“I love living free like the wind.”

For five years, after a miscarriage, Jeimy lived with pelvic pain, abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding, and fatigue. She was diagnosed with fibroids in the uterus by her primary care provider (PCP) at OLE Health in Calistoga and was informed that the fibroids likely caused her miscarriage. During that time, various PCPs prescribed iron supplements and pain medications as a form of nonsurgical treatment for her condition. However, these treatments failed to resolve her pain, discomfort, and anemia. She avoided family outings and other commitments due to the debilitating pain. About her symptoms, Jeimy stated, “I felt like a prisoner in my own home because of the constant pain, heavy bleeding, and fatigue.”

No longer able to tolerate the pain and frustrated that the treatment she was provided was not working, Jeimy visited a new PCP at OLE Health. She asked her new PCP, Dr. Denise Pinon, whether there was a surgical option to treat her condition and if there were financial resources available that could assist in covering the cost of care since she was uninsured and could not afford the cost on her own. Dr. Pinon referred her to our program to evaluate her for a hysterectomy.

Jeimy qualified and we matched her with Dr. Amanda Holthouse, a gynecologist at Queen of the Valley Medical Center. Jeimy was relieved that she would finally get the care she needed. Dr. Holthouse donated her time and expertise and performed a hysterectomy to remove Jeimy’s uterus.

After the surgery, Jeimy recovered and resumed caring for her family and volunteering as a tutor at her daughter’s school. She no longer has anemia nor experiences debilitating pain. And she is happy that her energy is back. No longer feeling imprisoned by her condition Jeimy stated, “I love living free like the wind.”

Jeimy is grateful for the respect, compassion, and excellent care she received from Dr. Holthouse and her team.

Story and photo shared with patient’s permission.