yesterday was exhausting

B and I formalized our permanent residence yesterday. Woke up at 5:30am so we could be at the ICA at 8am. We arrived there a few minutes before 8 and the line was so long already. Halos umikot sa buong building. We were let in at exactly 8am and we directly proceeded to the 5th floor to get our queue number and have our photos taken. We were there from 8 to about 11. Ang tagal maghintay. We will be getting our blue card next week.

From there we went to Orchard. B sent money back home and put some in our wedding fund in the Philippines. After that we had lunch at Wisma's Food Republic. I had the super delicious Chicken Masala set (served with rice and freshly made naan) from Chutney's, while B had malay food. We bought fraps at Starbucks after and caught up on our reading before we headed to KK Children and Women's Hospital around 2pm.

I had an appointment with Dr Chuwa, my pretty breast doctor at the KK Breast Centre. As you know, I had this lump removed from my right breast two years ago (oo, 2006 pa yun). When I moved here, I made it a point to have my breasts monitored (since my aunt had breast cancer). I think I first saw Dr Chuwa May 2007. I've been seeing her every six months ever since because the lump was still there. Or maybe it grew back. My left breast is okay. The mammos and ultrasound films are clear.

But this lump on my right breast is stubborn. Dr Chuwa did an ultrasound scan on me yesterday and she said the lump grew--from 0.7cm to 1.4 cm. She said we now have a good reason to remove it. The smaller lump was also merging with the bigger lump. She scheduled me for a mammotome next week. A mammotome involves making a small cut on my breast, inserting a needle and sucking the lump out. Parang vacuum cleaner. Local anesthesia lang ang ibibigay sa akin.

I was relaxed all throughout the consultation. Mas kinabahan pa si Reden. However, when the nurse talked to me about the cost of the procedure, naubos lahat ng energy ko. It's so expensive!!! It could range from S$2,000 to a bit more than S$4,000 depending on the tests that the doctor will require and if she's going to put a marker in there. The mammotome will remove both lumps and to make monitoring easier, she could opt to put a marker in the hollow space that would be left.

Fortunately, B and I both have personal savings na pwede naming galawin. Nakakasama lang ng loob the thought that it could be wiped out. Pero health is wealth ika nga kaya hinga na lang ng malalim. I just pray na this would all be over after the procedure. Nakakapagod and nakakadeplete ng resources ito!

Buti na lang I could work from home kaya kung hindi man ako papasukin ni doc the following day, pwede ako sa bahay. Bawas sa leave without pay.

I'm completely relaxed about the lump. Whatever it turns out to be, pinapagpasa-Diyos ko na lang. It's useless to worry. I thank God because instead of getting depressed over it, I had it in me to feel blessed and grateful.

Grateful that I could afford to take care of my health.

That I have a very supportive family back home.

And that I have a wonderful man beside me.

Thank YOU po, amen.