In April of 2000 I was privileged to meet Jonathan Degroat. Jonathan is an outstanding young man. I sensed in him a warm friendliness and a quiet intensity. Jonathan has a solid Christian witness and, as you might guess, his walk with God has a direct Internet connection.
And he has cancer.
I will let him tell his own story in this essay he wrote for his college freshman English class.
--G.R. "Scott" Cundiff
Cancer
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by Jonathan Degroat
The event that changed my life happened on Thursday, August 12, 1998. My mother had taken me to the doctor the day before. The reason was the right side of my face was becoming numb. After examining me, my doctor sent me to Gulf Coast Diagnostic Center for an MRI. He called my house later that day and told my parents and me to come in the next morning. Needless to say, the prognosis was going to be bad, and it was. I was diagnosed with cancer. The type of cancer that I was diagnosed with was a low-grade astrocytoma, or simply a brain stem tumor. My diagnosis with cancer has and will forever change my life.
On August 12, 1998, my parents and I went to the Oaks Medical Center, where my doctor is located. I already knew that what my doctor was going to say would be bad. Why else would he have asked for both of my parents to come in? He told my parents and me that the radiologist found a mass on my brain stem in the MRI films. He told us he was sending me to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
Later, that night I was chatting with one of my mother's friends online and it happened. We had been chatting for about thirty minutes, and I do not know how the conversation got around to religion, but she asked me if I was to die tomorrow where would I go, heaven or hell? I answered her honestly and told her hell. She then asked me if I wanted to be a Christian? I told her yes. At this point tears were streaming down my face. She then helped me through the sinner's prayer and by God's grace I was saved. My mother was overjoyed with the news when I told her. The next day she went out and did some shopping before our trip to Houston. When she returned she gave me a, What Would Jesus Do, bracelet she had bought for me. To this day, I wear that bracelet and it is a constant reminder of that night.
My parents and I arrived at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston the following Monday. The doctor I was assigned to before I got to Houston was unavailable, so they assigned me a new doctor. After looking at the MRI results and examining me, he said that I would need surgery. He said that he would schedule my surgery for the following Thursday. Then, he sent me to get a lot of blood work done. He said that the blood would be taken for research purposes and to type my blood. When my blood was taken, the nurse took six vials out of me. I then saw my anesthesiologist. He took a history of me to find out if the anesthesia he would give me in surgery would effect me in a bad way. Since I was not allergic to anything, did not smoke, and did not drink, I think he was satisfied nothing bad would happen. The time that I waited until my surgery seemed to just fly by.
After surgery, I was told I would need radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The radiation therapy was thirty-one treatments over six weeks. I had therapy Monday through Friday and had the weekends off. Also, I was put on chemotherapy while I went through radiation therapy. Through these treatments I went through a lot of depression. I always had a longing to be home. The local news in Houston would be on and I would think to myself, that person gets to go home tonight. I finally finished my treatments and went home on October 16, 1998. Then, over six months I went through six cycles of more chemotherapy.
I was nineteen years old when I was diagnosed with cancer. Most people do not go through what I have been through until they are older. I do not know the reason why I got cancer, but with the Lord backing me I have made it through a lot. I am twenty-one as of now and I am doing well. Obviously, I am back in school. My grades from last semester helped me to make the dean's list. My last report from Houston was good. The tumor has no new growth. I praise God for everyday I am on His earth.
You'll remember we met when my dad had surgery in April 2000. Dad is doing fine. Unfortunately, I had a reoccurrence in May 2000 and have been on chemotherapy up until two weeks ago.
I am 22 now. We returned to Houston last week for a check-up. The doctors said that the original tumor site has had little change since starting this last chemo. However, the cancer has spread to another part of the brain and is no longer treatable.
I still believe in miracles; God is able, if it is part of His plan.
I'm trusting Him one day at a time. The doctors may have given me four months to live but I am not giving up. I love the Lord and I will keep on frogging (F.R.O.G. -Fully Relying On God). (My mother has typed this footnote for me as I am unable to coordinate my hands in order to type.)
Jonathan went home to be with Jesus on Easter Sunday, April 15, 2001.
For information on how to receive Jesus as your Savior,
visit the NazNet "How To Be Saved" Page.
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