Saab Magalona suffers from rare congenital condition called Meckel's Diverticulum
Fans and Instagram followers of Saab Magalona were privy to a distressing experience the celebrity mother recently underwent as she shared what happened to her during her family's Boracay trip.
In one of her more recent posts on Instagram, Saab shared a photo of her in a hospital bed holding hands with husband Jim Bacarro while watching a television show. It was in the caption to the post that she shared what led her to be confined in a hospital.
According to Saab, she was already “palpitating” and “white as a ghost” on the morning of her and her family's flight to Boracay, a condition that she initially attributed to bad acid and a panic attack since her blood pressure and temperature were both normal. However, her condition got progressively worse as they headed to Boracay, to the point where she had to be in a wheelchair by the time she got off the boat to Boracay. She then took a “long nap” and upon waking up, “used the toilet, vomited, and passed out.”
When she finally gained consciousness, Saab says it was to her husband Jim carrying her in his arms and “screaming for help” outside their hotel door. After getting help from the staff at the hotel they were staying at, Saab was able to get treatment at the Asia Pacific Medical Center's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where she received blood transfusions before finally being transferred to a regular room.
Saab eventually found out that stress she has been encountering lately may have triggered a rare congenital condition called Meckel's Diverticulum. The condition is described by the United States' National Library of Medicine as a “common congenital abnormality of the small intestine caused by incomplete obliteration of the vitelline (omphalomesenteric) duct.” Many people who have the condition are asymptomatic and is only usually discovered incidentally during imaging studies.
Saab ended her post by telling everyone to stay safe and encouraged them to listen to their bodies.
Saab is no stranger to dealing with a rare condition, as her son with special needs Pancho also had serious complications when he was born, including ventriculitis, pulmonary hypertension, sepsis, and intraventricular hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain), resulting to his confinement in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
A couple of years ago, Saab also shared her struggles in disciplining Pancho because of the fact that he has special needs. This ended up having a negative effect as Pancho grew to become demanding. Thankfully, Saab and Pancho were able to curb this by trying a different approach in their disciplining.
Just like in her current Instagram post, Saab has encouraged her followers, especially parents of a special child, that despite the difficulties raising them, it is a “privilege and honor with rewards beyond our wildest dreams.”
Meanwhile, check out the photo gallery below of Filipino celebrities who have publicly shared the rare illness that has affected them or that they are still recovering from.
Ynna Asistio
Na-confine ang aktres na si Ynna Asistio noong November 18, 2019 matapos makaramdam ng matinding pananakit ng tiyan. Ayon sa reports, na-diagnose si Ynna ng “volvulus,” isang rare medical condition na may abnormal twisting ng kanyang small o large intestine.
Kris Aquino - Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria
Ngayong araw na ito, sinabi ni Kris Aquino sa kanyang Instagram post na na-diagnose siya with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria, isang autoimmune disease. Aniya, "To be specific I now know I have Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria, and yes, mine is an autoimmune disease. I am now, and for the rest of my existence will be, on high dosage antihistamines and having the EpiPen will always be crucial. Severe allergies are life threatening because of anaphylactic shock."
Dagdag pa niya, "I disclosed that I started maintenance medication to control my hypertension in 2015; I also have ongoing treatment for severe migraines. You know my life's journey. Thank you for being with me through the tears and victories. I AM PROOF, LOVE MAKES US STRONG. Because we know WHY WE ARE FIGHTING."
Rhed Bustamante - Incontinentia Pigmenti
Ang child actress na si Rhed Bustamante ay na-diagnose na may Incontinentia Pigmenti. Isa itong sakit sa balat, na bagamat puwedeng gumaling, di umano'y nakakamatay daw ito kung hindi naipagamot.
Alma Moreno - Multiple Sclerosis
Noong 2009 ay isinugod si Almo Moreno dahil sa sakit niyang Multiple Sclerosis. Around 2001 na-diagnose si Alma sa sakit na ito. Ang sakit na ito ay dine-describe bilang pagkakaroon ng " patches of hardened tissue in the brain or the spinal cord because of loss of myelin," na puwedeng magdulot ng partial or complete paralysis.
Kim Atienza - Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Taong 2013 nang mapabalitang nagre-recover na si Kim Atienza sa sakit niyang Guillain-Barre Syndrome. That same year ay muntik na rin bawian ng buhay si Kim Atienza dahil sa stroke. Ang Guillain-Barre Syndrome ay isang karamdaman kung saan ang immune system ay inaatake ang healthy nerve cells sa peripheral nervous system ng isang tao na puwedeng mag-cause ng "heart and blood pressure problems and paralysis."
