February 18, 2025 – HEALTH FREAK MOMMY

My middle child, Sherilyn, turned 20 on 16 February 2025. With this milestone, I now have two daughters in their early 20s, and my youngest will turn 17 this April. How did time fly by so fast?! Their baby days still feel so vivid, like they happened just yesterday.

To celebrate, two days before her birthday, on 14 February (Valentine’s Day), I took Sherilyn to Tonkatsu by Ma Maison at The Gardens Mall for lunch. This restaurant, located inside Isetan, was one of several Japanese eateries inside Isetan. We chose Tonkatsu because we were drawn to their refillable raw cabbage salad and miso soup. I also bought her a slice of tiramisu from Alexis to complete the meal. It was a wonderful mother-daughter lunch, something that has become quite rare since she started university last year. These precious moments together now only happen a couple of times a year, making them all the more special.

On her actual birthday, Sunday, 16 February, we had a lovely lunch at Tsuyoi Japanese Restaurant, which was generously sponsored by her grandma. However, by the following day, Monday, 17 February, Sherilyn was feeling under the weather. She had chills, a fever, and a slight cough. Unfortunately, she has been falling ill quite frequently ever since she embarked on her Architecture degree course. The stress from never-ending back-to-back assignments, lack of sleep, and exhaustion have also triggered acne flare-ups.

Since Monday, she has been sleeping almost non-stop, only waking up to drink water, eat light meals, shower, and take Panadol. I urged her to see a doctor, but she hesitated, saying she felt slightly better today. I will continue monitoring her and hope that by tomorrow, she will feel well enough to return to campus for her classes.

As a mother, it’s always difficult to see our children push themselves so hard, but I can only continue to support her and remind her to prioritize her health alongside her studies. Hopefully, she recovers soon