Around GMA

Article Inside Page

“It was getting hard to breath. Inhaling deeply was becoming challenging, as it either triggered an itch in the chest, resulting in coughing; or no matter how deep I inhaled, I didn't feel I was getting enough air in my lungs.”

Director Jason Paul Laxamana described in vivid details his bout with COVID-19 in a lengthy post on Facebook.

“Last March 17, my swab test came back positive,” said Jason.

The symptoms he said were mild at first and he thought of it as just some common bacterial or viral infections, something that he would catch from time to time.

It became apparent, however, that it's far worse than what he initially assumed.

Soon after, Jason started experiencing breathing difficulties.

It didn't help that Jason has severe obstructive sleep apnea, making him feel more worried about his ability to survive the ordeal.

“But there were days I found myself unshaken by the thought of dying. As a suicide attempt survivor a decade ago, being intimate with the idea of death is a scenario I am very much familiar with,” Jason, who wrote and directed the films 100 Tula Para Kay Stella, The Day After Valentine's, Between Maybes, and Just a Stranger, among others, continued.

“After letting all the drama out of my system, I just found myself going through the motions. Hard to breathe? Stay still and avoid moving a lot. Gasping for air while sleeping? Deal with it and sleep again if awakened. Night sweats? Sleep with a towel over your pillow.

“My sense of taste did not disappear, but there were days I felt my tongue wasn't performing 100%.”

The good news is that Jason is now feeling much better and “more energetic” as compared to the past days.

“I guess the worst is over for me. Thank you to friends and family who sent me stuff to keep me nourished during my quarantine,” he wrote.

The frightening experience brought valuable realizations as what Jason pondered at the end of his post.

“I guess as you grow older, you just accept the fact that life can f*ck with you sometimes, the same way it can occasionally shower you good fortune. All random.”

The Philippines recorded 8,019 new cases yesterday, March 22 - the country's highest single-day tally to date according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Cases of patients with COVID-19 have surged this month, alarming the public and health experts.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has released new guidelines last Sunday, March 21, placing Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) until April 4.

Here are other Pinoy celebrities who got afflicted with COVID-19 but, thankfully, managed to recover from the disease: