Dolphy still critical, but stable

Comedy king Dolphy Quizon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Comedy King Dolphy was still in a “critical state, but stable,” his family said Monday night.

“After the tracheostomy, Dolphy’s condition has shown significant improvement,” according to a statement read by Eric Nubla Jr., head of patient relations at the Makati Medical Center, where the comedian has been confined at the intensive care unit (ICU) since last week.

Dolphy, 83, underwent the medical procedure on Saturday night “to make it easier for his organs to function properly,” his son Eric Quizon said on Sunday.

A tracheostomy is a surgical procedure where an opening is made in the neck to the trachea or  windpipe to allow a patient to breathe easier.

Nubla said Dolphy’s vital organs were “functioning well and all other improvements reported before have remained the same.”

But he added that “despite the improvement in his hemoglobin level, his platelets are really low, as well as the potassium level in his system.”

Nubla also said there were signs of hematoma on Dolphy’s skin. “These are sort of blotches on the skin,” he explained. “The low-platelet count could be related to the blotching.”

The doctor also reported that a blood transfusion was still being performed, “which was to be followed by another session of a (kidney) dialysis.”

Dolphy underwent dialysis for almost seven hours on Sunday. Eric said that since his father’s body responded well to it, this would be performed on him as long as he needed it.

Nubla added that the comedian’s condition was “relatively the same.”

He said that Eric, who was the family’s designated spokesperson, was “not available” to speak before reporters on Monday. “He asked me to speak in his behalf. Updates, now that things were a bit stable, will be shorter and less.”

Nubla reported that only family members and close friends were allowed to visit Dolphy. “The family would always screen those who visit,” he added. “I guess supporters would just have to pray for him at a distance for now.”

Originally posted: June 25, 2012 | 9:41 pm