ABET GUIDABEN IN DIRE STRAITS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Two-time PBA Most Valuable Player and one of the outstanding centers of the pro league and a member of the famed Crispa Redmanizers whose battles against four-time MVP Mon Fernandez were a highlight of the glory era of PBA basketball, is in dire straights.
Former PBA star Abe King, president of the PBA Legends USA Foundation informed us through secretary general Ruddy Ignacio that Guidaben ?is stricken by a serious ailment called Myasthenia Gravis.?
Medical journals state that ?initial symptoms of MG may include difficulty speaking (dysarthria), difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), drooping eyelids (ptosis), and double vision (diplopia). Patients often have nasal-sounding speech and weak neck muscles that give the head a tendency to fall forward or backward. These symptoms occur in about 90% of MG cases, are usually intermittent (i.e., come and go), and may disappear for weeks and then recur.
Generalized weakness often develops in the trunk, arms, and legs within a year of onset. Arm muscles usually are affected most severely. Muscle weakness tends to worsen as the day progresses, especially after prolonged activity.?
Complications of Myasthenic crisis are listed as ? a medical emergency that develops when muscles that control breathing become severely weakened. This condition may lead to acute respiratory failure and patients often require a respirator to assist breathing during the crisis. Other complications that may develop include choking, food aspiration, and pneumonia..?
Ignacio said that Guidaben was showing signs of the disease when he showed up in Chicago from New Jersey last June 19 at the Foundation?s benefit game to raise funds for scholarship to poor students in the Philippines. He came with tapes atop his eyelids to prevent them from covering his eyes.?
Guidaben said ? he had to come because he could not turn his back on the youth in the Philippines. To make matters worse, during the game, he dislocated the index finger of his left hand. ?
Among his colleagues in the Chicago game were Billy Ray Bates, the high-flying ?Black Superman? who was Guidaben?s Crispa teammate and the most exciting import in the history of the PBA, Abe King, Francis Arnaiz, Yoyoy Villamin, Elmer Lago, Ponky Alolor, Peter Aguilar, Boy Valera, Etok Lobo, Manny Victorino, Django Rivera, Bryan Punsalan,Topex Robinson, Ricky Relosa, Tim Coloso and Pastor Eddie Boy Mendoza.
King said that in the past eight days Guidaben has been in the ICU of a hospital in New Jersey suffering from difficulties in speaking (dysarthria), swallowing (dysphagia), and double vision. His speech has become nasal-sounding, his breathing short. He has become weak. He is being administered with steroids to arrest the spread of the disease. Abet?s dutiful wife, Maridol, has applied for government assistance for the continued hospitalization of Abet because they do not have sufficient insurance to cover the costs.
King and his colleagues in the Foundation, notably Ruffy Ignacio, Francis Arnaiz, and Roland Abilo, are busy preparing the groundwork for a benefit basketball game in Los Angeles to be held soonest, featuring PBA Legends residing in the USA. The proceeds will be donated to Abet and his family.
King has requested the public to pray for Abet?s recovery. He has also requested for any financial assistance from Guidaben's well-wishers.
Top photo: Abet Guidaben towers over his fans during a photo-opt in Chicago last June.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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