Dear Benefactors,

I have been asked to give you a brief up-date on Fr. Steve Huffstetter, SCJ and his health situation.

A week ago, on February 26th, he went to Mitchell with one of the High School Boys’ Home for a movie and dinner. When he got back later that night his stomach began to act up and he had flu-like symptoms.

On Monday morning he was still feeling the effects and visited with the nurses here on staff at St. Joseph’s.  They looked him over and suggested that he needed to go to the local hospital to be checked out.  I drove him up mid-morning.

He called about noon and said they were admitting him.  It seems there was blockage in one of his intestines, caused by a piece of scar tissue from his operation last year.  He was hooked up to an IV and later in the week had a tube to help drain his stomach.

The Doctor kept close watch.  Towards the end of last week things began to take a positive turn.  The medication produced good results and surgery will not be needed. He is still on the IV, but is now taking some liquids and soft food.  The Doctor kept him in the hospital so he could observe how Fr. Steve’s body reacted to the intake of food.  Fr. Steve’s spirits are up and he will be coming home this afternoon – he is especially looking forward to having some good things to eat.

This notice is not sent to worry you, but to bring you up-to-date on how things are going with Fr. Steve.

Sincerely,

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ
Chaplain
St. Joseph’s Indian School
Chamberlain, SD