Actress and mompreneur Bettina Carlos simply radiates positivity, but little did we know that she experienced a dark chapter in her life back in 2016.
Writing in the Manila Times, where she maintains a regular column, the single mom reveals that she became seriously ill in June to September of the past year.
She explained the reason behind her revelation through an Instagram post, writing that it was so “God will be glorified by it”. She waited for the right moment, too, because she was reserving it for the time “when the purpose of the pain has finally been revealed.”
A photo posted by Amanda Lucia “Gummy” Carlos (@gummybites7) on
Her family history of breast cancer only deepened her fear
It wasn’t easy. The 29-year-old mom recounts how she was in and out of the hospital for a series of blood works, check ups, and a biopsy. “At one point the doctors considered the possibility of having me checked for the Big C,” confided Bettina, who couldn’t believe it was even a possibility since she’s only in her 20s.
“Countless lumps on the soles of [her] feet, and I had suspicious nodes on my left axilla [her armpit]” made it difficult to move; it also kept her from doing tapings or baking for her pastry business.
Her family history of breast cancer—her paternal grandmother had the disease–deepened her fear.
During the time when she was awaiting her diagnosis, she kept herself busy, juggling “three TV shows, a child I send to school and tutor and cook for myself, a home-based business, a column and a blog to maintain.”
A total of eight doctors were stumped as to what her symptoms could mean; this uncertainty, Bettina recalls, put her in much more agony.
Next page: Most of all, she worried about her daughter Gummy
Though she believes that “pain always has a purpose,” she was preoccupied with worry, mostly for her 5-year-old daughter Gummy.
“I cried silently at night with my daughter sleeping soundly in my arms, not knowing if I may already be afflicted by cancer then,” she lamented. “The thought of leaving her so early saddened me, the many milestones I may never witness, the future I may not be able to secure.”
“The thought of leaving her so early saddened me, the many milestones I may never witness, the future I may not be able to secure.”
Her doctor finally diagnosed her with “extra-pulmonary TB.” Bettina shared that it was most likely due to her childhood history of TB [like primary complex].
“The strain just slept and was awoken by my very low immune system [from lack of sleep because of work and overfatigue, work-related also, hence the reason for resigning from taping soap operas],” explained the GMA-7 actress.
A photo posted by Amanda Lucia “Gummy” Carlos (@gummybites7) on
Through this struggle, she found “rest for [her] soul and more time for Gummy to focus on my calling as a parent.”
This experience, though scary, served as a “wake-up call” for the young mom.
She began to wonder if it was God’s way of telling her to take better care of herself.
“Was He asking me to slow down because I was taking in more work than my physical body could manage?” wrote Bettina.
Through this struggle, she found “rest for [her] soul and more time for Gummy to focus on my calling as a parent.”
It also made her realize what matters most in life.
“I realized that we are not put on this Earth just to work and overwork ourselves for bills and our increasingly high cost of living,” she wrote. “God also wants us to enjoy. And joy is found in so many things outside of an established career or a big bank account.”
READ: LJ Reyes on life as a single mom: “Parenting isn’t parenting without struggles”
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