Ateneo guard Trina Guytingco (13) tested positive for COVID-19. UAAP Media.
MANILA - Former Ateneo guard Trina Guytingco is counting her blessings after recovering from COVID-19.
"I was healthy, and I ended up getting it," said Guytingco during an episode of "So She Did" presented by SMART.
"I was sick for a week, but thank God that I was able to recover and beat it," she added.
Guytingco has been in California for the duration of the pandemic, but she attended a basketball camp in Las Vegas in the second week of July which likely exposed her to the virus.
The Lady Eagle said she was following all health and safety protocols before going to the camp, including wearing masks and observing physical distancing.
She began feeling sick two days after the camp, and soon received the news that one of her teammates tested positive for the novel coronavirus. On July 14, she underwent free swab testing at a local COVID-19 facility, but had to wait for two weeks to receive the result.
The whole time that she was waiting for the result of her test, Guytingco said she acted as though she had COVID-19.
"I treated myself like I was positive, and my family treated me like I was positive," she said. "They did their best to wear masks, disinfect properly everything and anything I could've possibly touched. I was just in my room for two whole weeks."
She experienced the symptoms of COVID-19, including fever and body aches. Guytingco said it was hard for her to walk around for a whole week, as her body was "hurting and aching everywhere."
The whole experience was "nerve-wracking" for the athlete. "I didn't know what was about to happen," she said. "Because when you have contact with the virus, it just messes with your head."
"You keep on thinking about the tragic stories of COVID-19, like what if you deteriorate all of a sudden?" she said. "It was a very rough week for me. I can tell you, there were a lot of ups and downs with my mental state."
Guytingco received the result of her test just last Wednesday -- a positive result. She had a rapid test done on Thursday and another swab test on Friday, and this time, she got a negative result.
While still not fully recovered, Guytingco is now feeling much better.
"I've been feeling amazing," she said. "Since I passed the 14-day quarantine mark, I've been able to go outside for a walk, but obviously, with a mask on."
After her experience, Guytingco hopes that people will take the threat of the virus seriously.
"Please wash your hands, please keep wearing masks, please remind your loved ones to wear masks as well, because COVID is still out there, and you don't know who can be infected," said Guytingco.
"We still don't know how much this virus can get," she also said.
(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website).