Pip: It’s a ‘miracle!’

Since the 63rd birthday of Tirso “Pip” Cruz III falls on Holy Wednesday (tomorrow, April 1, which is also April Fool’s Day), his wife Lyn Ynchausti decided to host an advance party for him last Saturday, March 28, at Mother Lily’s Events Place (No. 38 Valencia St., Quezon City).

“It will be a night of good food, great music, wonderful people…a special thanksgiving to God for a miracle He recently performed for the family.”

The couple’s friends (this one included) who knew that Pip was sick but didn’t spread the word must have heaved a sigh of relief. They knew that the “miracle” Lyn referred to was The Healing Hand that must have touched the cancer diagnosed in Pip’s lungs middle of last year.

“We thank our friends who kept our ‘secret’ to themselves,” said Lyn, “not that we wanted to hide Pip’s illness; we just waited for the right time for Pip himself to reveal everything.”

The “right time” came last March 20 when Pip’s doctor (Dr. Rommel Cariño, a Thoracic/Cardiovascular doctor) told him that he was “disease-free” (or cancer-free) and Pip opted to announce the good news during the birthday-thanksgiving party.

“At first,” Pip confessed, “I was angry with God. I thought that He wasn’t listening to my prayers until I realized that I was telling Him what to do,” when, in fact, he should have said, “Thy will be done,” and let God do the rest.

The agony of the Cruz family started in August last year when, although reluctant, Pip agreed to undergo an executive check-up at the St. Luke’s Medical Center suggested by son TJ who works there. Lyn underwent the same procedure and, except for some minor findings, was given a clean bill of health.

Dr. Cariño detected an infection in Pip’s lungs and prescribed antibiotics to be taken for two weeks. A CT scan revealed that the antibiotics didn’t work. A biopsy revealed that there was a malignant mass in Pip’s lungs. A surgery, which took four hours, was done.

That’s when Lyn recalled a dream that so bothered her that she had to rouse Pip from sleep.

“In my dream,” Lyn told Funfare, “my family was riding a van and the driver was wearing a white shirt and white shorts. Pip was beside the driver; I was seated behind him. Our three children were with us, too. The van went down a steep portion where a body of water was rushing towards us. I was worried that we might drown. The driver assured us, ‘Huwag kayong matakot, ako ang bahala sa inyo. Madali lang itong dadaanan nating ito. Kumapit ka lang.’ Pip said, ‘Kumapit ka lang daw.’

“When the driver got past the body of water, he turned to the left and told me, ‘Di ba sabi ko sa’yo kumapit ka lang at mabilis lang ito. At kita mo, hindi tayo nalunod. Nabasa ka lang ng konti. Sabi ko naman sa’yo ako ang bahala sa’yo.’ We got off the van, nag-stop talaga ‘yung rushing water.

“And then when I looked, there was a table laden with food, as if there was a feast. The driver invited us, ‘Sige, kumain na kayo.’”

MTRCB chief Toto (left) leads the unveiling of the marker. Left: Albert Martinez and dad-in-law Romeo (shown below with Alyanna).

Lyn, a Christian like the rest of the family, said that she saw that experience reflected in Psalm 23 which she quoted for Funfare:

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters
He restores my soul
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Prior to the executive check-up, Pip said that he didn’t feel any symptoms at all — no weight loss, no shortness of breath when he went up the stairs, no late-afternoon fever and no pain at all, except for a smoker’s cough.

“Our son Bodie agreed with TJ that I should undergo an executive check-up kasi marami kaming kakilala na nagkakasakit, including Miguel (the son of Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong). So, sige.”

The surgery was done on Sept. 20 last year. Before that, Pip finished shooting his scenes in the Kapamilya teleserye Hawak-Kamay. Through it all, unknown to Pip, Lyn and the children would cry and cry as, so to speak, they stormed the gates of heaven with prayers.

“It wasn’t easy,” said Lyn. “Bodie, whose full name is Elmo Jeremiah, told me, ‘Now, I understand why the Lord impressed me to read Lamentations 3:1-33, written by Jeremiah.’ It’s about crushing emotions, fear and suffering. Very clear sa kanya na may pinagdadaanang trial. ‘Verse 22: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail…Verse 23: They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness…Verse 24: I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him…Verse 25: The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him. To the one who seeks Him.’ Sabi ni Bodie, ‘Ma, the Lord is speaking to us.’”

Pip had to undergo “adjuvant therapy” to make sure that the cancer is gone and to prevent it from coming back. His oncologist, Dr. Gerry Cornelio (also from St. Luke’s), informed Pip after a CT scan that he saw no trace of cancer in Pip’s lungs. That was last March 20.

Pip attributed his recovery to a “miracle.”

“My doctors told me that I was lucky because the cancer was diagnosed very early,” said Pip. (The doctors didn’t declare any “stage.”) “One-third of my lung was cut off. ‘Yung iba daw, buong lung ang tinatanggal.”

As good as new, Pip is back to work. He has shot some scenes for Honor Thy Father with John Lloyd Cruz and another movie with Sam Milby, both for Star Cinema. In May, he will start shooting for Someone To Watch Over Me (a Kapamilya teleserye with Judy Ann Santos and Richard Yap). He has started working out again, stopped smoking and stayed away from soft drinks.

I will end this piece with Psalms Lyn also sent to Funfare:

Joshua 1:5-No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you. And Exodus 15:26 I am the Lord who heals you.

And another one from Pip:

Jeremiah 29:11-14. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and  a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.

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