“Operation Access provided me with a great opportunity; they were like a guardian angel. To live in a country that is not yours, where you feel alone and unprotected, and to be able to obtain this kind of help is the best feeling. You make people feel safe and that life will get better because our health issues are being addressed. To everyone who took part in my care, I am thankful to each and every one of you for donating your time and for being so kind… I am very thankful.”

Monica woke up with excruciating pain in her knee one morning in February 2020. The day before, she had fallen twice while taking a long walk on a slippery trail near her home. Her falls were painful, but she was able to finish her walk and iced her knee at home. After a night's sleep, however, the pain was so severe she was unable to get out of bed and stand up.

Monica tried to visit her local clinic, Samaritan House in San Mateo, to see her primary care physician (PCP), but no appointments were available because of scheduling difficulties associated with the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to get help, she tried to reduce the chronic pain and inflammation by taking medication, getting massages, and visiting chiropractors, but nothing worked. Fortunately, her chiropractor suggested that she get an MRI to take a closer look at her knee. The MRI showed a meniscus tear.

Because of the COVID-19 lockdowns, Monica was unable to schedule an appointment with Samaritan House until November 2020, almost nine months after she had sustained her injury. Recognizing the severity of her condition, Monica's PCP referred her to our program. We matched Monica with Dr. Richard Gayle, an orthopedist at Palo Alto Medical Foundation in Sunnyvale.

Dr. Gayle performed a meniscus repair on Monica's knee at the PAMF Surgery Center in Mountain View. The surgery was successful. Since the recovery process could take up to 3 months, he scheduled her for follow-up care and physical therapy to help her regain her strength and agility.

Now fully recovered, Monica shares, "Operation Access provided me with a great opportunity; they were like a guardian angel. To live in a country that is not yours, where you feel alone and unprotected and to be able to obtain this kind of help is the best feeling. You make people feel safe and that life will get better because our health issues are being addressed. To everyone who took part in my care I am thankful to each and every one of you for donating your time and for being so kind. You made me feel comfortable and all my concerns were addressed. This motivated me to dedicate myself to my physical therapy in order to get my knee to fully heal. I am very thankful."

Story and photo shared with patient’s permission.