A Long-Overdue Health Update (from HCM founder)
Hello everyone, it’s Jeremy Gardiner, the founder of the Head Covering Movement. Back in June 2017 I posted an announcement that I was going through some very serious health complications. I found out I had cancer that had spread through my body, a grapefruit-sized tumor wrapped around a major blood vessel, and large blood clots in my lungs. Looking back on the last 7 months it’s been quite a journey. Here’s a quick recap of the major events:
1) I spent the first few weeks in hospital and then went for regular chemotherapy treatments for 3 months.
2) I had a filter surgically put in near my heart to catch the blood clots (it was taken out less than 2 months later). I also had to have twice-daily injected blood thinners. Thankfully a few months in it was decreased to a single needle each day (and today I am just on a pill).
3) I lost the ability to walk twice during the last 7 months. One time took 2 weeks in hospital to recover and the other time a month.
4) In the midst of all this on August 26th my son, Leonard Ravenhill Gardiner was born. He is our 5th child. Even though I was weak, I was able to be there with my wife in the hospital while he was delivered.
5) Being bedridden twice I spent close to 2 full months in bed.
6) I had major abdominal surgery to take out the tumor and affected lymph nodes. The surgeon described the 7-hour surgery as “very difficult, but successful”. The Inferior Vena Cava blood vessel that had the tumor wrapped around it, wasn’t able to be salvaged. The cancerous tumor “invaded and obliterated it” so it was removed.
On January 2nd I got the good news that I am now cancer-free. I will continue with regular tests every 2 months to ensure it doesn’t come back. I’ve also dramatically changed my diet to help my body keep it away. Even though I am cancer-free, I am not free from the side effects. Walking is extremely difficult and unless it’s a very short distance I have to use a walker or wheelchair. I have chronic lower-back pain (since June) and because of that, I have to take pain meds daily to function normally. I have “cancer fatigue”, so I’m tired a lot more and very weak. Having said all that, I’m very grateful for how much God has brought me through. I feel blessed to have been able to provide for my family through Gospel eBooks and sales of my Head Covering book during this trial. Even now, I wouldn’t be able to return to work if I worked a labor-job.
I want to publically thank the followers of this site who offered up prayers for me, and also huge thanks to so many of you who donated. Finances were not stressed about for one second due to the generous outpouring of people like you.
So now that brings us to the future of HCM. I have no intention of calling it quits on the movement. I have one more book on this topic I want to write and I still want to create new content for this site. However, I’m not at the point where I can just jump in full steam yet due to the fatigue. So you’ll likely see some new content up soon, and hopefully, as the year progresses it will become more consistent.
- Is Head Covering Related to Spiritual Gifts? A Response to Barry York - July 5, 2023
- A Husband’s Authority is Limited (He is Not Pastor or King) - November 14, 2022
- Statement from Jeremy Gardiner: Leadership Transition - September 26, 2022
