B(r)e(a)st Wishes Part 3

And so eto na nga, after two weeks of waiting (hindi ka makatulog, lagi mo iniisip kung malapit ka na mamatay, yes ganun ka-morbid. Lord, kailangan pa po ako ng mga anak ko 😭😭😭) and calling and exchanging texts and PMs with my doctor and with the histopath nurse, I got their separate messages that the results are in. Mainit-init pa...

Final diagnosis: ductal carcinoma in situ, moderate grade. Hindi cancer but it can be, it can progress to that. Kaya continue ang monitoring. What I am thankful for is buti naalis ng buo. Buti naagapan. Hindi pa kumalat. What if, hindi ko pinapansin yung advice na magpacheck ako. It could have been worse. Our decision to choose surgery was indeed correct. Follow up ultrasound after 3 months (na tumawad pa ko. Doc, sabi ko, pwede po ba January na lang? Na-max out ko na po kasi ang outpatient benefit ko. Pumayag naman). But wait, there's more: may additional test on the specimen to check if it will react to the meds, if yes, ayun bibigyan ako ng meds, parang hormone therapy daw. As Doc Bing said, let's do what we have to do, whether I can reimburse it pa or not. Another two weeks of waiting. But at least now, I can say, it's not cancer. At hindi pa ko madededz (read: masamang damo LOL) ☠☠☠

A few takeaways:

Don't take APEs and results/recommendations for granted. While our bodies don't lie, may sasakit at sasakit later on (lalo na sa mga ehem 40s na gaya ko), minsan, traydor din eh. Hindi mo alam na meron na palang something kasi hindi mo naman nakakapa or napapansin, you feel ok, walang masakit. 😷😷😷

If you are postponing surgical procedures or any medical ek ek, kasi feeling mo mahirap isingit sa trabaho, eh mali tayo. Hindi mauubos ang trabaho, pero ang panahon, oo. Don't feel like hihinto ang pagikot ng mundo kasi wala ka. Your team mates will understand. If you have the means, the resources, the support, unahin mo ang health (with emphasis on the means, resources - kasi baka ma-offend yung iba, sabihin porke ikaw narereimburse mo). I realized that you cannot do your job well kung may health problem ka or health concerns. Araw-araw, may iniisip ka, may iniinda ka. Pano mo haharapin ang projects mo nang maayos? Hindi masama ang self-care. True, natambakan ako after 2 weeks, and ang hirap mag-bounce back, para kong disoriented. Di ko alam where to start. Pero at least, na-X mo na siya sa To Do list mo. And yung walang kapalit na peace of mind. Bawi na lang 👩‍⚕️👩‍⚕️👩‍⚕️

I am blessed to have a support system. I have my loving family and friends, and colleagues na parang mga kapatid ko na rin. Yung prayers, yung concern. Ramdam mo eh. Nakakahiya actually magkwento ng mga health problems, minsan hindi ka comfortable, or yung kausap mo may not be comfortable. Lalo na kung gender-specific yung condition. But some things need to be shared, some tales have to be told. Hindi mo pwedeng i-contain sa sarili mo. Blessed to have my siblings. And a few close friends. Get help, if you must. Gaya ng kumare ko, Mareng Dra. Joy, special shout-out sa iyo. Love you, bagets. You are a proof na totoo ang statement na "I am just a message away" at hindi fake news. Doktora ng Bayan na always very generous and accommodating. Sa kanya ako actually nag-trust. Whenever she gives me medical advice, sinusunod ko talaga. Ng buong family even. Sabi ko, if Joy told me, Pam wag ka magpa-surgery, wag muna. Magpa-2nd opinion ka. Susundin ko sya talaga. That's what happened nun sa thyroid concerns ko. She also referred me to my endocrinologist whom I have been seeing for 4 years now. Ganyan ako ka-clingy LOL 🤗🤗🤗

Lastly, naramdaman ko ang bunga ng pagtratrabaho nang mahusay. Yung alam mo na may malasakit sa iyo. Na kahit minsan, gumagapang na ko sa pagpasok (ang OA, wfh nga eh), my Company loves me back. The feeling is mutual. Kung pano ko siya mahal, ganun din nya ko kamahal. I love you, InLife. 💙🧡 #ALifetimeForGood

So...this is all for now. Thank you for dropping by. My story is not yet The End. But I have to move on...Life goes on...and the Lord is watching over us. Kahit minsan, hindi natin deserved. 🙏🙏🙏

~talesofthegoodgirl