Marisol Esquivel endured 10 years of pain in her upper arm. Initially, the pain was moderate and she tried to manage it daily by taking painkillers, hoping the pain would subside with time. After some years, the pain escalated to a point where she was unable to complete the most basic daily tasks. Waking up in the morning to shower became something she dreaded, she would hear her bones crack as she tried to shampoo her hair. The cold weather made her pain management difficult because the pain would first linger, then worsen. As a homemaker and a mother of two, her condition took a toll on her family members, as she was unable to work and care for her them as before. Fortunately, Dr. Shepard performed surgery on Marisol’s upper arm on December 18, 2017 and she is now recovering. Her daughter took a semester off from college to help around the house and help the family get by financially. As for her son and husband, they learned how to cook and take care of tasks around the house that only she would do before. AccessOC connected her to Physical Therapy for All, a nonprofit that helps low-income individuals that are medically underserved get physical therapy to regain full mobility. Marisol says she has had all her family’s support and thanks AccessOC for serving her needs and well-being throughout this life-changing procedure. As for her daughter, she will continue her college education once Marisol has fully recovered.
The Importance of Early Detection
Maricela expected to undergo a normal annual screening during our Kaiser Permanente Surgery Day in October. Therefore, she could not anticipate a doctor detecting early colon cancer during the screening. While this was a daunting diagnosis, the early detection allowed for more treatment options and the possibility of removing polyps before they turn into cancer. Thanks to this procedure, Maricela received timely, life-saving news and is now receiving treatment after we referred her to a clinic. If it wasn’t for AccessOC and Kaiser Permanente, patients like Maricela wouldn’t receive the care coordination and screening needed to access high-quality specialty care and lead healthier lives.
