Surgeries take a toll on someone's physical and mental well-being. For Angelica Panganiban, she endured it all with the help of her loving family and friends—and seeing it in her latest vlog makes us very happy for her as she takes on the road to recovery.
ICYMI, the 37-year-old actress and mom underwent several medical procedures this July 2024. She shared everything in her recent YouTube vlog—from the preparation before their surgery date until she finished the operation.
Her husband, Gregg Homan, stayed with her throughout her confinement at the hospital. At one point in the vlog, Angelica asked Gregg if he was scared and nervous about the procedures she was taking. Her husband cheerfully said, "No, you've got this," while massaging Angelica's hips.
Angelica also expressed she was more excited than nervous to do the surgery. She said that it's something that she's been looking forward to since she felt chronic pain two years ago. "Actually, hindi ako kinakabahan. Mas excited ako to do this," she declared.
The actress also shared candid moments of her crying because she missed her daughter Amila—her bedtime buddy—as she stayed at the hospital for almost a week.
Angelica's pain and worries were evident throughout the vlog. But she tried her very best to overcome everything. Thankfully also, Gregg was there to take care of her—from prepping her meals, to helping her bathe, and of course, giving her all the moral support she needed.
Before the vlog ended, Angelica explained why she had to undergo the sudden surgery. For context, it was in 2023 that she got diagnosed with avascular necrosis and found out that her hip bone had already died. According to Mayo Clinic, it's a condition where bone tissue dies because of a lack of blood supply. She recalled that weeks ago, her body seemed to give up as she experienced extreme vomiting and limping, which led her to consult with experts. Her doctors noted that the resolution was for her to get hip replacement surgery. But they couldn't recommend it because of her young age.
And so the doctors who handled Angelica's case made a workaround. They opted for cord decompression surgery to be able to end the pain that the celebrity has been experiencing for more than two years now.
Angelica explained that the procedure drilled through her bones to be able to release tension from the damaged area of her body. Aside from that, more medical treatments were given to Angelica in one week at the hospital.
She explained, "Nag-drill sila ng butas sa buto ko para magkaroon ng blood flow and ma-release ng tensions. Multiple holes. Tig-tatlo bawat balakang. Kasama 'dun kinuhaan ako ng bone marrow aspiration. There's bone stimulation and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) so may tatlong medicines na binigay sakin na makakatulong sa pag-slow down ng aking pag-collapse ng hips ko," Angelica detailed.
She added her hopes of completely healing through proper care and therapy. "Naniniwala ako sa milagro na hindi ko na kakailanganin ang hip replacement."
Angelica Panganiban emotional about her health diagnosis
It was late in 2023 when Angelica talked about how she had a hard time processing the news of her diagnosis. She candidly shared in the interview how heartbreaking it was for her to be diagnosed with such a disease, especially since she has become a mother to her firstborn.
Angelica was diagnosed with avascular necrosis, which she described as "bone death." She relayed the information she received from her doctor, saying, "Kumbaga namatay ang hip bone ko. Nawalan na siya ng blood flow, hindi niya kayang gumaling on its own. Kailangan ng tulong, like ng operation, hip replacement, mga ganyan."
Sadness and uneasiness hit Angelica upon hearing her medical diagnosis. "So nung naririnig ko ito, 'Wait lang magte-37 pa lang ako.' Tapos ngayon pa lang natutupad ang mga pangarap ko sa buhay. Sabi ko, 'Pero bakit naman medyo unfair?' Gusto ko pang i-enjoy ang mga ibinibigay sa akin," Angelica remarked.
Amid her difficult time as someone with avascular necrosis, the right people surrounding her gave her the strength to go on with life and in love. Angelica and Gregg first had an intimate wedding in Los Angeles, California on December 31, 2023. Months later, in April 2024, they had their dream beach wedding in Siargao together with all their family and friends.
