COVID-19 Special: My Father is an Alien

It was like an unimaginable nightmare.

Jules Asedillo could forever narrate the story of how her father and entire family fought and endured their battle. They were literally on the verge of surrender while earnestly chasing for hope. An emotional wreck brought by a communicable illness that she could recall for a lifetime.

Lorenzo Ferrer, 74 was one of the first cases of the Coronavirus disease- 19 (COVID-19) Pandemic in Luzon, Philippines. He was diagnosed in the last days of March 2020 after showing persisting symptoms like dry cough, diarrhea, fever, and difficulty in breathing. As the eldest, Jules did not act reluctant.

“He was in the doorway, just standing there, out of breath and was coughing heavily. He was wearing a mask at that time.”

Lorenzo used to spend his leisure time in Metro Manila to bet in horse racing. Jules and his other siblings suspected that he contracted the disease from the area.

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Symptomatic Lorenzo

Lorenzo tested negative twice. However, his condition continued to deteriorate. Lorenzo, without getting proper diagnosis, was just told to go home.

“Doctors just gave a list of medicines that my father must take. He tested negative from any infection, yet his breathing is not yet getting normal.”

Over a week had passed and his situation had worsened. Lorenzo was again rushed to the hospital where he was immediately isolated for a week and had finally tested as COVID-19 positive.

His age was a huge factor to his critical condition. The pain he had in the peak of the sickness heightened his anxiety. There were times he wanted to end his life.

Through video calls, Jules could monitor his father. Jules was also in the midst of emotional warfare, yet she decided to hold on the remaining strength she had.

“In the middle of the night, my father would call and say, I am suffering please end this. Have pity on me, please tell the doctor to end my life. The nurse tied his hand because he’s trying to commit suicide.”

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Fighting for Life

Turning sorrowful times into such a normal conversation was a bit challenging for Jules. She was also running out of optimism. And her father’s sense of humour re-telling a story about his encounter with an Alien had rang her bells. Jules had found another way to hold his father’s hand.

“You told me that you could see an Alien when you were young. I would try to make him laugh. So, I told him that the Alien is giving him a power to heal. Maybe, you are one of the lucky ones chosen by the Alien. Maybe, you are the one who can actually give hope to people that it’s possible to recover from COVID-19.”

Lorenzo was never seen crying until he faced the battle against COVID-19.

“Everyday he cries, especially when he’s telling his experiences inside the hospital, a very traumatic experience.”

Road to Recovery

In a month of confinement, Lorenzo’s other offspring who are working overseas also made sure to converse with him daily. Their requests to go back to the Philippines were not granted due to the worldwide lockdown. They were physically apart, but bonded by their hearts.

This life threatening virus had made Lorenzo and his family to come across a roller coaster ride. But no one dropped the ball as long as the halt signal remained quiet. Through everyone’s prayers and supplications, proper medications, and the compassion bestowed by doctors and all other medical frontliners, Lorenzo has been given a second life.

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Philippines’ battle on COVID-19

Lorenzo belongs to the over four hundred thousand Filipinos who struggled yet overcame the COVID-19 danger. The latest statistics of the Department of Health (DOH) on the first day of 2021 recorded a total of 439,895 recovered patients out of the 475, 820 confirmed cases.

In November 2020, DOH has also identified the level of severity that affects the Filipinos: 83.3% are mild, 9.4% are asymptomatic, 2.5% are severe, and 4.6% are placed in critical condition. The Philippines still remains to be in the rank twenty-nine (29^th ) with the most number of COVID-19 cases based on John Hopkins University’s latest data.

Second Life

Every survivor’s (second) life calls to be ultimately celebrated. Their family could not be grateful enough to those who never turn their backs in the probably-most-challenging-season of their lives. Jules had shared some event of discrimination they went through yet it weighs lesser than how most of their friends and neighbourhood demonstrated support and care.

Lorenzo had victoriously surpassed COVID-19. The drowning feeling during its severity was now all part of his past. He was more than a conqueror for his family and a bundle of inspiration for those who are still in that dark portion of life. Indeed, this too shall pass.