Anil was first diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in July 2018, shortly after arriving in the United States. He sees it as God’s hand upon him, as the level of care for this type of cancer would have looked quite different back in Hyderabad, India. It has not been an easy journey for Anil, but I can testify, his spirit and trust in Jesus during this process, has challenged and encouraged me in my own walk with the Lord.
Along with this cancer diagnosis and the countless bone marrow biopsies and chemo treatments, he also developed an abscess, which caused more health issues, than the cancer itself. It got to the point where he had an ostomy bag placed and has it to this day.
Praise God, his cancer went into remission in May 2019, and he was able to resume working again. He was so grateful! But then he started to not feel well again in 2020, and a bone marrow biopsy revealed the leukemia had come back in June 2020. Because of the short window of remission, his oncologist said, it had come back more aggressive. She wanted him to be a candidate for a stem cell transfusion in October 2020, but his abscess was still giving him numerous health issues, and he was not stable enough. That would be too much for his body, so, they again started him on chemo to keep the cancer at bay, while giving the abscess time to heal. It was a long time of waiting for Anil, and it was hard to watch him struggle with what he was to do during the ‘waiting’ time God had for him. During this time, he had yet another surgery for the abscess in February 2021, and I am so happy to say, God has healed his abscess (almost) completely since then and has not has any further issues!!
Finally, God said it was time to move forward with his stem cell infusion, but this also was another test of waiting, as they had to to go through the list of donors and for them to be medically cleared. God chose the perfect one, and we are so thankful for this donor and their sacrificial love to help another person in their time of need. Anil was admitted to St. Luke’s Hospital on October 5, 2021, where he began the process of receiving intense chemo treatments and a slew of different medications. He received his stem cell infusion on October 12th! Every day has looked different for Anil, and he has a long journey of “unknowns” ahead of him in the days to come, BUT he knows that Jesus is with him and so are the loving friends and family he has been blessed with, to walk this road with him.
Please pray, as there will be setbacks along the way. Please pray God strengthen him spiritually to endure what may come, and Anil be open to full surrender as to what God would have him do moving forward.
