Hi, I'm Jason Pablo and you're listening to Living Proof.
Living Proof is a collection of stories that prove God exists in our lives.
Life doesn't always go as planned.
Layoffs, accidents, even the people we fall in and out of love with
are not in our control. But,
we CAN control how we react to every situation.
When Mikey Quillopo, from Milpitas, CA,
found out he was diagnosed with cancer,
his first reaction
was to fight his fear
with prayer.
Not just any type of prayer,
but a devotional prayer.
He prayed every morning at the place of worship.
Mikey is on with us to share his story.
Hi Mikey.
Mikey: Hey Jason, how's it going?
Jason: Good, how are you? Mikey: I'm doing well.
Jason: So Mikey, you were diagnosed with B-Cell non Hodgkins lymphoma (cancer)
in early 2015, correct? Mikey: Correct.
Jason: Now, in layman's terms, what is that? What type of cancer is that?
Mikey: Umm....so...
B-Cell non Hodgkins lymphoma is...
it's a type of cancer that involves the
lymphatic system or lymph nodes
and also sometimes that involves the blood and the bone marrow.
The doctors, they analyzed it and they told me,
"The tumor came out to be...
...I think it's something like...
...(dimensions) 7cm x 11cm x 19cm."
And in my head, I was like,
"Alright. Lemme try to think about, like, centimeters and what not."
Jason: [jokingly] Yeah, the engineer in you is just trying to...
Mikey: Yeah...heh heh...
Mikey: Yeah, I literally took out a ruler and then I started...
...you know, I went to the 7. I was like, "Ok that's the smallest one. Lemme keep going."
And then I went to the other one...
...to 11. And then I went down to 19. And I was like,
"Man, this thing is like....like...
it's like the size of a brick, you know?"
I think the first thing I thought about was one of those cream cheese blocks.
But, I was just like...that was inside my chest!
Like, that's what was there!
Jason: That is...
huge!! I mean, considering...
how big....or how (small)...how big YOU are.
Mikey: Heh heh heh... Jason: I mean...a brick!
Mikey: Well, one thing that
the oncologist asked me when they were telling me that was
what I do on a regular basis and what-not.
They were trying to figure out if they could...if there was any...correlation to what was going on.
So I told them my regular schedule and how I go to Church very often
(and how) I'm part of the choir and everything like that. And...
I told her how often I'm there attending worship services and practices and
they were even surprised that I was still singing at that time.
And when they...when that came up...I was just...
I don't know how I'm gonna keep performing
if they're surprised that I'm still doing it.
You know, that alone was a blessing that I was still performing, in my mind.
But it scared me to think that
I wouldn't be able to
perform my duties anymore.
I never
had imagined
that something like that would have happened to me.
Not just because I didn't think anything bad could happen, but
I tried my best to be, you know, be fairly healthy
and exercise often. Eat. Eat somewhat healthy.
Jason: Yeah, I mean...
What the viewers don't know is
I DO know you personally and,
just for our viewers,
Mikey is your athletic...this is a guy who...
makes ME feel fat 'cause he does triathlons. [Mikey laughs]
Jason: But, it's a punch to the stomach
when you're dealt with something like this.
Mikey: Well, what I tell most people is
I really felt out of control, if anything. There were
so many things that happened so fast, where
I just
I didn't feel like I had a choice in anything that was going on.
I didn't feel like I had control over anything that was going on.
It was...
...you know, the doctor's telling me, "This is what you have. This is
the only way we have to treat it right now. This is what it is."
And you know, you kinda just go along with it.
But really, it almost came down to just feeling like,
I either have to accept what's going on or...
...really, just kind-of....
dwell on it and let it...
...let things go negatively but, you know...
I did my best not to do that.
Jason: Now, why was your first instinct
to pray?
Mikey: The first one to turn to is God.
My instinct was just to
show Him that
even with everything that was bad going on in my life at that time,
I remembered that it's in His hands.
Jason: Here's an opportunity where your relationship with God
can be so much closer.
What did you say to Him?
[Mikey ponders]
Mikey: I mean, at that point in time, I was really...
...I was...
I was asking Him...
...really for...
...for help and guidance because I...I was just so scared.
Like we've mentioned about
feeling out of control. It's...
...it's....it's a difficult thing to kind-of...confront.
Especially when you're kinda blindsided by something like this.
And...
...I told God...that...
...you know....I.....
...I know I'm not a perfect person but I have...
...I've really done my best to be.
And if there's something where...
I even asked. I was like, "If there's something that I'm lacking in
or something that I messed up in
that I just don't know and..."
I was hoping that God would help me figure it out soon
so I can try to take care of it before it's too late.
And really it was just...
...it's almost kind-of like...
I wanted to make sure everything was in order in case everything just did
did kind-of...uhh....
...you know, it was my time, possibly.
That was a real...
that was a real possibility in my mind at that point in time.
Jason: And with regards to the treament,
because I know you went through chemotherapy,
what were you saying to God while you were going through all of that?
Mikey: Well uh, one of the things that a minister actually told me to....
...you know, I did talk to a few ministers once I found out...
that they were constantly advising me.
And one of the ministers actually told me that
the fact that there is a treatment,
that's already a blessing from God.
There's something out there to help you and God allowed that to be there.
So with that, I was just praying to God that
He lets the treatment that's there be effective for me
if that's His will, ya know?
And that was...that was really it.
There weren't too many opt-
or actually, there was NO other option that they gave me, really. But..
