I'm sorry that your life is going to be put on hold for so much longer than you anticipated. I guess the best thing to do would be to try to focus on the best end result (having the internationally recognized title and how it will help your job) and move ahead as skillfully as possible. Life throws us these little curves and we can view it as a curse or an opportunity to show our strength and ingenuity. Just try to focus on the positives.
Good Luck!