How I Discovered Breast Lumps At The Age of 30 (Part 2)
Read here for Part 1 – How I Discovered Strange Breast Lumps At The Age Of 30 (Part 1)
My operation was set to be carried out at Damansara Specialist because of my insurance’s list of panel hospitals. The procedure is more straightforward. Damansara Specialist 2 is relatively new, so only a few insurances can cover the cost without going through pay and claim.
We set a date sometime in March. The nurse helped me out with the whole procedure. I gave all the information needed, and I was now waiting for the insurance company’s approval of my Guarantee Letter (GL).
This is the part where insurance companies could be really sneaky. Insurance companies will say yes to everything you ask before you go on board… If this happens, can insurance cover? Yes. If that happens, can insurance cover? Yes. Everything also can – lah basically.
Well, my GL was rejected by the insurance company…
For those who are new here, let me provide some context. I lived in France, where a fraction of my salary went towards the healthcare system. Therefore, I didn’t have to worry much about healthcare because I had easy access when needed.
Well, not in Malaysia. I came back to Malaysia and realized that insurance is essential. So, I signed up for insurance somewhere in mid-2021.
Little that I know that this insurance has a maturity period.
My GL was rejected because my diagnosis date (sometime around December 2022 or January 2023) was before my insurance policy maturity date. It may seem like a small detail, but it’s important to note that the policies in question have a maturity date, which I recently learned of.
If you are considering doing a health screening, check if your insurance has reached its maturity date. If there is something wrong with you, at least you’re covered. Whether it is for you, your husband, or your kids, ensure the insurance has passed its maturity date.
I was left with two options. Either proceed with pay and claim or postpone the date until my policy reaches its maturity date.
Definitely a no-no for pay and claim. I didn’t have the money, and looking at how the insurance company rejected my GL, they could also reject my pay and claim request for the same reason. Hence, I decided not to proceed with this option.
Of course, I postponed the operation date to a little later after the Eid celebration (with the doctor’s recommendation and advice)… Which meant that I had to deal with anxiety and worrying thoughts for the next few months.
A Waiting Game
Life still went on as usual. I was less worried after a while; work filled my thoughts most of the time. But somewhere behind my mind, I knew that it was bothering me.
By the time the Eid celebration ended, my insurance policy had reached its maturity date. I contacted the nurse again and asked her if we could do the operation.
We set a date for an operation, and I prayed for a miracle.
And guess what?
The miracle didn’t happen, ok! Four days before my newly appointed operation date, my second attempt at GL was rejected again!
Like, come on, man. Insurance gave the same reason. It was diagnosed before the maturity date. So, even if the policy has reached its maturity, the only way I can move forward is to pay and claim.
Can you imagine how I felt at that time?! Eeeekkk. I wanted to strangle somebody.
Like comeee onnnnnnn. Really? I’ve been paying like a good citizen every month, and I can’t even claim when my health is at risk?
It was challenging. I didn’t know what to do. At this point in time, I just went back to my parent’s place. Lay down on the floor in the living room like a piece of meat slab.
I asked for their advice. I told them how my GL got rejected twice and needed guidance.
Out of nowhere, my dad asked, “Have you tried using the insurance I signed you up for earlier?”
“That insurance? The one you signed up for me when I returned for good? The one that I am paying for RM39.90 every month?” I asked.
To which he answered, “Yeah, that one. You can ask the nurse to check for you.”
I messaged the nurse. She checked with the insurance provider and took care of everything. To my surprise, the GL was approved the next day! Right in time for the operation.
Phewww, what a relief. A huge block of stone off my shoulder!
The Breast Lumps Removal Operation
The morning of the operation, I remembered so well. I woke up super early. I was pacing back and forth in the room. My husband just sat there and looked at me.
I had to fast the night before, both solid food and liquid. All I could do was stare at the water bottle on the table. Time was ticking; I was waiting. The door creaked and opened.
The nurse came in and told me we were ready to go. I was so scared to death. I went on the stretcher, and off we went to the holding room. Felt like I was in Grey’s Anatomy at one point, but it wasn’t a nice feeling as the person going through an operation.
Nurses and Dr. Naqiah came to check and reviewed the list of things and information I needed to be aware of and signed off.
The next minute, I was already saying goodbye to my husband. I gave him a kiss, and the door closed behind me.
In the operating room, everyone was moving so fast. The whole scene was on fast-forward. I couldn’t take a deep breath and was already overthinking (as always).
What if I don’t wake up after the operation? How would I know if something goes wrong during the procedure? What if I never wake up? Who is going to deal with the house chores? I still had a ton of things to do at home, ok.
The anesthetic doctor came. She made sure I was ok and that I was comfortable. Then, she carried on poking a needle in the back of my hand. It hurt like hell.
A nurse came next to me, tapping lightly on the side of my body to calm me down. I think I was already halfway crying. I felt as if I was never going to come back.
The next thing I saw was the mask being put over my nose and mouth. I counted from 1… 2… and darkness.
Stop It Before It Catches Up With You
I was kept in the hospital for two days after the procedure. It was pretty much blurry as I was on anesthetic effect for quite a while. I was sleeping on and off. I can’t remember what happened during the day after the operation.
My husband was there all the time and took care of everything. He even enjoys the folding bed. He deserves an award for being the best husband ever.
The breast area was healing slowly. The only downside was I got tired very quickly. With the antibiotics and painkillers given, I lived through the week. Sometimes it hurt. A few times, it felt numb. Sometimes a slight painful bearable feeling came and went away.
I couldn’t sleep on the side, but at least I could sleep without the thought of breast lumps haunting me every time I closed my eyes.
The results came out a week after that. The breast lumps were sent to the lab after the operation. I went to see Dr. Naqiah again. Thankfully, the results came back with no concerning issues.
It was actually two cysts with chronic inflammation.
So, it is not cancer. Thankfully it is not.
I am ok and mostly grateful—a huge weight off my shoulders and chest. I’m glad I have a good and great supportive husband and parents.
Looking back, I’m glad I went for the health check. I wouldn’t know what would have happened if I had delayed it.
I can’t say if the breast lumps were impacting my health in a way or if the breast lumps would evolve into something serious. I’ll return to see the doctor in 6 months for another follow-up.
If you have been postponing doing a health check, I hope my story above has convinced you more about why you need to do it. It’s not about the runs you’ve done, the hikes you’ve championed, the number of hours in the gym you’ve spent, or the calorie deficit meal you’ve been following.
It’s usually the hidden ones. They are the ones that will kill you silently.
If you had faced the same experience, do share with me in the comments below. Would love to know when you found yourself in a similar situation, and how you went through it.
Spreading some good love, and happy Friday uolls!
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