Hi Ren,

Your situation is complicated for certain and the opinions are very different if you are looking out from that culture or looking in.

Your mother is a doctor and she agreed something was not normal and listened to your concern and had you visit one, maybe more, ENT specialists who determined it was something other than cancer.

The only way to be sure is by taking a biopsy that is a standard and proven save procedure. This procedure is not expensive even in the Philippines so please stress that at least to get this test. Your mother can be convinced this is a harmless procedure and it will make you much less stress and worried.

If nothing is possible anymore with your family, then just make sure your family really sees the condition and if it changes over time then be very firm to get them to agree is is not going away and getting worse or changing. Hopefully that helps get you that biopsy.

You can not worry about "what if" as this is just a big wall you put in front of you before knowing. I know there are major issues with medical care in the Philippines and most do not understand how such a large country can have such a broken down system.

Get the test and it will likely be something else. If it is cancer, you and your family can decide what to do then. Just don't think that now. I know you love your family and want them to stay in school but you do have to know they love you dearly and would delay school to get you treatment if that is what it comes to. Keep trying, Don