An Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Dubai is suffering from a rare medical condition called Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL), which has caused her to be overwhelmed by AED1.4 million in hospital bill debt as of today, February 15, 2024.
OPLL is a medical condition where the ligament located at the back of the spine, called the posterior longitudinal ligament, starts to harden and turn into bone. This process can cause the ligament to become stiff and thicker, which may put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. It can cause the patient to have problems in moving certain parts of the body.
A source reached out to The Filipino Times with concerns for the patient, which is why we spoke to the family and asked about the condition of the OFW.
Maria Carolina, 52 years old, is currently confined in a private hospital in Dubai. For nine months now, she has been intubated in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to help her breathe after her surgery which was done in early 2023.
In an interview with The Filipino Times, her 28-year-old and only son, Ace, shared her mother’s journey in battling her condition and how it led them to their million-dirham debt.
Diagnoses, surgeries, recoveries
In the Philippines, Maria worked in the media and entertainment industry. Being a producer in one of the major television networks in the country, she has been a part of several primetime TV shows and special shows for the network.
In 2011, she chose to leave the life she had in the Philippines and move to Dubai in an attempt to save her marriage. However, it eventually fell apart, leaving her to become a single mom to her son.
When she went to the Philippines for a vacation in 2015, she complained of experiencing numbness in her legs while they were walking in the mall. When she came back to Dubai, she had it checked and was diagnosed with different conditions. She consulted various doctors which resulted in different diagnoses and treatment plans.
Despite having a condition that made her legs weak and numb, and after undergoing a series of tests and surgeries, she recovered and was able to walk again, but assisted with a cane or walker.
As she went back to living a normal life, she then got diagnosed again with another disease, which drastically changed her life.
In 2023, she was diagnosed with OPLL. Thanks to a spine specialist, they discovered that she was born with this condition.
“There’s a gray area in the spinal cord which causes impingement or blockage sa spinal cord. From the brain, hindi nagse-send ng maayos ung signals na kailangan i-deliver. The doctor said she had 90% spinal cord compression,” Ace explained.
According to Ace, her mom’s body got used to the almost full spinal cord compression, that’s why when it was altered, it took some time for her body to adjust to what was done to her.
After the surgery, Maria was doing well. But her spinal cord got swollen and she complained of difficulty in breathing, so she had to be intubated.
“It was an emergency situation. Mala-Grey’s Anatomy na ‘yung datingan. I had to be escorted out of the ICU. Sinarahan ako ng kurtina,” Ace vividly recalled.
“The next time I went back to the ICU, nakita ko siya naka-tubo na. And her eyes, parang wala ng kaluluwa kasi sobrang lunod sa anaesthesia. When her breathing was taken away, her mobility was taken away as well,” he added.
Speaking frankly to them, the doctor said that Maria was not supposed to be alive considering her condition. She needed to undergo a revision surgery that would take out the bone causing the compression and causing her breathing problems.
Ace asked her mom if she could still deal with another surgery, considering she just went through a major operation. Maria, determined to regain some normalcy in her life, responded with a few strong words, “Anak, ayoko kasi ng ‘what ifs’.”
Months after the surgeries, she was able to speak again and move her left arm.
Ace recalled a very specific moment where her mom’s heart stopped for a few seconds. He said his eyes couldn’t believe what he saw, as that scene only takes place in movies.
“I was looking at her. Nakita ko ‘yung kaluluwa na lumabas sa katawan nya. ‘Yung mata niya nag-cross, wala ng direction. Tapos huminto ‘yung puso niya for 15 seconds. ’Yung monitor nagtutunugan and after a few seconds the nurses were there giving CPR and all that stuff. Thankfully, she returned after 15 seconds. She wasn’t defibrillated, pero bumalik lang talaga siya.”
Facing the financial giant
Despite great improvements and miracles in her condition, they are still not out of the woods yet. Having to deal with her mom’s condition is one thing, but facing the biggest financial obligation of their lives is another.
As of writing, their hospital bill stands at AED1.4 million or approximately Php21.3 million, and running. Without medical insurance, they face endless bills for medicines and treatments, leaving them trapped in a financial crisis.
With the weight of the world on his shoulders, Ace does everything he can to cover her mom’s hospital bills while also providing food and shelter for himself.
As a 28-year-old, he feels like time is catching up to him with all the responsibilities and all the things he had to put on pause to focus on taking care of her mom.
“Mentally I am struggling. But I am still working everyday, kasi I have to provide for myself to provide for her. Hindi pwedeng magbabantay ako sa hospital at wala akong ginagawa,” Ace said.
Ace shared that he has already reached out to several charities and organizations including Emirates Red Crescent, the International Charity Organization in Ajman, and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO)’s Assistance to Nationals (ATN). He has also been juggling his full-time work, gigs, and the stock market.
Aside from her mom’s medical bills that cover her past surgeries, room charges in the ICU, and medications, they also need sufficient funds to cover her therapy sessions which will help her move her hands and feet again. Currently, Maria’s condition hinders her from moving and breathing properly.
The hospital, doing its job, follows up with Ace religiously with their financial obligations. However, as of now, they do not have the full money to pay for them.
“Kaya niya mag-recover, wala lang talaga kaming pera and hindi enough ‘yung resources namin,” he stated.
Taking the next step
Now, a dilemma arises—is sending her mom home to the Philippines to get treatment the right move? Or she can recover and survive here with the help of people?
“Kapag papauwiin ko sa Pinas si mama, gagastos din sa airfare and sa medical team na sasama sa kanya, and there’s no assurance na may tatanggap na hospital sa kanya. Also, would I be comfortable not seeing my mom? I still have to provide financially kung uuwi siya sa Pinas. Pero kung magpro-provide ako, bakit ‘di na lang ‘yung nakikita ko siya?” Ace said.
As Ace continues to reach out to various people, organizations, and charities for financial help, he clings to the last string of hope he has—the image of her mom walking again as they live a normal, happy life, just like they did before.
