![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image01.jpg\")
I had not known what a hospital was until I turned 52.<\/p>\nI had not known what a hospital was until I turned 52.<\/p>\n
At first my kidneys got sick. In 2006, the stone was removed in Rovno. In 2011, I had hernia and even could not walk; I worked as a mason-erector and all my life I had worked very hard. I had a surgery in Dnepropetrovsk. One year and a half after that, I began to experience a sudden fever. I was told that I had an infection and therefore I had a course of antibiotics. Everything was well for only 25 days and then it all started. Every 10 days I had a fever up to 104-105.8 F. They were able to decrease it but only for a short period of time. On April 5, 2013, I had a hepatic attack. They thought it was connected with my gallbladder. My doctor sent me to the regional institute of gastroenterology. I was tested there and in 30 minutes I found out I had cancer in the major duodenal papilla.<\/p>\n
At first I lost my heart. Then I recovered. The professor said that I need a surgery. I was given 2 weeks to prepare. It is one of the most complicated surgeries in the abdomen.<\/p>\n
I did not have any grudges, especially towards God. I remembered my sinful life before I became a Christian. I thought I would always be healthy. I used to be very strong physically. I caught cold very rarely.<\/p>\n
I smoke, drank, and had bad eating habits. When I drank, I would not eat for 2 days. The doctor said that my problems were the result of that. I did not blame God. I understood that those were the consequences of my sin.<\/p>\n
On April 18, 2013, I had a nine-hour surgery. It was successful. A young man had had this kind of surgery before me, but he died right on the operating table.<\/p>\n
I thank God for His Fatherly care. I thank the churches for the prayer support and all who helped financially. We were told that the surgery would cost 18-20 thousand grivnas ($2,250-$2,500), but in reality it was 50 thousand grivnas ($6,250). I thank heartily to all givers!<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
What good did all these sufferings bring?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
I believed in Christ and was born from above at the end of 1996 \u2013 beginning of 1997. During my sickness I began to trust God more and this trust is full and without any discussions. My relationship with God has become closer and more natural. I would close my eyes and talk to Him as to my Father. I would ask for death when it was very painful as I didn’t have any more strength.<\/p>\n
On August 5, I had another surgery. I felt worse and again I asked God to give me death. Then I felt better, I repented for being weak-spirited.<\/p>\n
My wife was with me during the most difficult time. After the intensive care she lived in the hospital for 2 weeks. She suffered as much as I, because it is more painful to see someone suffering than to experience it yourself.<\/p>\n
The surgery brought me together with many brothers and sisters. Many people called to find out about my condition, they supported me, and prayed.<\/p>\n
My church prayed continuously. They visited me, sent their greetings, came and had fellowship. It gave me much support.<\/p>\n
The professor said that I would not be the same. People after similar surgeries recover and stay in poor condition for a year. As for me, I was able to go to the store in 5 months and was able to travel for 12 hours.<\/p>\n
Today, there are still some difficulties with my health, but I will serve Him in church where He put me as long as He allows me to be here on this earth.<\/p>\n
In addition, God was teaching me to be compassionate. While in the hospital, there was one man Sasha in the same room. He is 68 and he has 3 children. He was afraid to die because of the stomach cancer. He had a surgery in 2012, but he got complications and as a result he had 4 more surgeries. We talked a lot. I tried to encourage and support him. He was in worse condition. I preached to him though he was surrounded by the icons.<\/p>\n
There is much suffering in the hospital. Walking along the corridors, one can see people who have 4 bottles in their hands and on the belt where different kinds of body fluids flow. In addition, they have a catheter in the nose. And thus you understand that you are just dust in God’s hand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I had not known what a hospital was until I turned 52. At first my kidneys got sick. In 2006, the stone was removed in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[261],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4732\/"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post\/"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3\/"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments\/?post=4732"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4732\/revisions\/"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4735,"href":"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4732\/revisions\/4735\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/?parent=4732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories\/?post=4732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hopetopeople.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags\/?post=4732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}