August 2022 – This is when my illness started. I felt weak, my chest felt heavy. I was coughing up phlegm all the time, but it was abnormal because my cough always had something in it. I ignored it and just kept working. I’m a mechanic. Because I was earning well, I didn’t pay attention to what I was feeling. The important thing was money coming into my bank account.
December 2022 – My phlegm started having blood in it. Just a little at first. It looked like Colgate toothpaste—mixed phlegm and blood. Because it was the holidays, I skipped getting checked. I said I’d go next year.
January 2023 – I finally went to Alabang Medical Center. I was diagnosed with Tuberculosis (TB). The doctor gave me a full prescription, but I was stubborn. I was still thinking about earning money.
As the months passed, I kept working while trying to heal from TB. As a vehicle mechanic, you know the work is heavy and tiring. The doctor told me not to work and to rest for six months to fully recover from TB. But I didn’t listen. I was more focused on earning money. That’s why my treatment lasted one year, which is not normal for TB patients who usually only need six months of treatment.
I went back to Alabang Medical Center because my phlegm now had fresh blood. The doctor was disappointed because I admitted I didn’t really rest—I kept working and even hid from the doctor the things I ate that I wasn’t supposed to. The doctor gave me a new prescription and said: “If you cough up blood again, go to the emergency room immediately.”
December 2023 – I was in Bulacan. I ignored my exhaustion. Suddenly, I coughed up a lot of blood. I remembered what the doctor said in Alabang Med. I was rushed to the hospital. It was very stressful for me. I was brought to Pampanga Premier Hospital because it was the nearest hospital I trusted to save my life, as I was having a hard time breathing. I was admitted for one week.
They couldn’t diagnose me with anything new. The TB was cleared, but I had scars left in my lungs and my lungs had weakened. The doctor said I just needed a long rest and must not work yet. But by February, I was already back to work, forcing myself again. I really am stubborn. The blood stopped in my sputum, the doctor said.
But in the first week of March 2024, the blood returned. I coughed up blood mixed with phlegm again. I was coughing again but just slightly. I lost hope because the doctors told me they found no new problems with my lungs except for the scars. They said those scars wouldn’t go away. They did multiple X-rays and CT scans but found no other issues. Their best advice was to rest. No medicine except vitamins. But it happened again. Back to zero. It was like nothing was happening in my healing process. I admit it’s my fault too because I didn’t follow the doctors’ orders.
It became normal for me to cough up a lot of fresh blood. When I cough, it’s like a cup of blood but I was okay. It happened when I came home from work or if I forced myself. I worked hard during the day and bled at night. It became normal even though it looked really dangerous.
This is it. This is when I almost died.
March 28, 2025 – Night – I just came home from work, from a very hard day. I was alone in my apartment. I felt nothing, just tired. But suddenly, I coughed and the blood started flowing nonstop from my mouth and nose, like a faucet running full blast. I waited for it to stop but it didn’t. Then I slowly realized I was having trouble breathing. In my mind, I knew that if I ignored it, I only had minutes left. I ran to the car garage while blood flowed from my nose. I drove. Luckily, there was no traffic. I accidentally hit a Shopee rider who fell down. I didn’t stop because I was about to die. Sorry to the rider. My car’s bumper was punctured and crushed. I just kept driving. If I stopped to help the rider first, I would have died. Sorry again because I pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake.
The last thing I remember was being in the emergency room of Parañaque Medical Hospital, being assisted by the guard. After that, I don’t remember anything. I insisted on private hospital care because I know many people who died in public hospitals due to slow service and delayed doctor action. I’m not saying all doctors in public hospitals are bad; many are good. I just wanted to make sure I survive.
I was put on a ventilator. I stayed several days in the ICU. They suctioned me manually to remove the blood clots in my lungs. It was very painful. I could feel the suction tubes inside my lungs. The doctors put thin, transparent tubes into my mouth to vacuum the blood out. I saw the blood coming out of my lungs, which caused my breathing problem that night. I cried many times during this process. The suctioning was repeated multiple times because they needed to remove all the clotted blood from my lungs. I really suffered for days. I told myself I didn’t want to go back to that situation again.
Thanks to doctors Guevarra of Pampanga Premier Hospital and Cabal of Parañaque Med Hospital. They extended my life.
Now, I’m exhausted. I tested negative. But I still have debts. What people say about health is true: you must take care of it because all the money you earn will eventually be paid in hospitals. It really happened to me. I went into debt.
Thanks to my brother Allan. I planned to sell everything—car, motorcycle, and all my things. But because of you, none of that happened. You supported me through my problems. Thanks also to those who helped me here on Facebook. Unexpected people helped without asking. I will never forget you. You are etched in my mind. Some still want to help but I declined because I’m already out of the hospital. Thanks also to my customers who gave help silently. If God gives me another chance, I will help others, especially those who secretly came to me to help.
For now, my lungs are still not normal. I still cough up blood if I force myself. Vitamins, good food, enough sleep, and avoiding exhausting work are what I need.
To all the workaholics like me, take it slow. Don’t push yourself too hard. I was like you before—ignoring fatigue, staying up late, eating processed foods, not drinking enough water, stressed. Now, my body is paying for it. The dreams I once had are now set aside. Because now, my health matters more than money or future ambitions.
I don’t smoke or drink alcohol.
Now, I need another CT scan to monitor my condition. Based on the doctor’s recommendation, I might need a biopsy to find out what’s going on inside my lungs. The camera will show what’s inside. But the biopsy depends on the CT scan results.
Restarting life again.
Lord, thank you very much. Because of You, I have learned.