By Gerald Kereliuk, May 2022
Thanks to God, I have achieved a personal milestone that I thought would be unattainable, another birthday. A year ago, I was almost certain that I would have been laid to rest in my grave. A few months prior to this, I had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of prostate cancer. It was already stage 4 which means that it had spread to my pelvis, liver, lungs and spine. I started various treatments; hormone therapy to minimize the activity of my prostate, five rounds of radiation therapy to eliminate the cancer on my pelvis and began a course of six treatments of chemotherapy to control the other remaining cancer. I was also placed on palliative care which meant that there was very strong likelihood that my life would soon be over, and this care was required so that my death would be met with as little suffering as possible.
I was devasted and felt that I would die of despair before any of the cancer took my life. I was hoping as Job (29:18) did, “So I thought, I will die in my own nest and multiply my days as the sand.” I did a lot of soul searching and prayer. I found comfort in Psalm 73:25 & 26, “Who do I have in heaven but you? I desire nothing on earth but you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.” I wasn’t concerned with dying but I felt that I would still like to serve God further in this life, but the choice was up to God.
I found more comfort in Psalm 73:28, “But as for me, it is good for me to draw near to God; I have made the Lord God my refuge and placed my trust in Him, that I may tell of your works.” I felt a great deal of peace.
At this point I felt a prompting from the Holy Spirit that I should appreciate the wonderful beauty that surrounds me. This was a surprise to me because I thought that I already did this. Nonetheless, I was given a greater appreciation. I was also prompted to live more in the present. Another surprise because I thought I was already doing this.
I asked for prayers from the church, and I know that they sustained me. I felt that I had been thrown into a fiery furnace just as the three Hebrews had been for refusing to deny their faith (Daniel 3). My testimony would be the similar as theirs, as I paraphrase it: “My God whom I serve is able to save me. But even if He doesn’t, let it be known that there is no other God that I will serve”.
About this time, it was discovered that my left hip had been weakened from the cancer, was in danger of collapsing and that I would need a total hip replacement. I was sent to an orthopedic surgeon in Calgary specializing in cancer patients who agreed to do it. He fortunately (or unfortunately) noticed that my left leg was swollen and had an ultrasound prescribed for me when I returned to Lethbridge. His diagnosis was correct. I had a blood clot the entire length of my left leg. Not to be outdone, there was also a small one in right leg. I had to wait further on the Lord.
Suddenly, the hip surgery was placed on hold, and I had to have four months of daily, self- administered injections of a blood thinner to dissolve it. Fortunately, the treatment worked, and the clot disappeared. I was able to have a total hip replacement at the end of September. This was followed by physiotherapy to restore full motion to the hip.
I am now on a number of medications, some of which I take daily, to control my prostate cancer. One thing about prostate cancer in men, is that it can’t be cured only controlled. Someof the medications are very expensive but thanks to God I have them at minimal or no cost. God has also placed me under the care of many excellent doctors and nurses. I think that they are probably some of the best in the world. My quality of life is very good. I have problems with temperature and bladder control but in the overall picture of things, they are minor irritations.
I am sorry to provide so much detail, but I want it to be realized how serious my condition was and how great the Lord is to restore me back to near health.
This could not be done without the persistent prayers of all the faithful Saints at St. Augustine’s during my illness. I am profoundly grateful and very humbled that so many Saints were willing to pray for me. Some of you were praying for me daily. Also, I was blessed by many people who crossed path with me in my daily life. People such as my massage therapist, plumber and even some Mormon neighbors offered to pray for me. I don’t know how much longer I will live, but I will wait patiently on the Lord. My faith has been strengthened and my walk with God deepened. What could have been a curse, has turned into a blessing. It will be my crown that I will wear in eternity. God bless you all.