Missionary with fibroids (in Spain, Africa and Mexico) Testimonial by Paula Angélica.
Thank you very much Paula Angélica for sharing your story with us, we hope that you can continue bringing blessings around the world… We will also carry you permanently in our hearts.
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Introduction: Missionary with fibroids
Hello, how are you, good afternoon. Look again today we have the opportunity and the truth is, the support of one of the patients who came to have fibroid surgery with us.
She is a very unique and particular case because she followed us on Zoom and wrote to me from Spain the first time, and then the first visit was in Spain, they had already done a hysteroscopy, that is, a study from below, to remove a fibroid because she had bleeding, but he continued with certain discomfort, with certain bleeding and at the end of the day he came to me for a second opinion, because he was going to return or was going to come here to Mexico and he was interested in knowing whether or not it was necessary to have a surgical procedure.
I also have to mention that she is my first patient, well at least that I remember, that she is dedicated to the Catholic religion, she is a nun and so it was interesting because we did studies on her, first to see them via zoom and I told her that she had several fibroids and then what we did, on the occasion that she arrived here in Mexico, I checked her abdominally and in fact she wanted to preserve the uterus for some personal reasons. But then she had the surgery where we removed more than 5 fibroids if I don’t remember.
I am a religious of the Order of the Incarnate Word, I have 25 years of religious life and for me it is also very important that we learn as women to take care of ourselves and also have a way to promote care and support for women’s health. to become aware, learning is something that I learned, as Dr. Arturo said, through zoom and through the videos, they were for me very illustrative, concrete, practical and gave me a lot of light so I could make decisions with regarding who and how I wanted to be treated.
Generally I have, that is, I usually have constant and periodic gynecological check-ups for the same reason of wanting to take care of my health… But, at one point they informed me that I had very low hemoglobin and then they had to do a transfusion. I had not recognized that I had, that is, tiredness, exhaustion and that my bleeding was increasingly intense, because it had been increasing gradually, and perhaps I had not registered this change and that it was so risky, right? And then they proposed the treatment of a surgical hysteroscopy, at that time I was living in Spain and the primary treatment was that, a surgical hysteroscopy and they pointed out to me that there was a probability that by removing a fibroid, at a later time I could have another difficulty and that I had to be aware of how my situation was developing.
Well, of those who had first detected me there were three and by Dr. Arturo, there were 9 fibroids that they removed from my womb, in my case they were of various sizes, from as small as 2.3 cm to 5, so there were I mean, between five and the biggest one, I think it was 8 cm or something like that, right? So when I knew that I had to return to Mexico, I began to look for people who had knowledge of the subject and the treatments and that is how I was able to meet Dr. Arturo.
The first virtual consultation
When you did the first interview or the application for the first visit, because sometimes I don’t know that, I am like behind the scenes, we could say it like that, that is, there is a strong group that takes care of that, but how was your first contact? That is, did you have an easy response? Did your first visit take too long? Or later, then you got in touch and were able to do a first visit interview?
For me it was one of the factors that was very important, it is a prompt response and personalized attention. Then they asked me to describe my case and that I put in brief lines or lines what was the main issue that I wanted to discuss and then they told me that the expert on fibroids was you, and in that way they immediately put me in contact, instantly. I received an email from Creafam and from you.
Later when I arrived in Mexico and I arrived in Puebla specifically, the attention was magnificent, from the way I was received at the institute and the human quality of the people, both the receptionist and the nursing staff and in a very special way the Dr. Arturo Valdés. With tumors, the more time passes, the surgery will be more complicated, and then the patient doesn’t understand that: “Well, I can wait 3, 4, 5 years and maybe it will resolve on its own. Right?” ?”… And as I tell them: No, tumors, even if they are benign, are situations that are going to evolve, evolve, grow, grow and that can sometimes complicate surgery.
Differences between Spain and Mexico
In your particular case, I would like you to give us a brief account of: How did you feel when you were in Spain and that you went there for the review or the intervention? And how did you feel after the surgery that was performed here? I mean, yes, there really was that difference between solving the case or just the consultation or surveillance that you were having.
In my case, I had had an annual gynecological follow-up, right? When I went to Spain I had had my normal medical follow-up, but the issue is that on one of the occasions they detected that my hemoglobin was very low, they had to give me a transfusion, that was like the alarm symptom of saying What? is happening? What is causing this bleeding? And that is where I can share with you that I am one of the people who, without being so aware of the impact that bleeding can have, because abundant, it does affect health. What are the symptoms that I can share that were key for me?
- Fatigue.
- Lack of attention.
- Wear.
- Tendency to be in a slightly lower emotional situation as well.
- The color of my lips
- No longer having the opportunity to exercise
- I could get the bleeding anywhere
The bleeding was very profuse, and then I had to, I mean, I didn’t have the way to handle it in a way… Well, not painful, right? The moment I came to you, you knew that I had the surgical hysteroscopy and the moment I told you that I was bleeding again, you told me what the symptoms were that I had to take care of and what to pay attention to, you I reported them and you immediately attended to me and the attention was prompt, effective, you gave me the alternatives and at that moment I felt very safe and calm that the procedure that was going to be done was the most appropriate for my situation and for the context in which which I was, which I am infinitely grateful for.
