Manila Baby Love: Work Hard Play Hard

I have been in the rat race for about 12 years in total.

Before being a mom, I used to stay at the office until 8pm everyday and working on a weekend was not a big deal. I would even request them to open our area during a Saturday just so I can finish my to do list. Every morning, I would write down all the things that I needed to do and I would carefully draw boxes beside each task. Checking off an entry one by one gave me supreme satisfaction.

It was also not a big deal to travel. I would do day trips to a nearby Asian country for a meeting not wanting to lose a day in Manila. I was even away on business two days before my wedding. Again, I didn't feel it to be a big deal then.

However, when the time came to try for a baby, my body was far from being healthy.

I was tired. All the tests came back normal but I do not ovulate on my own and I haven't ovulated for the past ten years. Everyday was so stressful, but stress became a normal scene for me not knowing that it was affecting me physically.

I have other manifestations like dandruff when I am in distress & acne when I am super distressed.

I eventually decided to be brave and ask for a breather. To prioritize solving my infertility woes and to do all of the drills, I asked for a 6 months break after 6 months of 3 unsuccessful cycles. It was already getting expensive, all of the hormone injections gone to waste. I might as well make sure that I do my best to help my body respond to it. I did everything, I also faced my fear of needles by doing acupuncture just to make sure that I have exhausted all means to be healthy.

After one month of my work break, I found out that I was pregnant.

Perhaps it was my body's way of teaching me to prioritize it :)

I had a difficult pregnancy as you can see in my past posts, but that in itself is another story.

So here we are now, after my one year break for the work force, I m back doing the daily grind since July. It has been bittersweet. I had 4,000 emails to read. I cut back on travel. My dandruff is back reminding me that I am stressed again even if I don't show it. I am now the earliest to leave the office from my team. I clock in fewer hours, but I make sure things still get done.

At the end of the day, my one year hiatus has taught me what is most valuable in life.

Everything will go on without me. It will not collapse. There are more important things to think of.

Today, it is my son, Gavin.