Kapuso actress and comedian Maureen Larrazabal revealed in a show that she went blind for two years after she slept without removing her contact lenses. Yet, despite that experience and other difficulties she has encountered, she chooses to look at them in a positive light.
Maureen brought up this tragic experience after her co-actress Mikee Quintos, who hosts the show, asked how she came up with the humor that she has.
“Hindi talaga kasi ako maarteng tao, hindi ako madrama. ‘Yung lahat na bagay, I make it light. Alam mo sa dami ng pinagdaanan ko, ‘pag kinwento ko, maiiyak ka,” she responded.
The actress-comedian recalled her struggles from her teenage years until she got blind.
“At an early age, lumayas ako. Tumira ako sa simbahan. Nabalian ako ng likod. Totoo, pilay ako ah. Nabulag ako for two years,” she revealed. “Pero lahat ‘yun hindi ko siya ininda. Parang feeling ko, kung iiiyak ko ‘to, walang mangyayari sa buhay ko. So, if I have a problem, I need to do something about it instead of me crying or dadramahan ko ‘yung buhay.”
Talking about the injury, Maureen said she had a pseudomonas infection in the eyes the caused her temporary blindness.
“Bulag ako, two years. Natulog ako nang may contact lens, tapos tumitigas ‘yun ‘di ba kapag hindi ka nag-drops. Na-slit open ko ‘yung cornea, pinasukan ng pseudomonas, so pumasok siya sa mata. Pagpasok sa mata ko, few hours lang, that bacteria will melt your eye in 24 hours, ganon siya katindi,” she explained.
According to her, she was in Hongkong when this incident occurred, but she only had a corneal transplant when she went home to Philippines at the Makati Medical Center.
In an interview with the Manila Bulletin in 2024, Maureen said she sought immediate medical aid from a hospital in Hongkong when she felt the "unbearable pain." but eventually decided to go home due to a communication issue.
"Napakahirap talaga mag communicate sa kanila, and one thing that really registered was nung sinabi nila na go home blind," she said.
In the show, the Kapuso actress-comedian shared how grateful she is to her network: “Kaya thankful ako sa GMA kasi during that time hindi nila ako tinanggalan ng show. May pinagdaanan ako, pero I have something to look forward to. Every week, pumapasok ako nang naka-shades.”
By Clarence Gillego