...And so,
I really prayed to God that
that would be His instrument in helping me
to get better.
Jason: When did you know your prayers were working?
Mikey: I would say the...
the first, like...
the first thing that kinda went...
...my way after starting treatment and
really showed me that God was...
...was there for me was
immediately after the first cycle of my treatment,
I went through those tests all over again and I went through the...
...I went through the different scans and...
like, the PET CT scans where they basically are able to
show me the size of the tumor that's there in my chest.
And uh...
The doctor...
...or (rather) my oncologist, she...
she told me she was surprised how well the medicine, or the...
...the chemotherapy was working. Because
even from the pictures, if you're able to see it,
the size of the mass just looks like it was cut in half already. Jason: Wow.
Mikey: And that was just through the first...
the first cycle of 6 - 8 cycles.
So you know, I could tell that
the treatment was really taking effect and
for that to be the case, and for a doctor to tell me that
even THEY'RE kinda surprised that
it's working so well,
in my mind, I was like,
I was like, "that's God answering my prayers. That's God being there for me." And...
you know, showing me that...
...that because I place my faith in Him and I relied on Him,
He's not forgetting me.
Jason: After several cycles of chemotherapy
over 6 months, how are you doing?
How are you doing now?
[Mikey chuckles]
Mikey: Now, I'm doing much better.
Uhm, you know...
The chemo did...it did take a lot. Like, I could tell
...it was making me tired.
And if...you know, the side effects of it definitely
...they were prevalent there.
But umm...
being just over a year later now,
that things are just about a year later,
things have just been much...
...much more like...
not completely 100% but they're getting close to it.
I still feel things here and there.
But umm...
...my doctors say that's normal and that's typical of
...of someone who's gone through that treatment and...
everything's looking good. I'm just glad to still be around, you know?
[Mikey chuckles]
Jason: Yeah well, I'm sure there's one other person who's glad that you're around...you're engaged!
You're fianće right? Mikey: Yeaaahhh
Jason: So you know, she stayed....she stuck with you throughout the entire sickness.
What was that like when you had to break the news to her what was going on?
Mikey: Yeah it was uh....
You know, right from the get-go,
she was very supportive.
It always surprises me when I think back to when I had to first tell her because
in my mind, I really...
...I didn't wanna, but...
...I didn't want anyone to have to go through this or even just, be on the...
be there to deal with it, either. Umm...
And I did not have any expectations at all but
you know, the first thing she told me after I let her know what was going on was like,
"I'm here for you if you need anything." And I was just
(it was) one of the biggest reliefs that...you know...
that...that happened. It was just like...
...I was so grateful.
You know, and I won't forget that.
The fact that she stuck by me through that... Jason: Yeah...
Jason: Well, I mean, so...
she's probably listening and I'll...
...(aside) and I don't mean to out you....is...
...is THAT how you knew she was the one?
Knowing that she was gonna stick by you...in all of this?
Mikey: Umm...I don't say that that's...the....
...so I do...it is part of why she is the one but I don't say it's the only reason why.
Mikey: You know... Jason: Good answer my brutha.
[both laugh]
Mikey: [happily] There are plenty of reasons and...
...I even tried to enumerate them but I kinda lost track of everything.
But ultimately, it came down to me praying and asking God for guidance when I was making that decision.
And you know, God let me know in His ways.
And, I knew that...
that moving forward
we....you know, we as a couple
would be able to move forward and
help each other
help each other, you know, get stronger in our faith and...
be where God wants us to be.
Jason: Oh no, and I think with this...
with you guys going through this
even before marriage starts, I mean...
it gives you...
it's funny how God works because He's giving you tools to learn how to deal with...
Mikey: Yeahhh....
Jason: I mean,
there really isn't, I mean...I don't wanna say
tyou know, what TYPES of things God gives us but....
there really isn't too much that you can go through that
you CAN'T get through because you've already been through something like THIS and...
knowing that you have a God-given
person in your life to help you walk through it,
that's just God. Mikey: Yeah.
Jason: So, share with us:
What's the proof that
God was working in your life through this whole experience?
How do you explain that
this is what God did for me?
Mikey: You know, I'm still here. [laughs]
So, that was a big thing.
Ummm.....but....
You know...
God let me know in so many ways. Not just by
by allowing the treatment to be effective and what-not,
...umm....but...
...the fact that the things that I was asking Him for
like, specifically and they were happening,
...you know...
faster or even more than I could've hoped for...
...you know, it really IS a blessing, 'cause...
...even me getting treated,
it could've taken a lot longer. I could've had to go through a lot more in terms of treatment
like radiation or, you know, other things.
I didn't have to. I actually went through the minimum that they
they would put...umm...
a person with
with this condition in.
Jason: Right.
Mikey: And not only that! The biggest thing was
me being able to perform my duties.
As long as I could, I wanted to be able to perform.
You know, every
every day that I was not inside the hospital or on a hospital bed,
God allowed it so that I was able to make it to the house of worship to pray every morning.
There were so many things that God was showing me that He's there for me.
Jason: Now,
for our listeners...they need to know.
You ARE in remission, correct? Mikey: Correct.
[both chuckle] Jason: That's awesome!
I mean, I'm glad you're around. I know there's many many other
brethren that know your story and their glad you're around.
You touched the lives of SO many people.
Mikey, I wanna say thank you for sharing your story
Because your experience teaches us all that
even though we may not have complete control over our lives,
God does. God's in control.
And He only wants what's best for us.
Thank you for joining us on Living Proof.
[Living Proof outro music]