def calculate_total_items(input_text):
    # Step 1: Initialize a counter to keep track of the total items.
    total_items = 0

    # Step 2: Identify and list up items from the input text.
    items = input_text.split(", ")
    
    # Step 3: Count the number of items in the list and update the total_items counter. Output the item and the current total count.
    for i, item in enumerate(items):
        total_items += 1
        print(f"Step {i}: {item} - current total items: {total_items}")

    # Step 4: Output the final total number of items as the answer.
    return total_items