Friday
Veterans Memorial Hospital
[p.33] Meldy’s cyst in the right breast has been removed and found benign—as the report says the mass is a fibrocystic disease.
When Inday (Dr. Paciencia Disini) brought out the specimen, I was shocked at the size. It was about three inches by eight inches and a quarter of an inch thick. Dr. Pantangco and Ferriols were the pathologist[s]. Dr. Pacifico Yap assisted by Dr. Uy performed the operation. Dr. Quintin Gomez was the anesthesiologist assisted by Inday. Present were the heart specialists, Dr. Juanita Zagala and Dr. Pedro Cruz.
We slept at the hospital last night at about 11:30 and woke up at 5:00 AM when she was injected with some sedatives. Operation started at about 6:15, frozen section after 15 minutes and finished (sutured) at about 7:00 AM. A little depression was left at the site but the opening was only about three inches long.
Reinstated my appointments for the day and met with the different chambers of commerce who have a better offering cooperation, the Provincial Press Federation, Bishop [Mariano] Gaviola and Mr. [Takeshi] Watanabe, the President of the Asian Development Bank.
The whole city is still talking about the supposed rift between the sugar bloc and me. Yesterday [Roberto] Bobby Benedicto went to see [Alfredo] Piding Montelibano [Sr.], called me by phone and I talked to Piding who was ill with influenza and he promised to come and see me at the Palace on Monday.
[p.34] We were all agreed that the cyst of Meldy was benign as it had not changed in size for the last two years and in fact has actually reduced in size. But she was beginning to contaminate everyone with her tension including me.
Meldy is resting well and ate Chinese lugao from Ralph tonight. Bongbong kept us in stitches with stories of his first dance and the children’s parties he has attended.
Horrors, Mother says she will be 77 next month and feels like 20 after Dr. Meliano and Switzerland. What a lot of these people in this room would give to feel like 20 specially Zita Feliciano who is trying to peep into my diary.
All these women around here, I bet are all wondering if they have lumps in their breasts.
Yesterday there was a demonstration of students from the Central University, Phil. [Philippine] Normal School and Phil. College of Arts and Trades for the release [of] P6.5 million and the appointment of their own choice of President for the Central University.[1]
Tonight Ignacio Lacsina led a thousand demonstrators in what Gen. [Vicente] Raval says is a month-long demonstration against the administration and the various govt [government] agencies like the PC [Philippine Constabulary] against alleged partisanship of the PC for the Northern Motors in the strike there. Ordered an investigation.
Ordered Gen. Raval to follow-up the plan I directed to set up alarm systems in the barrios under the BHDF [Barrio Home Defense Force].[2]
MALACAÑANG
[1] Manila Chronicle reported on a scuffle during the rally .
[2] In Malacanang copy of the manuscript the last three paragraphs on this page look different, either another pen was used, or it has something to do with the photocopying, or was there cut and paste in the original? In other copies it looks like one seamless page.