Daughter of fallen COVID-19 frontliner pens pandemic experience
Published May 16, 2020, 7:00 PM
“I got novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from my father. He was a frontliner, a policeman who’s been on duty since the start of Metro Manila lockdown on March 15.”
Bea, 24, said her father would always remind them to always stock food before the lockdown and take vitamins to keep their immune system strong during the pandemic.
Her father Roel, 49, was a police executive master sergeant (PEMS) at Camp Crame. It was March 20 when he started manifesting symptoms.
“Nung umuwi siya kasi nilalagnat na siya (He already had fever when he got home). He did not want to get checked at Camp Crame General Hospital because he was afraid to get isolated, that nobody would take care of him because he was away from home,” Bea said.
Roel, who was suffering from hypertension and diabetes, was vulnerable to the disease. But his family thought it was just exhaustion from manning the frontlines.
They decided to bring Roel to a hospital when he was still exhibiting high fever after a few days.
Two hospitals in Rizal turned down admission because they were at full capacity, but diagnosed Roel with dengue. They eventually got referred to a nearby hospital where Roel was finally admitted.
Roel underwent through a series of tests. It was from his x-ray that doctors found out he had pneumonia.
During isolation
It was Bea’s birthday, March 24, when Roel got confined and when she also started showing symptoms of the disease.
“My family was never ready for this. Pero kailangan kong magpakatatag, kailangan kong magpalakas kasi ayokong makita ni papa na nanghihina ang loob ko.”
“But at the same time, we were very lucky, kasi sa ospital na ‘yun, allowed ang PUIs na may isang bantay. At least maaalagaan ko sya. Masasamahan ko sya. Hindi ko na inisip na baka magkasakit din ako kasi alam kong kaya ko naman ang sarili ko,” Bea said.
(My family was never ready for this. But I needed to be strong because I didn’t want papa to see that I was breaking down inside. But at the same time we were very lucky, because the hospital allowed PUIs to have one companion. At least I was able to take care of him. At least I was with him. I didn’t even think that there was a possibility that I would get the disease as well because I knew I could take care of myself.)
Bea said she had high fever that day but tried to fight the coronavirus by taking vitamins, eating healthy food, and staying hydrated.
“The next days in quarantine, nagkaubo na si papa, malalang ubo. May dugo na sa plema. We also found out that he had heart problems. Lagi ko siyang inaalalayan kasi alam kong nahihirapan siya. A few days later, kinailangan na rin niya ng oxygen support. Sobrang bilis ng mga pangyayari,” she added.
(The next days in quarantine, papa developed a serious cough. His phlegm had blood. We also found out that he had heart problems. I always assisted him because I knew he was having a hard time. A few days later, he had to have oxygen support. Everything happened so fast.)
Roel’s COVID-19 test result on March 28 was positive. It was also the day Bea started to feel the symptoms of the disease: high fever, diarrhea, cough, breathing difficulties, muscle pain, and colds.
She said she had to fight the virus because she had to be strong for her papa who eventually had to be intubated.
“Hirap na talaga siyang huminga (He was really having a hard time breathing). It was too painful to see your dad being intubated,” Bea said.
Despite their situation, Bea said her father was still in high spirits; he was writing a lot and was video-chatting with his sons at home.
Another COVID-19 test
Bea eventually had to leave her papa because she had to get tested for COVID-19 herself. Doctors said her lungs and complete blood count (CBC) were normal and she didn’t need to get confined.
After about three hours, Bea returned to the emergency room, excited to bring the good news to her papa. That was when she saw Roel having seizures.
“My heart was breaking at that moment, imagine seeing your most loved one na nagse-seizure, fighting for his life, ni wala akong karamay, ‘yung mga kapatid ko nasa bahay, naka-video chat lang kami noong unresponsive na si papa,” Bea said.
(My heart was breaking at the moment, imaging seeing your most loved one having seizures, fighting for his life, with no one to comfort me, my sibling were at home, we were video-chatting when papa became unresponsive.)
“Siguro nga ayun na ‘yun, oras na niya (I guess that was it, it was his time). Papa already reunited with our mama after 16 years.”
For Bea, two things hurt the most: first was they had to mourn on their own. They were unable to hold a traditional wake because her father’s body was cremated the day after he died. Second, she was not allowed to hug her siblings when she got home.
Finally COVID-19 free
Even if it cost her her health, Bea said she was still grateful to have spent her papa’s last ten days with him.
“Lahat ‘yun (It was all) worth the risk. I sacrificed everything just to take care of him, and I was so grateful na God gave me a chance to be with him during his last ten days. We are thankful that papa was with me,” she added.
Bea just got her second negative COVID-19 swab test result on Friday, May 15. Finally, after four tries, the result came out negative twice. She is finally out of the woods.
A patient must test negative for coronavirus twice before being considered recovered by the Department of Health.
Bea bared her plan to donate her plasma to other COVID-19 patients.
“I may not [have been] able to save my dad before, [but] at least I can save someone who needs it,” Bea said.
She said her family experienced discrimination, but her experience during the pandemic made her wiser to choose which battle to fight.
“I’ve learned how to control myself at never naman akong pumatol sa kahit anong negativity na binabato sa amin (I just ignored those who were throwing negativity at us),” Bea said.
She also encouraged everyone to reach out to people struggling.
“You have no idea how empathy and compassion could save someone. Maaaring maliit na bagay lang ‘yun sa inyo, pero sa amin, malaking bagay na ito (For you, it may mean nothing, but for us, it could mean so much),” Bea ended.
