Looking like the perfect picture of health, no one could have imagined actress Bettina Carlos facing a horrifying cancer scare for almost four months in 2016.

According to her Manila Times write up dated January 2, she battled with an unknown illness from June to September last year, a troubling journey which she decided to share now.

Amidst the struggle, the actress held onto her faith saying she knew the pain had a purpose.

"Because I was reserving it for when the purpose of the pain has finally been revealed," she wrote on her Instagram post.

"The only reason why I am telling this now is because my God will be glorified by it," she added.

She recalled the trial she faced and how she struggled through out the cancer scare.

"I was in and out of the hospital for a series of blood works, check ups, and even biopsy—at one point the doctors considered the possibility of having me checked for the Big C."

"Countless lumps on the soles of my feet, and I had suspicious nodes on my left axilla [her armpit]," she recounted.

She admitted how the six nodes, which felt like six tomatoes, terrified her due to the breast cancer her paternal grandmother went through.

"And the fact that I had eight different doctors and they could not put their finger on what was wrong with me, put me in much more agony," tells the actress.

Although an Immunologist later on confirmed to her that it was an "extra-pulmonary TB [despite my TB tests and histology revealing negative for TB and lupus]."

"He said that I probably had TB [like primary complex] when I was younger and 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]."

With "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," the actress admitted it had been difficult for her despite knowing that "pain always has a purpose".

She emphasized how her daughter, Gummy, was what worried her the most.

"I cried silently at night with my daughter sleeping soundly in my arms, not knowing if I may already be afflicted by cancer then."

"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," Bettina shared.

As a single mother, the 28-year-old shared that the experience was a wake-up call to her.

"Was He asking me to slow down because I was taking in more work than my physical body could manage?"

"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. God also wants us to enjoy."

"And joy is found in so many things outside of an established career or a big bank account."

She also added that going through all had given her "rest for my soul and more time for Gummy to focus on my calling as a parent."

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