The change was from heaven to earth, I felt like I was new, that is, without fatigue, without bleeding, yes there was the process in which you kindly accompanied me to regularize the periods, also the bleeding but it was in a very short time and also using my body’s own rhythm, which is also what interested me, and that’s a plus, right? Which is to take care of losing weight to continue having a higher quality of life and that coincides with the power to regulate my body, which is something that I do feel is a difference from heaven to Earth in terms of the ability to concentrate, it is no longer fatigue, I sleep peacefully, I recovered my quality of life, in social situations I did not have to be running or taking care of myself, but it is now a normal situation in which the truth is a difference from heaven to Earth.
When I arrived I told him that other people had told me that if I was already having problems again with bleeding after the hysteroscopy, it was better to remove the uterus, right? Because I was no longer going to have children and in fact with Arturo it was, what was the most recommended? and also take care of the hormonal part, so, we decided to respect the fact that I was left with the uterus and without any major problem, right now my uterus is in normal condition and I have not had problems with bleeding, pain, or any other type of discomfort, which It’s a relief really.
So, to all those who have questions and doubts regarding: Is it possible and viable to have my womb regardless of whether I have had fibroids? Yes, if it is possible, it is viable and also highly recommended with Dr. Arturo Valdés, a treatment for fibroids, he is an expert in the case and apart from the human quality and the close support with a simple, simple, understandable explanation that helps reduce stress, worry, nerves or many times I could say it like the cobwebs that form in our heads, and then by being able to explain things to you with that transparency and with that clarity, it clarifies many doubts and The truth is that one regains calm, confidence and also something that I really like about Dr. Arturo Valdés’ way of treating is that he seeks to make the body react and take its rhythm naturally and he does it in a holistic way and goes seeing which treatment is the most appropriate, and as the treatment works or other alternatives are not seen, in my case in a period of less than 5 months, the surgery was in October, I am as good as new; without fatigue, without bleeding, recovering, with certain, that is, small treatments that I have offered myself but now all the treatments have been withdrawn and in a natural way seeking balance, with a healthy diet to be able to recover the stability of my weight, with exercise and also with the closeness and accompaniment of the Doc.
Preserving the uterus and cosmetic surgery
When we are in the last stage of the ovarian-endocrine cycle, obviously a woman between 45, 50, 55 years old can have those hormonal changes that can also influence the menstrual cycle a little, I even told you this and I say it to the patients is:
Sometimes I can operate on you and you may continue to have some irregular cycles or with more or less bleeding, but hey, it is easier to manage that uterus and that bleeding with some hormonal drugs, which are called second-phase progesterones or even contraceptives, but try to manage the last stage of the ovaries and the uterus, but at the end of the day the important thing for you and for many patients is:
The uterus is preserved… And the ovaries too, right? That’s… We gynecologists sometimes don’t give it value, but from a social and woman’s point of view, I think that the uterus and ovary are like the banner, right? For women to say, well, I have my uterus and I have my ovaries regardless of motherhood, that is a completely different issue than feeling comfortable with yourself because you have the uterus and you have the ovaries.
I think that in my case for me it was the other way around, I said that they should remove what needs to be removed but that it should be fine, right? And when you told me “hey, but I’m going to make sure the surgery goes very well.” And I said: Well, I don’t care, I mean, to myself I said I don’t care, but now that I see myself I say Oh how wonderful! In other words, how delicate it is and it is not even noticeable, in other words, and also what I shared a few moments ago, that in a week I felt perfectly well and was able to return to my activities normally and feeling accompanied, cared for and treated with excellent human quality. and professional.
So... What's next?
Well, I thank you, the truth is that we didn’t have testimonials for a while… I wish people would make reproduction testimonials, because then they tell me: “Hey, but this one, and do you have videos of people who have gotten pregnant?” Well, the truth is that people, just as you mention it, feel a little bit sad: “Hey, I have bleeding and I can’t say it or I can’t express it.”
People who have reproductive problems can’t express it, that is, they close themselves in a room and don’t tell anyone. Regarding the issue of families, I believe that it is just like fibroids and other health issues, that we can open spaces and provide the opportunity for people to share their doubts, their fears and allow themselves to be guided and accompanied to be able to create these spaces that can facilitate and promote couple life, self-esteem, power, and also create a favorable environment for a new life and accompany this life so that it grows healthy, strong, and develops its full potential.
Well, look in my case, we can… The stay is 3 to 6 years in some place and then they invite us to go to another place, I know that I am a missionary and in fact I really like missionary life, So as I shared with you a few moments ago, I spent 7 years in Africa, I have been in Madrid for 2 years, in the Mexican Republic I have been in different places and visiting different states because at some point I have to supervise, at other times we have to be more close. the base and also be accompanying institutions or communities, then yes, it is most likely that I will have to move to another place but good friends always remain and those who have helped us recover our health and quality of life always remain in the heart and in the friendship.