Surviving the dreaded C: The Merci Nisperos story

MANILA, Philippines - In early 1999, Merci Nisperos experienced stomach pains, which she quickly dismissed as recurring ulcer. She took over-the-counter antacids to alleviate the spasm, like she used to do when she was still single.  

In June of that year, the pains got more frequent. Her friends would also remark that she looked pale and bloated at the same time. Merci was surprised with the comments because she had no problem with her appetite. 

She decided to consult with several doctors who advised her to undergo endoscopy and drink a lot of water every day. The physicians also believed that lifestyle modification, especially in the food she takes, would be beneficial. 

“I was an only child. Growing up, I was treated like a princess. I was choosy and would prefer meat and seldom eat vegetables. I was a carnivore,” Merci relates.

One day in October, the pain became so unbearable that she was rushed from her house in Mandaluyong to the hospital. 

She underwent a series of lab tests, including endoscopy and colonoscopy. When the results came out, the attending physician advised that she be confined and readied for immediate operation. The tests showed a mass in her stomach that had to be removed and examined for malignancy. She would learn afterwards that she had colon cancer. 

While in the operating room, Merci remembers leaving her physical body and hovering over as it lay on the operating table. The next thing she knew, she was in her recovery room. Through the drowsy haze of anesthesia, she overheard her doctor telling her husband, “I am sorry, Mr. Nisperos, but your wife has two months to live.” 

In her mind, Merci kept praying and imploring God for another lease on life because she had five young children who still needed their mother to nurture and take care of them as they grow up.

Two weeks later, she returned home and used a cot in the living room area of their house. The first time she looked in the mirror, she saw an emaciated woman who was more like a bag of bones staring back at her. She threw a medicine bottle at the image, fearing there was another creature lurking in the house.

A few days later, her oncologist called up to remind her that she had to undergo chemotherapy in a couple of days. It triggered memories of a sister-in-law who was also diagnosed with cancer and given two months to live. She underwent chemotherapy but passed away after a year-and-a-half of treatment.

With a day to decide whether to have chemo or not, Merci, a licensed realtor, got a call from a client, Alvin Carranza who owns some of the biggest advertising billboards around the country. She accepted Carranza’s invitation to see him.

After exchanging pleasantries, Carranza recommended a herbalist doctor who had a clinic at Robinsons Galleria.

The night before the deadline for chemo, Merci had a vision: a handsome figure with two horns and tail telling her to go for chemotherapy. With the Bible in one hand and a rosary in the other, she repeatedly told her strange visitor to go away.

She came out of the trance when the phone rang. It was Alvin Carranza asking if she had made up her mind about the chemo.

Right then and there, she requested for an appointment with herbalist Dr. Ferdinand Gallego and called up her oncologist at the hospital to tell him she had decided not to go ahead with the chemo.

Since November, 1999, Merci has consulted with Dr. Gallego. Her husband and kids were at the first few meetings since a basic requirement of the recovery process was the full support of the family.

The other important agenda of the consultation was the health regimen Merci had to observe. She recalls, “First, I should have shark cartilage that is good to fight against cancer. I had Millennium, a wine-like drink. I also had China No. 1, which had to be bought in Hong Kong then. I had 21 different kinds of supplements which looked like big bullets.”

The price of recovery added to the operation expenses, which Merci estimates ran in the millions of pesos. She eventually asked her doctor about alternative sources of herbal medication at a cheaper price but of the same quality as those she was practically importing from abroad.

Dr. Gallego referred her to General Nutrition Centers or GNC Live Well. “I immediately applied for membership at the GNC outlet in Robinsons Galleria. My doctor’s clinic was on the 3rd floor and the GNC outlet was just close by. The GNC shops have been a dependable source of life-sustaining herbal medicines and supplements.

Merci describes her regimen, “There are limits to my food. Because I am a colon cancer survivor, no red meat for me. Dairy also. In lieu of those, I buy flax seed oil which helps maintain my heart health.

“I’m also taking soya milk for the protein. I eat the white in eggs only. We have shifted to muscovado sugar for sweetener and my salad dressing is all vinaigrette. 

She adds, “I have a food pyramid prescribed by my doctor and he’s very strict in monitoring me. In the early years of my consultation, he would call me up at home and inquire what I had taken for the day. Our household helper has been trained to attend to my needs.”

These realizations have trickled down to the immediate family. At home, dinner is strictly at 7 p.m. and bedtime by 9 p.m., unless there are lessons her kids have to attend to. Four of her five children are now working professionals, with excellent academic credentials. 

She keeps stressors at arm’s length.

It’s been 15 years since her operation. Aside from the doctor-prescribed regimen, there’s the total surrender to God, a positive attitude towards life, and the strong support of family. She also gives a lot of credit to stores that now allow easy access to affordable nutritional supplements.

At 53, Merci’s life is in full blossom and there’s been an outpouring of blessings. She’s truly become a living inspiration to others.