Kris Aquino’s drastic weight loss is evident in these photos dated March 20 and September 26, respectively. Instagram/@krisaquino
Two weeks after alarming her fans over her drastic weight loss, Kris Aquino revealed on Thursday the diagnosis that had her son “crying inconsolable tears,” and which would affect “the rest of my existence.”
The 47-year-old actress-host was recently in Singapore to seek medical attention after having lost 15 pounds in one month. That health scare, she said at the time, was the toll of a business “betrayal” which she is now planning to take to court.
On Instagram early Thursday, hours after finally resuming work after over a month of falling ill, Aquino received the final diagnosis from the doctor she had consulted in Singapore.
“Now I’m ready to open my heart... I’m sharing our story for you to understand the pain my family endured," she began. "Ang hirap madiskubreng may malaking perang pinaghirapan kitain na ginastos ng walang pahintulot para sa luho ng taong pinagkatiwalaan mo — kahit na milyones na ang kinita nya galing sa ‘yo.”
Aquino first mentioned the “financial abuse” in late September, a few days before her photo appearing gaunt surfaced and alarmed her fans. She said then that the “devastating pain” of being betrayed had taken a physical toll on her.
“Bumagsak po ang katawan ko, in one month I lost 15 pounds. I was scared. Our mom had unexplained weight loss before her cancer diagnosis. That’s why I had my series of blood tests. This is our truth,” she said in her Instagram post on Thursday.
Aquino was referring to her mother, former President Corazon Aquino, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2008 and passed away a year later.
Among the medical tests Aquino underwent, according to her previous posts, was for tumor markers, “to answer that fear.” The results were all negative.
“My initial diagnosis indicated an autoimmune disease… To be specific, we were afraid it was lupus,” she said.
Aquino said cases involving celebrities, such as American pop star Selena Gomez, had made her aware of the condition. Gomez revealed her battle with lupus in 2015, and as treatment, became the recipient of kidney transplant in 2017.
Referring to her sons, Joshua and Bimby, Aquino wrote: “Kuya was anxious and confused. Bimb knew Selena’s journey. It was heartbreaking to see my 11-year-old crying inconsolable tears and pleading, ‘Please don’t leave me mama.’ Bimb even offered me his kidney.”
“Ang pera, magsipag ako, kikitain ulit. Pero hindi po mabibili ang extension sa buhay. Kaya nagmadali kaming lumipad ng Singapore for me to get the most thorough medical evaluation,” she continued.
Her final diagnosis, Aquino shared, is chronic spontaneous urticaria, “and yes, mine is an autoimmune disease.”
Explaining the condition, she said: “I am now, and for the rest of my existence will be, on high dosage antihistamines and having the EpiPen will always be crucial. Severe allergies are life threatening because of anaphylactic shock.”
These are aside from her ongoing, earlier treatments for hypertension since 2015, and for severe migraines.
Addressing her followers on social media, Aquino went on: “You know my life’s journey. Thank you for being with me through the tears and victories. I am proof, love makes us strong. Because we know why we are fighting... For me, it’s for my health because two people I love more than life itself still need me for at least 10 more years.
“My prayer is simple, to raise my youngest son to become a responsible adult who’ll care for his kuya, then God already blessed me more than I deserve.”