Frontliner sees daughter again after long bout with COVID-19: 'Gawin nating inspirasyon ang mga anak natin'

After a long bout with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a doctor was finally able to come home and see her three-year-old daughter again.

This is why Dr. Cess Santos, the Family Medicine Chief Resident of the Veteran Memorial Medical Center, encourages all parents who contract the disease never to give up and keep fighting for their children.

According to Athena Imperial's report on "Unang Balita," Dr. Santos started to feel symptoms after intubating a COVID-positive patient at the hospital.

She later tested positive for the COVID-19, and she was afraid not just for herself but for her young daughter and elderly mother waiting at home.

"Hindi ko alam kung ano pong gagawin ko po noon. Natulala ako, blangko ako noon, kasama ko kasi din po sa house 'yung mother ko. Mother ko is hypertensive and then 'yung anak ko three years old pa lang so they are siceptible individuals," Santos said.

For weeks, she endured not only the sickness but the loneliness of being away from her family.

"Nakakabaliw talaga na ikaw lang mag-isa. Actually normal talaga na maging emotional magkaroon ng anxiety attacks," she recalled.

Fortunately, the doctor's health improved and, two negative COVID tests later, Dr. Santos's child was back in her arms.

"Bumaba po ako sa kanya para tabihang matulog tapos niyakap yakap ko po talaga siya, saka sobrang kiniss ko siya."

The whole experience taught Dr. Santos an important lesson that she thought would help parents like herself fight the disease.

"Labanan lang natin lahat ng mga negativities na naiisip natin kasi kahit na mild na case ka lang pero kung kakainin ka ng negativity sa utak mo. Puwedeng mag-progress 'yung illness mo," the doctor said.

"Gawin lang nating inspirasyon 'yung mga anak natin upang magpalakas." — Margaret Claire Layug/LA, GMA News