Eric Quizon revealed for the first time that his father, King of Comedy Dolphy, is suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a long-term progressive disease of the lungs which primary results to difficulty of breathing. “He was diagnosed five years ago of COPD. It’s a progressive disease. Para siyang cancer pero ‘di siya kasing grabe ng cancer. When you say progressive that means yung body niya basta patuloy lang siyang manghihina. COPD is like emphysema, para mas madaling maintindihan [ng tao]. Five years ago sinabihan na siya na stage four yung sakit niya na yun. When you say stage four in cancer terms, very critical na yun,” said Eric in a live interview with Korina Sanchez in TV Patrol, Wednesday, June 20.

In spite of his improving condition a few days ago, Dolphy’s kidneys suddenly weakened and his body wasn’t responding to treatment due to another complication called toxic metabolic encephalopathy. “Last Tuesday, six hours siyang naka-breathe on his own, tapos nung binalik siya sa respirator, overnight yung kidneys niya parang humihina. Ang nangyari nagkaroon ng complication toxic metabolic encephalopathy, meaning hindi na masyadong gumagana yung mga gamot na ina-administer sa kanya. Kumbaga, yung toxins napupunta sa ibang parte ng katawan. So last night parang nagkakaroon siya ng parang spasms. Sabi ng doctor baka it’s because of his condition. Kaya biglang this morning kinailangan niya ng dugo, that’s why we’re transfusing blood sa kanya. Nanghihina na talaga yung kanyang kidneys.” Eric added that Dolphy’s still under observation especially because his critical condition might lead to sepsis according to the doctors.

Eric further explained that Dolphy has been admitted to the hospital two Saturdays ago as he was suffering of pneumonia and Helios then. “Siya mismo ang nagsabi na dalhin niyo ako sa ospital kasi nahihirapan ako huminga. Nung time na yun, parang nahihirapan siya, may pneumonia siya, at the same time meron siyang Helios or potassium deficiency. After a few days, na-relieve naman, kasi he was constipated for the longest time. And then it came to a point na he collapsed. Yun yung kinakatakutan ng family na umabot sa point na ire-respirate siya kasi ‘pag dumating sa punto na yun, yun na yun e. Yun yung stage na meron na siyang tube talaga. So yun ang ayaw naming mangyari, so we tried our best na hindi siya ma-respirate.”

Eric said that the last time he was able to talk to Dolphy was right before the latter collapsed last June 12. “What happened on Tuesday, nakausap ko pa siya, ‘Hi dad, how are you?’ Ang sagot niya sa akin, ‘I’m still alive. I’m ok, but not really ok’. Nakakausap pa namin siya. Pagkatapos nun bigla siya nag-collapse. In-Ambu bag namin siya, nagre-respond [naman siya] yung oxygen niya, tumataas naman sa ideal level, pero mabilis siyang bumababa. Meaning, sa sobrang taas ng carbon dioxide sa katawan niya... Kasi ang nangyayari nakaka-inhale siya ng oxygen, hindi niya masyadong nailalabas yung carbon dioxide. Kapag tumataas ang carbon dioxide level mo medyo delikado ‘yan, that’s the time it affects your brain kaya nagko-collapse. Right there and then we try to put him in a stable state. But hindi namin marating yun so that’s why we have to respirate [him]. Ni-respirate namin siya, [and] that’s when he stabilized,” prior to the weakening of his kidneys.

But ever since he collapsed last week, Dolphy is still unable to speak and only responds through slight body movements. “He’s in and out of consciousness. Hindi talaga siya nakakausap ng diretsahan, hindi siya talaga nakakasagot. But he responds through his eyes, eyebrows, minsan dinidiinan niya yung kamay niya ‘pag hinahawakan namin siya. Gumagalaw siya, he twitches, may mga ganong pagkakataon. Kaya alam naming naririnig niya. Sabi din naman ng doctor na he hears yung mga pinaguusapan namin o mga sinasabi namin sa kanya.”

In the meantime, Eric thanks the people for their continuous prayers and promises to provide a medical bulletin about his father’s condition every now and then. “He is [a fighter]. I know even though he's not responding back to us, maski hindi siya nakakapagsalita, miski hindi niya kami kinakausap, alam namin lumalaban siya. He’s still hanging on. Kaya we’re all hoping na makakasama pa namin siya ng matagal or at least makasama nating lahat.”