Dolphy suffers new bout of pneumonia

MANILA (Updated) -- Comedy King Dolphy is suffering from new bout of pneumonia, his son, film director Eric Quizon, said Friday.

Eric, in a press conference Friday evening at the Makati Medical Center, said his father has pneumonia on both sides of his lungs.

This is Dolphy's 11th bout of the illness in 11 months.

The doctors also stopped the dialysis of the comedian around 11 a.m. Friday and Dolphy platelets are down to 46,000 from Thursday’s 77,000.

However, his hemoglobin level is up, which is good, said Eric.

"Yesterday (Thursday) was a big improvement on his health. Today (Friday), may improvement pero meron ding naging complications. That's the problem with this sickness talaga. Nagkakaroon ng domino effect dahil naapektuhan yung ibang organs niya," the film director added.

"That's why he's very prone to hemorrhaging. Now the problem is he developed a temperature. They are now administering antibiotics again. I think during the dialysis, it helped the lungs to get rid of the extra fluids. Siguro napagod," Eric also said.

Although there's no big improvement on his health, Eric said Dolphy is responsive but still can't speak.

"Nakikita namin na nahihirapan siya pero inasure kami ng mga doctors na hindi niya yun nararamdaman," he said.

The film director also revealed that the Comedy King responded when long-time partner Zsa Zsa Padilla called his name.

When asked about the state of the whole Quizon clan, the director/actor said they've been in a roller coaster ride.

"It is like a roller coaster ride for us. Minsan mataas kami, minsan mababa. Pag maganda ang resulta ng vitals niya, pag may nakita kaming mga problema, nagiging down kami," he said.

When asked about Zsa Zsa, Eric said: "She's holding up. She's trying her best to cope with the situation."

He added: "Yung pinagdadaanan ng daddy ko eh yun din ang pinagdadaanan ng pamilya."

Two of Eric's siblings arrived Friday, while their oldest brother Manny is expected to arrive in Manila on Saturday.

Asked on clamors for the National Artist award for his dad, Eric said they don't want to discuss things not related to his father's health.

"Right now, I want my dad's health to improve. Saka na lang natin pag-usapan yang National Artist. If they are going to give it to him, thank you very much," he said. (Sunnex)