Stephanie’s “𝒮𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓎”.

“We don’t even know how strong we are until we are forced to bring that hidden strength forward.”- Isabel Allende

Many of us have experienced challenges. With any luck, they have been short lived bumps in the road; we have handled them and moved on. Stephanie Stein, our next Guiding Light Grant Recipient, has tackled mountains, and still keeps pressing forward.

Stephanie has given her life to helping others – she is a level one firefighter and an advanced EMT. If there was an emergency, you would hope Stephanie was there. Springing into action and relying on her training to help others is second nature to her. 

Stephanie has had epilepsy her entire life but has had it well controlled for many years. In September 2023, she had a medication change that, she thought, was causing some side effects- exhaustion, weight loss and no appetite, difficulty speaking and swallowing. Her daughter, farm, and mini ponies have kept getting her out of bed each day. In the fall of 2023, she had a seizure that caused her to fall off of the couch and hit her head. A CT was ordered and a mass was located in her throat. She was referred to a surgeon for a biopsy, receiving these results the week of Christmas- Papillary Carcinoma, follicular variant of the Thyroid.

The trek up the mountain just kept coming for Stephanie and continue to climb she did. A Thyroidectomy was performed in January 2024. While coming out of surgery, she had a seizure that the medical staff had a difficult time controlling, extending her stay in the hospital.  A little later, another medical procedure, another seizure coming out of anesthesia. The seizures have continued, with 12 squad rides to the hospital, many of those resulting in additional hospital stays.  There have been medication changes to try to help suppress these seizures with only slight improvements. Along with the seizures, her blood cell counts are still off and her vocal cords were partially paralyzed during her thyroidectomy, resulting in her voice being very quiet now.

Stephanie and daughter Avery show in-hand mountain trail with their mini horses.  They are somewhat new to the sport, only being a couple of years into it, but they both absolutely love it.  Earlier this year, Stephanie wasn’t sure she would be able to show this year, but there was no way she would let her health keep Avery from showing.  So far, Stephanie has been able to continue showing – and that’s a great blessing – it has gotten her back to her friends, show family, and environment she loves. Her trek may not be done quite yet, but she strapped on her hiking boots and keeps putting one foot in front of the other.