Paolo Bediones - Psoriasis
Noong 2017 inamin ni Paolo Bediones na meron siyang skin condition na Psoriasis. Inilalarawan ito bilang "raised, red, scaly patches that appear on the skin. It typically affects the outside of the elbows, knees or scalp, though it can appear on any location."
Aiai Delas Alas - Psoriasis
Ngayong taon ay inamin din ni Aiai delas Alas na 15 years na siyang nakikipaglaban sa sakit niyang Psoriasis.
Abby Asistio - Alopecia
Ibinahagi ni Abby Asistio ang journey ng kanyang recovery mula sa sakit na alopecia. Ito ay isang autoimmune condition "characterized by the loss of hair due to damaged hair follicles."
Angelu de Leon - Bell's Palsy
Bell's Palsy--isang kundisyon kung saan napa-paralyze ang isang bahagi ng mukha--naman ang pinagdaanan ng aktres na si Angelu de Leon. Sa kanyang post noong 2016, ikinuwento ni Angelu ang kanyang karanasan: "I'd smile but my face is not moving. Good night everyone! Take care of yourselves. God bless you."
Michelle Madrigal - Hashimoto's disease
Taong 2018 ibinahagi ni Michelle Madrigal na meron siyang rare illness, ang Hashimoto's disease. Kuwento niya sa kanyang Instagram post, "So I have recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, along with other millions of young and older women who suffer from it." Paliwanag pa niya, "What is Hashimotos? It is an autoimmune disorder that can cause hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid. It means that my immune system makes antibodies that attack the thyroid gland. The thyroid becomes damaged and can't make enough thyroid hormones."
Bernadette Sembrano - Bell's Palsy
Noong 2011, umamin si broadcast journalist Bernadette Sembrano na mayroon siyang Bell's Palsy nang itapat niya ang aircon sa kanyang mukha pagkatapos ng kanyang live broadcast sa Davao City.
Kelley Day - Alopecia
Pinaalam ni Kapuso actress Kelley Day na mayroon siyang alopecia sa kanyang intro video para sa Miss World 2019 competition. Aniya, noong 2018 niya raw ito nadiskubre at ginagawa niya ang kanyang makakaya para malunasan ito.
Aby Maraño - Psoriasis
Matapang na ibinahagi ng multi-awarded volleyball player na si Aby Maraño na mayroon siyang auto-immune disease na psoriasis. Saad niya sa kanyang Facebook noong 2019, "There are times that I feel uncomfortable too but my confidence is greater than my insecurities. Hindi naman kami nakakahawa. Hindi rin ito sumpa. Everyday is a battle. I gotta fight 'cause if I don't, I might just stop playing."
Nadine Samonte - Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome
Nahirapan ang StarStruck alumna na si Nadine Samonte sa pagbubuntis niya sa dalawa niyang anak na sina Heather Sloane at Austin Titus dahil na-diagnose siya na mayroong Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome or APAS. Ayon sa website na mayoclinic.org, APAS occurs when the immune system mistakenly creates antibodies that make the blood much more likely to clot in the veins and arteries.
Miriam Quiambao - Obstetric APAS
Tinawag ng mister ni Miriam Quiambao na si Ardy Roberto na "miracle baby" ang anak nila na si Elijah. Sa Instagram post nito noong October 2018, sinabi niya na "My pretty preggy lady. The bump is getting bumpier! :) Still so amazed at how God is working in our lives. Miriam only had a 1%-2% chance of getting pregnant naturally at her age and condition." Difficult ang pregnancy ng former beauty queen dahil na rin sa kanyang Obstetric APAS.
Kim Idol - Brain Arteriovenous Malformation
Noong 2015, ipinaalam ni Kim Idol na mayroon siyang brain arteriovenous malformation, isang rare medical condition kung saan mayroong tangle ng abnormal vessel na nagko-connect ng arteries at veins sa utak kaya nadi-disrupt ang daloy ng oxygen dito.
Sa kasamaang-palad, pumanaw na ang kilalang komedyante noong July 2020, ilang araw matapos maputukan ng ugat sa ulo at naging kritikal ang kondisyon.
Bea Rose Santiago - Chronic Kidney Disease
Noong 2018, kinumpirma ni Bea Rose Santiago na na-diagnose siya ng chronic kidney disease na dulot ng kanyang “gym life” noon. Ngayon, ikinuwento ng Miss International 2013 na nagda-dialysis siya ng halos 5 beses sa isang linggo.
