Inspire 2018 FALL

Straub: Lost & Found

Spend a few minutes with Shigeko Nagaishi and Michael Steuber and you will quickly learn about their passions. Shigeko chats about favorite recipes and her adventures in cooking while Michael tells fascinating stories about his life as a professional dancer. But a year ago, the husband and wife almost lost their ability to do what they loved.

In 2016, Shigeko was feeling strange but because she had been healthy her whole life prior, she thought nothing of it. During a visit to her family doctor in August 2017, additional tests were ordered at Straub Medical Center. She was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer.  

It was difficult for the couple to hear but Shigeko felt sure she would be all right, thanks to Dr. Gregorio Maldini.

Dr. Maldini, a Straub general surgeon, approached her care in a very different way than she had experienced when her mother was diagnosed with cancer in her native country of Japan. The change was a welcome one.  “In Japan, the doctors would tell you very solemnly, ‘I’m sorry you have cancer,’” she said. “But Dr. Maldini was very calm, straightforward and confident. He looked at the results and he told me he could operate tomorrow.”

Shigeko’s surgery to remove the cancerous section of her colon went well. But it was just the beginning of her battle. Next was six months of chemotherapy at the Straub Outpatient Treatment Center (OTC). “The nausea and side effects of the chemo got increasingly worse and I even lost my sense of taste,” she said. It was a horrible realization for the home cook. “But my oncologist, Dr. Randal Liu, and the staff at the OTC were so positive. They just kept encouraging me saying that I was an excellent chemo patient and I began to think, ‘Maybe I am!’”

"We felt that everything the Straub staff was doing was sincere," said Michael. "They wanted the best for her. That is no small thing for us."

Through it all, her husband, Michael, was by her side. However, he was facing a painful challenge of his own. The couple lived in Japan for 12 years, then moved to Hawaii to try and curb Michael’s increasingly debilitating arthritis in his hips. They hoped the warmer weather would help alleviate the pain, and while it decreased the discomfort, it did not stop the progression. Shortly after Shigeko removed her chemo port, Michael made an appointment with Dr. Cass Nakasone, a Straub orthopedic surgeon.

“The possibility of surgery was a scary prospect for me because I knew what it entailed,” Michael said. “I couldn’t imagine cutting off my bone and sticking some steel hardware in there.”

Michael is a classically trained dancer with experience in ballet, tap and other forms of dance. His resume includes appearances on Broadway. “In dance, your instrument is a very fine-tuned, delicate one, so I just thought ‘I can’t cut into this,’ he said. “But 15 seconds into the consultation, I was sold. Dr. Nakasone’s explanation was just clear, lucid and confident, and I told him, ‘OK, I’m in with you. I trust you.’”

Michael had double hip replacement surgery in May 2018. Four months after the procedure, he’s ready to return to teaching dance classes. Shigeko has also regained her sense of taste, is feeling better and is back to enjoying good food with friends and family.

“It has been a really profound experience for both of us because it has made us truly grateful for life itself,” Michael explained. Shigeko added that she hopes people will financially support Straub because, “At Straub, you immediately get the feeling that they are going to take care of you. It’s not just a hospital. People should give to keep that kind of care.”

With their challenges behind them, the two are living a new dream — sharing their passions in Hawaii. Michael is teaching tap dance and Shigeko is cooking, baking and entertaining. Considering all they've been through, it seems nothing will slow this couple down.