WHO IS STEVE TELLEFSEN

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On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, November 2017, I was diagnosed with Stage 3   testicular cancer. Sitting there in disbelief wondering "why me" the room grew silent as the word CANCER rocked my world. Evident that I was about to begin the fight of my life, my mental attitude quickly flipped from "WHY ME" to how can I beat this. 

Starting December 4th, 2017 I began a grueling chemotherapy regiment through March of 2018, with plans of abdominal surgery to remove any remaining dead tumor tissue to take place on April 18th of 2018. After a 14 hour retroperitoneal surgery, the tumors were removed from my body that was deemed dead and I was given the news by my old oncologist I was cancer free. 

A month had gone by and I was eager to move on with my life, but I started to feel a numbing sensation shooting down my right arm to my hand. A CAT Scan revealed a tumor in my brain which required an emergency craniotomy. While recovering from a successful surgery the same tumor returned in June, I again required another craniotomy, only this time the tumor had bled, causing a hemorrhagic stroke, leaving me paralyzed on my entire right side and unable to verbalize. With no time to waste I was admitted into Memorial Rehab Facility and began my road to recovery. 

Making great strides in all 3 phases of therapy, my right side and speech were returning rapidly before being hit with another setback in August. In the same location as the previous two tumors, a 3rd tumor had grown causing a significant seizure which once again required an emergency craniotomy. 

At this time my oncologist felt it was best to undergo more intensive chemotherapy to combat the tumors that repeatedly kept growing in my brain. From September 2018 to January 2019 I received in-patient chemotherapy at Memorial Regional Hospital. The tumors were now becoming resistant to the chemo,  it did not work. At this point, my chances of survival were very low and my team of oncologists drew up a Hail Mary plan to save my life.

My team of oncologists decided that my best chance of survival would require 15 full brain radiation treatments and a tandem Stem Cell Transplant. The Autologous Stem Cell Transplant process consisted of the strongest chemotherapy administered, killing every cell in my body cancerous and non-cancerous. Once it was completed the healthy stems cells were then introduced into the body. With each transplant came a  grueling hospital stay, lasting months, battling an infection, severe dehydration, and weakness.  The first transplant took place in February of 2019 and the second in August of 2019. 

Since the completion of the second transplant, I have been cancer free. I continue to this day with therapy to help me with the effects of my stroke. With each and every day comes gratitude to ALL who have helped along this journey.