Sitti Navarro - Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APAS)
Naka dalawang failed intrauterine inseminations (IUI) si Sitti Navaro bago pa niya ipinagbuntis ang kanyang anak na si Issiah Dañelle. Ani Sitti, tatlo sa limang categories ng APAS ang mayroon siya: Category 1 - no blocking antibodies, Category 2 - thrombophilia (abnormality of blood coagulation), at Category 5 - elevated natural killer cells na umaatake sa baby.
Rica Peralejo - Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APAS)
Nahirapan din sa pagbubuntis ang aktres na si Rica Peralejo bago niya ipinanganak ang kanyang ikalawang anak na si Manu dahil mayroon siyang APAS. Dumaan sa ilang doktor ang former sexy actress upang ma-deliver niya ang kanyang bunsong anak.
Lani Misalucha Bacterial Meningitis
Inilahad ng Asia's Nightingale na si Lani Misalucha sa nakaraang Christmas special ng 'The Clash' na siya at ang kanyang asawa ay mga survivor ng bacterial meningitis dulot ng Streptococcus suis o S. suis. Ito'y nakukuha mula sa paghawak ng bangkay ng baboy na namatay mula sa S. suis o pagkain ng karne ng baboy na namatay mula sa sakit na ito. Kasalukuyan pa ring bingi ang kanang tainga ni Lani at mayroon pa rin silang vestibular dysfunction ng kanyang asawa.
Kuya Kim Atienza - Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism
Sa isang Instagram post, ibinahagi ni Kuya Kim Atienza na bago siya ma-stroke noong 2013 ay nagkaroon siya ng undiagnosed Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism taong 2009 na dahilan kung bakit nanaba ng husto ang kanyang pangangatawan lalo na ang kanyang mukha.
Pen Medina - Degenerative Disc Disease
Ipinagbigay-alam ng aktor na si Alex Medina nito lamang July 15, 2022 sa publiko na nagkaroon ng Degenerative Disc Disease ang kanyang ama at batikang aktor na si Pen Medina na kinakailangan ng isang surgery sa spine. Nanawagan si Alex sa mga nais magpaabot ng tulong sa kanyang ama.
Selina Dagdag - Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia
Nagpasalamat ang courtside reporter na si Selina Dagdag sa lahat ng sumuporta at nagdasal ng kanyang paggaling habang siya ay nasa cancer treatment dahil sa kanyang pagkakaroon ng Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia.
Joseph Puducay
Matindi man ang hamon na hinaharap ng comedienne na si Tuesday Vargas, pilit ito nagpapakatatag para sa kaniyang long-time boyfriend na si Joseph Puducay, na tinamaan ng iba't ibang rare diseases.
Ang theater actor at former “To The Top” contestant ay na-diagnose ng mga sakit tulad ng nutcracker syndrome, nerve compression syndrome, at superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS), na nakaaapekto sa kaniyang digestive system at kidney. Ayon din sa pagsusuri ng mga doktor ni Joseph, meron din siyang tinatawag na mitral valve prolapse. Source:
Angelica Panganiban
Hindi makapaniwala ang actress-vlogger na si Angelica Panganiban nang malaman niya na may sakit siyang avascular necrosis.
Ayon sa hopkinsmedicine.org, ang avascular necrosis is a disease that results from the temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to the bone. When blood supply is cut off, the bone tissue dies and the bone collapses.
Sa vlog entry ni Angelica nitong November 2023, umamin ito na nakakabigla na magkakaroon siya ng ganitong klaseng sakit.
Lahad niya, “Kasi ang cause ng avascular necrosis ay steroids abused. Kung mapapansin n'yo na naman never lumaki 'yung katawan ko [laughs]. Never nga ako nagka-muscle sa buong katawan ko. So, hindi siya part ng lifestyle ko, hindi naman ako athlete. Hindi naman ako body-builder.”
Mahirap man ang sitwasyon, nanatili na nagpapakatatag ang fiancée ng businessman na si Gregg Homan.
“Patuloy ang pagiging positive na matatapos na 'yung kalbaryo dito sa nararamdaman ko, dahil finally napin-point namin kung ano talaga 'yung sakit ko.”
“I just can't believe na kumbaga at the age of 37 nagkaroon ako ng bone death. There was something dead inside me. I'm hoping na mabilis 'yung recovery ko, hopefully makapag-trabaho na uli ako next year [2024].”
