEVERE case Ulcerative Colitis but while he was inpatient, part of his colon ruptured and he as rushed into emergency surgery, almost 3 hours later the surgeon informs Jennifer that Steve’s case was critical and his surgery was extremely difficult, one of the worst cases that surgeon has ever seen and also telling her that his entire colon had to be removed, resulting in him having to be placed with an Ostomy bag. When Steves colon ruptured it sent air and fecal matter into his abdomen and this put Steve in critical condition and he was immediately taken up to ICU, where he has remained since December 13 BUT it doesn’t end there. By December 19th Steve was still in severe pain, and another CT scan was ordered which showed several pockets of infection in his abdomen, one big enouh causing them to insert a drain thru his side, directly into the abscess to allow it to drain into a bag on the outside of his body, his veins are collapsing, he has had to have the NG tube inserted down his nose and his weight is still dropping daily, last time I asked Jennifer how much he hast lost it was 50lbs. He has lost almost all muscle mass and isn’t able to walk alone. Occupational therapy has been working with him and when he is discharged he will need to go to a rehabilitation center for 3-4 weeks. He has a long road of recovery ahead of him and life outside that hospital is going to change dramatically. Steve has always been very active and a hard worker, his job, before getting sick, was running heavy equipment for land clearing/excavating for commercial an residential sites, but has NO benefits thru his work, he has not worked since November 2nd. Jennifer has been working in the financial industry full time for many years and has worked her way to the top of a local bank in North Carolina but has had to take a leave of absence to be with Steve and hasn’t slept at home since his surgery on the 19th. They have missed Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, spending it away from their kids for the first time ever, as a parent that is a hard pill to swallow per say! Steve is in a tiny room just big enough for his hospital bed and one chair, which by the way has become Jennifer’s bed for weeks now. She has been 100% hands on along side of his doctors and nurses learning and watching every single thing they do to clean his ostomy bag, watching the nurses suction and clean his wounds, and just being his ‘Voice” by making sure nothing is being missed.
My husband and I took 3 of the kids up to see them Christmas Eve and just walking into his room brought my big ole husband to tears. Steve reached out his hand to shake my husbands hand and to thank him (us) for all we have done and for simply caring enough to visit him. We talked about the situation at hand but also about God and prayer and how “humbling” this experience has made him. Steve was given a bible from the hospital Chaplin, who had come in to pray with him and Jennifer and in this picture I posted above, you can see Steve sleeping with the Bible under his hand. This man wants to live, despite ALL that has happened he was SO genuine and positive and in good spirits.
My husband and I and the kids were able to leave that cold hospital and go on about our Christmas Eve, and Steve and Jennifer spent there’s in the critical care unit of that hospital. Life can change in an istant and GOD never ceases to remind us who’s in charge.
2 years ago my mother and father spent what would be their last Christmas in the hospital, we lost mama on NYE of 2016 and daddy joined her in Heaven just 3 short weeks after on January 19th. I know what it feels like to have your entire World changed in an instant. So many people, many of you reading this, reached out to help with my parents during that time by donating to their go fund me page, including Jennifer & Steve and now its my turn to Pay It Forward. I am setting this account up and asking for donations and prayers. We don’t know when or even IF Steve will be able to go back to work and as of right now, the ONLY income coming in is from Jennifer’s FMLA which will end in 30 days. She cant afford to support their large family on one income. I hope to raise enough for them to help with as many bills as we can for at least a few months. Jennifer does have insu but the medical bills have already started pouring in. ANY amount will help, I don’t care if you can only donate $1.00, trust me, it adds up and every penny will be appreciated an used to care for housing and food expenses while they are both out of work for this undetermined amount of time. Thank you all for taking the time to read their story, add them to your prayer list at church and please feel free to share this page. I will continue to update on on his condition as often as I get information.
Organizer and beneficiary
Chrissie Caster Presutti
Organizer
Concord, NC
Jennifer Graves
Beneficiary