My Journey with Prostate Cancer and what I believe to be God incidents.

My Journey with Prostate Cancer and what I believe to be God incidents.

Its now 9 years since I was first diagnosed and thought it might help and encourage some if I put pen to paper, wit a few thoughts from my diary, hope it is helpful.

In March 2006 out of the blue and after a routine blood test at my local surgery it was found that I had a high PSA reading.
Prostate Cancer was suspected and later after various tests and scans this is what was diagnosed, then followed 30 sessions of Radiotherapy and 36 months of Hormone therapy, and my PSA went right down to 0.1.

During April of 2008 my wifel and I were attending ‘Spring Harvest’ at Minehead and during the Evening Celebration in the big top and after 30mins of worship comes the speaker.
To tell the truth I have no idea who he was or what the subject matter of his talk was.
He had only been speaking for 5 mins when he just stopped, and said that he believed that God was telling him that everyone was to lay on hands and pray for all those present for healing, for healing of those with cancer.

All I remember is standing up, peoples hands upon my shoulder and feeling very, very hot, you could feel the present of the Holy Spirit.
The rest of the evening is just a blur, but I have felt from that moment that I was healed, I cannot explain it any more than that.

Then in November of 2010, my regular PSA check showed a slight increase 0.27, plus I had a terrible ache in my lower back all over the Christmas Holidays. Doubts then came, and I remember praying during our morning service just after New Year questioning with God what I believed had taken place at ‘Spring Harvest’.
Then up came the next song, ‘Be Still and Know that I am God’ the 2nd verse hit me right between the eyes, ‘I am the Lord that healeth
thee’ !

In early January 2011, I had a further blood test, PSA increased again 0.39, not good news.

7th May 2011, It was hard when I heard those dreaded words, “I’m sorry, but your PSA is up again,” now 0.54, it is so easy to go into full panic mode. I began to wonder how long have I got, wonder who will care for Val[my wife], wonder how much pain I will be in…and so the list goes on!
It is easy to fall into the Devils trap and wonder where God has gone, or why He has afflicted Me with cancer.
I could wonder, but in the end what I am really doing is worrying.

And it seem to me the real problem is, I am not asking the right questions and I am letting my fears overcome my faith when I ask, or think such things.

My condition is simply a part of living in an imperfect world!
I must not pin my misfortunes on God, because God is always working to give us great blessings in life, despite the fallen nature of our world.

I believe God was right there with me when the blood test result seems to show that my cancer has returned. He’s right where He has always been – right by my side

1st September 2011

An update as to how things are, I feel great we walk an average of 10 miles every week, life is beginning to get busier, and really I feel better now, both mentally and physically than I have for a very long time.

2nd November 2011

My PSA test result is virtually the same as 6 months ago 0.59, the Urologist say's the slight increase is insignificant.
The previous rise could possibly be due to healthy cells now producing a little PSA due to the fact that I have been off hormone therapy for nearly 2 years now.

We will only know after a couple of years of stable PSA readings if it is a cure for sure, so its watchful waiting and return in 6 months.

2nd May 2012.

Seems my PSA has increased yet again to 0.76, bit disappointed but feel fine, walked 6 miles yesterday on a coastal walk around Kingston area.
Urologist says that rise is still insignificant and does not prove the cancer has returned or not, continue watchful waiting and in His words “Don’t loose any sleep over it”, and that is what I will do.

Therefore I am in the hands of Jesus and I will continue to trust in Him and what He has already done for me.

Since May 2012 my PSA has now continued to go down, as follows

21st November 2012, PSA@ 0.62

6th June 2013, PSA@0.72

5th December 2013, PSA@0.71

2nd June 2014, PSA@0.66

2nd December 2014, PSA@0.60

20th May 2015, PSA@0.58

I still believe that I am still in the hands of Jesus and from the results above they are the best!!

Roy.

I've often wondered how they would react if I asked people to pray for a new prostate for me, with the restoration of penis size, erectile function and ejaculation.

Brilliant - made me laugh.

I am Christian - I go to church, am on the cleaning rota and have done my years of volunteeringin Sunday school. However, I am confident that praying does not cure cancer. When I pray, I thank God for the scientists who use their brains for the good of others and for all the selfless people who raise huge amounts of money to fund research.

Just stop falling for the delusion offered by organised religion and take control of your own life.

Hi Roy, I usually have a strong faith although there have been times in the past when I wondered if God had deserted me. I don't think there is any doubt that believing in something is essential to recovery, whether that is a religious faith, a dietary conviction, an exercise regime or just plain positive thinking.

Here's to belief!

I don't usually post negative posts on here, and I do understand that faith can be an important coping mechanism for any individual that is having to deal with a challenging situation.  So, for Christians who believe in divine healing and miracles happening today, faith can help them cope.  I am not so sure it has actually healed anyone from cancer though.  When we see people posting about experimental treatments we, as a community, sound the alarm bells.  If faith is working for an individual, then that's fine for that individual.  I would be worried that others reading these posts on here may feel that going to church or praying may bring about a total cure for them.  

