'Lord, ito na ba 'yon?': Emotional Iza Calzado recalls COVID-19 battle

MANILA – For the first time since she recovered from the coronavirus disease, Iza Calzado opened up to talk about her experience battling the illness. 

Recalling her ordeal during her “Magandang Buhay” interview on Monday, Calzado said among the symptoms she experienced were fever, cough and loss of appetite.

“Kasi 'yun 'yung time na sabi nila limited 'yung test kit. So parang diyahe kasi baka sabihin nila, ayan 'yung artista tapos uunahin kasi artista siya. So diyahe talaga ako na ayaw ko na makigulo sa ospital, alam kong maraming mas nangangailangan. Pero sa ganung punto pala, kailangan mo din isipin ang sarili mo,” she said.

A few days into her confinement at the hospital, Calzado said the doctors found a nasty bacteria called acinetobacter baumannii in her lungs that required strong antibiotics.

“Ito po ay hindi COVID. Ito po ay isang bacteria na hindi namin alam kung 'yun ba ay dala-dala ko na nung pumasok ako sa ospital or it could have been something I got nung pumasok ako sa ospital,” she said.

“Hindi pa siya COVID. Siyempre wala pa 'yung results mo. Hindi pa agad-agad. The minute you get to the hospital, they will start treating you for COVID. So kumbaga, day 3, nagco-COVID meds na ako. Sa totoo lang, kung COVID lang ang binattle ko, mahirap siya pero mas lumala dahil dito sa bacteria. Dalawa na 'yung nilalabanan kasi nasa lungs ko din 'yung bacteria,” she added.

What made the situation worse was her allergic reaction to one of the antibiotics given to her.

“Hindi nila alam if [the bacteria in my lungs] is the one causing your pneumonia or is it COVID. Naka-COVID medications na ako pero nung dumating ito, they had to give me matitinding antibiotics. Umabot sa point na tatlo ['yung iniinom ko] pero 'yung isa, I had a very bad reaction. Hindi ko naramdaman 'yung bunganga ko, mouth, lips, tongue,” she said.

Fortunately, her condition improved that she didn’t have to be intubated nor moved to the intensive care unit. The actress, however, shared that her whole experience made her realize a lot things about life.

“May moment talaga na akala ko ito na kasi hindi ako makahinga. Sabi ko, Lord, ito na ba 'yon? Parang, ito na 'yun, this is how it ends. Tapos naisip ko lahat ng pinagdaanan ko sa buhay, which is quite interesting as well. So sabi ko parang ang dami kong pinagdaanan sa buhay para dito magtapos. Immediately, sabi ko no, hindi ganito magtatapos ang buhay ko. Hindi dito,” she said.

Calzado said there was also a time when she asked why she had to be the one to experience this.

“I’ve experienced mga trying moments pero ito talaga clearly, Lord why me? Tapos immediately, may sumagot. Para siyang a voice in my head, ‘Why not? It had to be you. You’re being used.’ Kumbaga kung ang Diyos ang nagsasalita, ‘Anak, I’ve called you and I want to use you.’ So sabi ko na lang okay, tinanggap ko,” she said.

Calzado said her battle against COVID-19 and the nasty bacteria in her lungs humbled her.

“If you’re faced with a life and death situation, 'yung mga material na bagay walang maitutulong. Hindi natin puwedeng i-deny na, of course, I was being taken care of in a nice hospital. If you think about it, sasabihin ng tao, ‘Mayaman ka and may pera ka pang ospital.’ I wish everybody may access doon. Wala sanang Pilipino na hindi puwedeng makapunta ng ospital at kailangan isipin na wala silang pambayad kaya hindi sila pupunta ng ospital,” she said.

Calzado then turned emotional as she thanked everyone who looked after her from her husband to her doctors and nurses.

“Every single person, they went above and beyond. 'Yung pag-alaga nila sa akin, hinding hindi ko makakalimutan. Nag-iiyakan kami nung ibang nurse at doctor doon nung sinabi ngang baka ma-ICU. May kukuha doon ng dugo ko. May nagsabi, ‘Miss Iza, ikaw si Sangre Amihan, matatalo mo ‘to,’” she said.

Calzado also expressed her heartfelt gratitude when she made her first social media post on Monday.

“I know that so many of you sent your love and support and I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you. Please know that even if I didn’t get to read all the messages, I felt the love and good energy and that you helped me pull through one of the darkest moments of my life. Everything by God’s grace, of course, but your prayers did so much for me. I hope in some way, I can pay it forward,” she said.