I can also title this post as “Chronicles of Chalazia” or “Hello, Bye, Granuloma.” Long story, quick reflection.
It was an eventful 3rd birthday for our Little Kuya and quite a physically stretching one for ze parents. Ethan celebrated his third birthday last Thursday. It was a week since he had some inflammation on his right lower eyelid and a few days since we noticed that there was a bump inside his lid. We sent pics and vids to his pedia who referred us to a pedia optha.
Thursday
We had planned out Ethan’s day. He will wake up to surprise new toys and then he will decorate his cake (his request). We’ll have lunch with family. And then maybe I can squeeze in a quick surprise hello to our team who had a major event that afternoon.
But then pedia optha said she needed to see Ethan right away. We went to her clinic in QC that morning, giving more time for Pao and Noah to assemble the surprise toys. That’s when we found out that the inner eyelid bump was a benign tumerous cyst. Apparently it was months in the making for it to be that big, and Ethan would have had a high pain tolerance that it was only found out now. He was scheduled for its excision the following Wednesday.
Back to the celebration at home, we did the cake decorating, lunch, and surprise toys with mixed emotions as parents. We also found out we needed to leave for Tagaytay the following day instead of the weekend. Packing for six including twin babies and a toddler means it’s thoughtful packing so we don’t forget things. Oh and apparently we needed to have Ethan worked up Friday morning to get his pedia clearance in time for Wednesday.
Friday to Sunday
Fri to Sun we stayed at Asian Village Tagaytay (hit me up for friends and fam discount). Though traveling now is physically demanding for both me and Pao, the cool weather and fresh air was, well, a breath of fresh air!
Monday to Tuesday
On Monday we went to his pedia for clearance. All good. From here until Tuesday I had multiple calls from the hospital for anesth clearance and further preps and briefings. I love how friendly the docs and staff all were and how they gave me the right info and enough details at the right time. It helped me prepare Ethan mentally and emotionally. Finally got anesth clearance.
Wednesday
Wednesday it is. 7 am. We had to leave home at 5:30 in the morning for what would be the longest I’ll be away from the twins so far. Milk supply doesn’t have room for extension except to deplete my frozen stash which was then only good for a few hours too!
Just like how we briefed Ethan, we went to the hospital, changed clothes, doctors checked his eye, and then both of us went to the optha OR. He was given a mask to inhale anesth gas, which he didn’t like and so we had to restrain him (I was briefed about this). He slept. Then when he woke up, he woke up to a patch on his eye but “no more na painful.” We waited for him to be more awake while Pao settled the bill. We walked to the parking lot and when I saw our car, I recalled that this was the same parking lot 9 years ago where we prayed and cried together in the car as we prayed for Brei when we met with her doctors back then. We rode the car where he was excited to eat his “pink and purple bread” aka kalihim from The Blue Kitchen, one of his faves! He also requested to eat chicken and “pansit with cheese” (pasta). The Daddy also offered to buy him a toy while we wait for our food—medyo nabudol si Pao dito but his father heart just gave in, and was himself coping from what his just-turned-3yo went through. We went home with a normal happy and funny but still shy Ethan, with an eye patch but “no more na painful.” And then Pao and I both fell asleep. My 1-hour nap felt like a full recharge before I had to feed the twins again.
Facts and Faith
While waiting for our transfer to the optha OR, I realized I was basically headstrong throughout the whole endeavor. It’s my fight response. I am generally calm and stable. Mind over matter. But as Ethan and I were praying, I also reflected on my faith being on the facts: it’s a simple procedure and it’s benign. “Thank You for the facts. May my faith remain in You,” I said and prayed again for the doctors, staff, Ethan, and his procedure.”I’ve got you,” that’s what I felt God tell me. The same message when I birthed the twins.
It’s an “I’ve got you” season for us in many aspects. I couldn’t be more grateful and at peace.
I pray that no matter what facts surround you today, you face them with faith in Christ. God’s got us. Emmanuel, God with us!