I was part of a pentecostal church for over 30 years.  I went to Bible College and was, at one stage, training for the ministry.  In all that time, I saw plenty of people claim to have been healed.  They very often died of the very thing they claim to be have healed of.  I've never seen someone with Down's Syndrome transformed by the power of God, never seen an amputated limb grow back.  

My family still go to church and so, when I'm back home, I'm taken to church and the elders anoint me with oil and pray for my healing.  I've often wondered how they would react if I asked people to pray for a new prostate for me, with the restoration of penis size, erectile function and ejaculation.  After all, why would I settle for half a miracle - simply having no cancer would surely be too easy for God, why wouldn't He go the whole way and restore me back to my pre-cancerous state.  In principle, in penetecostal teaching, there is no reason why this could be viewed as an unreasonable request.

May be I'll face some criticism for this post.  As i have said, if religion works for someone, well and good.  However, this site focuses mainly on medical facts and I wouldn't want someone pursuing a faith healer which, in my experience and opinion, is highly unlikely to bring about a cure.  if it did, our churches would be full and our hospitals empty.

It is also the case that some ministries and preachers have told people to stop taking their medications as God has healed them.  Whilst these types are the minority, they do exist.  Strangely though, for those who do continue to take the medication, they will still claim their healing came from God.

And finally, money.  Yes, just watch the Christian TV channels and look at the money flowing in to these so called ministries.  You can buy special prayer clothes, healing oils etc.  Once again, only a minority exploit people, but exploit them they do. 

No offence intended to anyone.

Ulsterman

Edited by member 05 Jun 2019 at 11:02  | Reason: Not specified

On this holy day of Eid al-Fitr, all I can say is Eid Mubarak.

Best of luck, In sha’Allah.

Cheers, John.

Roy: I'm glad you're still around after 18 years. Gives all the newbies hope.

Adrian: Well I like your "A place to have a chat" thread, but I think these old timers could give you a run for your money. I wouldn't attempt this sort of debate until I had had a skin full of beer, and thankfully by then I can't use a computer keyboard.

It's also the reason you have roads in the first place. You can't build roads without money. People won't lend the money to the government unless they are compensated with interest, so national debt is necessary for infrastructure and interest is necessary to get that money. Taxes can only be raised once infrastructure is in place, how can the taxman commit highway robbery (vehicle excise duty) if you you haven't built a highway.

My apologies for diverting this thread from religion to economic theory. Oh and BTW if you came to this thread looking for advice on prostate cancer that ship has long sailed.

Hi Roy,

I am aslo like dave and not a believer , but one thing that I do believe in is a celebration when getting good news for psa results so congratulations.

BFN

Julie X

I am a believer in fate and destiny and faith in humanity. if your belief is in God and Jesus and that works for you that is wonderful. I know from your posts you are a lovely human being and that makes you someone I would have faith in.

Long may your journey continue

Best wishes

Xx

Mo

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/health/31pray.html

“Prayers offered by strangers had no effect on the recovery of people who were undergoing heart surgery, a large and long-awaited study has found.

And patients who knew they were being prayed for had a higher rate of post-operative complications like abnormal heart rhythms, perhaps because of the expectations the prayers created, the researchers suggested.”

“The patients were broken into three groups. Two were prayed for; the third was not. Half the patients who received the prayers were told that they were being prayed for; half were told that they might or might not receive prayers.”

“Analyzing complications in the 30 days after the operations, the researchers found no differences between those patients who were prayed for and those who were not.

In another of the study's findings, a significantly higher number of the patients who knew that they were being prayed for — 59 percent — suffered complications, compared with 51 percent of those who were uncertain. The authors left open the possibility that this was a chance finding. But they said that being aware of the strangers' prayers also may have caused some of the patients a kind of performance anxiety.”

Cheers,

Chris

 Hi Roy

I'm a non believer, but if you believe that believing helps, I envy you.

Edited by member 26 Aug 2024 at 17:37  | Reason: Typo

Fortunately, no-one has been brave enough, or foolish enough, or drunk enough, to discuss politics or religion in polite company. 😁

Edited by member 26 Aug 2024 at 21:05  | Reason: Typo

Roy fantastic to see you are still around after 18 years. As always with these forums good news stories are not the one's you hear a lot of.  Statistically speaking you have beat the odds. I was told when I was diagnosed I would have 15 years. I then had to explain to my wife, who was in floods of tears at this point, how medical stats work.  Once you get to 20 years I think your life span is  actually better than the average because of prostate treatment.

I have to correct you there -

The biggest kill count belongs to Communism - 100 million people slaughtered  by Communist regimes  in the last 100 years 

At the heart of Communism is a hatred of Christ 

According to the 2021 Census less than half, 46.3%, of the UK population identify themselves as Christians, a decrease of 13% from ten years earlier.

37% of the population had no religious beliefs. Christianity is obviously a faith that's losing steam here. 

My old Mum, who was a hundred years old, was on end of life care when she recently passed away. She was a believer and got great comfort thinking that she'd would go to a better place and meet up with Dad. She'd nursed him through prostate cancer until he died from it seven years earlier. I'm glad her faith helped prepare her for death, but it won't help me when my time comes.

Edited by member 31 Aug 2024 at 10:34  | Reason: Typo