Kinuwento ng film director na si Jason Paul Laxamana sa kanyang Facebook account ang kanyang pakikipaglaban sa sakit na COVID-19. Pumasok daw sa isipan ng direktor na baka katapusan na raw niya iyon.
“Last March 17, my swab test came back positive.
“The symptoms were mild at first. I’ve had worse bacterial/viral infections in the past. I thought the peak of my sickness was when I had a fever accompanied by chills. All it took was a tablet of paracetamol and, voila, I woke up the next day feeling fine.
“But then I noticed something happening inside my chest. It was getting hard to breathe. 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.
“I was afraid to sleep. I kept thinking of my severe obstructive sleep apnea, which, when partnered with difficulty in breathing, can only result in death as I sleep. Not to mention my fatness.
“There were nights I found myself teary-eyed – no, crying – in bed in the dark; how, if I fail to wake up, no one will find out until my body is maybe a one-week-old corpse already.
“Must be the lack of air in my system.
“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.
“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%.
“I was very close to having myself admitted in a state-run COVID facility, but the uncertainty of the existence of WiFi in those places prevented me from calling the barangay health workers.
“Last morning, however, I woke up with freer airways. Inhaling deeply is now possible, albeit I still have thick mucus in my chest. I feel more energetic now, though the night sweats still haunt me midsleep. Either they’re part of the COVID experience, or summer nights are just getting hotter. My sense of taste is back.”
Nakilala si Direk Paul sa mga dinirek niyang indie films na Astro Mayabang, Babagwa, Magkakabaung, Ang Taba Ko Kasi, Bakwit Boys at He Who Is Without Sin.
Naging hits naman ang mainstream films niya na 100 Tula Para Kay Stella, Just A Stranger, The Third Party at The Day After Valentine’s.
John Lapus, nakabangon na!
Dahil naka-three seasons ang TV5-Cignal TV teleserye na Paano Ang Pangako?, nakabawi na raw si John “Sweet” Lapus financially. Pati ang estado ng kanyang mental health ay naging maayos na dahil sa magkakasunod na trabaho. “Heto at nakakabawi na tayo. ‘Yung unang suweldo ko sa teleserye na Paano Ang Pasko? nagbayad na ako sa iba na may utang ako.
“Sana matuloy agad ang next show ko, this time as director naman, para hindi matengga nang matagal.
“Napakalaking tulong ng Paano Ang Pasko? (now retitled Paano Ang Pangako?) sa aking mental health. Nababaliw lang naman ako kapag walang ginagawa. Kaya l’m so grateful sa IdeaFirst for this job. They saved me emotionally, mentally at financially.”