Nabeel Qureshi's Stomach Removed Due to Severe Bleeding; Tumors Found in Liver
Cancer-stricken apologist and author Nabeel Qureshi, who was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer last year, had his stomach removed as a life-saving measure and announced that doctors have found tumors in his liver.
Qureshi, a convert from Islam who previously worked as an apologist for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries before being diagnosed with stage IV stomach cancer last August, published a new video to his YouTube video blog on Saturday to offer an update on his condition after having been hospitalized for about a month.
The 34-year-old father and husband last posted an update in July explaining that he had been hospitalized after a stent placed in his esophagus to help him eat got dislodged and stuck in his throat. However, he was not released from the hospital, like he had hoped.
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Appearing short of breath and with jaundiced eyes, Qureshi explained in his latest video that he had been transferred to another hospital in Houston, Texas, and had to have his stomach taken out because it would not stop bleeding.
"Well, I have been in the hospital 30 days now, something like that. I was first at St. Luke's something like three weeks. I have since been transferred to MD Anderson, where when I arrived my stomach was bleeding out basically, exsanguinating," Qureshi explained. "It wouldn't stop bleeding due to the tumors. So we really had no choice but to take out my stomach or just face a bunch of blood loss, which would ultimately lead to death."
Since having his stomach removed, he explained that he has been trying to recuperate. However, doctors have also found fluid around Qureshi's lungs, which is making it more difficult for him to breath.
Qureshi added that his liver function has not returned to normal, which is causing him to have yellow skin and eyes. Additionally, doctors have found tumors in the liver.
"So the doctors were really worried about my liver. They have already taken out my stomach. That part went well. They found some tumors in my liver but they don't think that is the cause of the issue. They are not entirely sure what is," he stated. "So here we are — day 30 in the hospital. I am still not sure when I will be going home."
Qureshi called for prayers.
"Please pray for me, that God would heal my liver and that God would heal my whole body and restore me to life once again, that I can see my home, see my wife, see my daughter," he said. "My parents have been here taking care of me, which has been great. My sister was here for a while too. That was good. I am not really seeing any other visitors right now."
On Thursday, a public Facebook celebration of "Nabeel's 12th spiritual birthday" will be held to mark the day he received Christ as his Lord and savior. It was last Aug. 24, Qureshi's 11th spiritual birthday, that he found out he had cancer.
According to the Facebook event, Qureshi's vitals are good, his tube feeding is on track and his pain is "manageable" since he had his stomach removed. People are encouraged to visit the Facebook event and post notes of encouragement and thanksgiving.
Since launching a GoFundMe account in May, over $472,000 has been raised to help Qureshi pay for medical costs not covered by insurance.
