Yadira Verastegui

September 20, 2014

Personal Narrative Essay
I can picture this as if it was yesterday, my whole life changing in the time span of three
months. What reaction would you have if someone told you; you are going to need surgery
because there is no other remedy to your disease?
On May 23, 2011, I was taken to the emergency room by my parents. My anemia was
worse and I was weaker than the week before. I left school early that day and all I received from
my dad, when he picked me up from school, was him telling me to either get better or stop
faking it. I had been sick for many weeks and had missed several days of school in the last few
weeks. He asked me if something was bothering me that I did not want to go to school, I told
him nothing was.
Several hours later, I was in the emergency room waiting to get assistance. While I
waited, two nurses went into the room and took about six test tubes full of blood to take for
testing. They told me I had to go see a specialist as they couldnt do much for me, so they sent
me home. Its around three in the morning when we left the emergency room and my parents
and I are still worried, and trying to figure out what is wrong with me. First thing my mom did
in the morning is she told me to rest because I was not going to school that day. My dad made
an appointment with the specialist which, the earliest I could be seen was later in the week.
When I finally got an appointment scheduled, we go went to Saint Alexius Hospital in
Hoffman Estates to see the specialist. I was in the elevator with my parents and all that came to
mind when I was standing there was how scared I was, and how I hoped what I had wasnt
anything too worrisome and hoped that everything would be okay with some medications.
While in the waiting room, all I felt was how time was moving by slower than usual. All the
ugly, scary emotions started to fill my mind. What if this is because I did not take care of

myself? Why is this happening to me? Why did I not tell anyone what was going on? Will I be
okay?
It was my turn to go in and see the specialist. Dr. Gorla she specializes in the GI tract.
She told my parents that there are multiple things that could be going on with me but to make
sure, I would have to have some tests done. She explained all the possibilities and the first steps
to take. She first told me to go and get some blood exams done and to set up an appointment
with her for the following week to go over the results. I went home and attempted to eat because
eating was painful, as well as walking and anything in general. My anemia and stomach pains
had taken complete control of me. I could not take a few steps without feeling like I was about
to faint. After going home I went to Sherman Hospital to get the little blood left in me taken out
for more exams. The next day was a life changing one.
On Friday May 27, 2011, once again I did not go to school. My parents called me in and
did not want me to go to school until the doctors found an answer. All I did that morning was
sleep because of this awful exhaustion. My body did not want to do anything other than sleep,
thats all I could manage to do. I could not eat, for I would have this dreadful pain in my
stomach, therefore the pain was not worth eating. In the afternoon I received a phone call from
my dad telling me Dr. Gorla wanted to see me, and we would be leaving to the hospital when he
got out of work. At that moment in time, I did not find anything strange from that phone call
until my aunts started showing up at my door wanting to see me. I just thought it was because
my mom had mentioned that I wasnt doing well, but then my mom came home from work and
told me to pack because I was going to be staying at the hospital for a few nights. I was so
confused I didnt really understand what was going on. I just did what I was told. I helped my
mom pack my bags for the hospital, and my dad showed up to leave to the hospital. I remember

saying goodbye to my uncle and him saying that everything will be alright, to not be scared, and
to have faith that everything will be alright. As I said goodbye, I said thank you and that Id see
them when I get back. Little did I know I wouldnt come back as soon as I thought.
On the way out of my street, I noticed my dad was driving towards the opposite direction
of the Saint Alexius Hospital. He explained to me that the hospital I was going to was not near
town, but around a forty minute drive from home. I kept on questioning why so far away, and he
just told me that he didnt really have an answer for me because the doctor had just said I needed
to be taken to the hospital as soon as possible. At that moment all I was thinking was, whatever
is wrong with me is not something I can get cured with just medicine, its something serious.
Advocate Lutheran General Childrens Hospital is what I saw in huge letters on a water
tower. We had arrived to Park Ridge; that meant we were near. I couldnt really turn around
anymore, and say I didnt want to go in because there was no other option but to arrive at the
hospital, check in, and just be strong. My parents checked me in and we went to get something
to eat. However I could not eat, my stomach pain did not let me. When my parents finished
eating, we went upstairs to finally check in into my room. The moment we walked in was a
moment I will never forget. These two huge doors opened and the first thing I saw was a nurses
station to the right and a play area to my left. In front of the nurses station was an empty room
that room was waiting for someone; me.
The pain in my stomach was at its worst that day, and being weak did not help much.
The pain felt like if someone had punched me in the stomach however the pressure was never
released. I waited for my nurse to walk in and present herself was watch television. When she
finally walked in she introduced herself and she told me what my doctor had planned for me that

night. So the first thing she did was put an IV line in my hand. I was dreading those few
minutes while she tried finding my vein. She finally got the IV line in and now it was time to get
my first blood transfusion of the night.
Several days went by and I was still in the hospital. I had many, many tests done in the
days that had passed. It was the day where I would find out the results to what was causing my
anemia and painful stomach pains. All I wanted was to get out of there as soon as possible so I
could continue my normal regular life. Many people walked in my room that day, I eventually
lost count. My parents were anxiously waited to hear something from my doctors, but no one
said anything. Finally a doctor came in, and said they had gone through the results of the exams.
They were very clear and I was diagnosed with something I had never heard of. I was diagnosed
with ulcerative colitis.
The doctors told us what could be done: antibiotics or surgery. My parents chose the
antibiotics. However there was a catch, my ulcerative colitis was very advanced and the chances
of my body accepting the medication were very minimal. So I could not really go home until the
doctors saw how I reacted to medicine. All I wanted was for the pain to go away and go home.
Days went by and my body did not accept the medicine. I was prescribed the highest dose
allowed to be given, and still more days went by and nothing. A week went by since I was
diagnosed and still, nothing.
I was tired of being trapped. I dreaded thinking about having to celebrate my fifteenth
birthday at the hospital, which was not too far away. I wanted a remedy soon. However the fear
of having surgery was much more present as everyday passed. There wasnt much left to do
until the doctors asked my parents to consider a new medication, which is much stronger and has

more side effects than what they were giving me before. Surgery was something my parents
were trying to avoid they decided to give this new medicine a chance. Getting ready to receive
this medicine was one of the most dreadful things I had to go through, it made me drowsy and
very weak. The process was hours long, just to prep me to receive it and even more hours to
actually receive it, roughly eight hours. The next day would be when we would find out if the
medicine worked. My body rejected the medicine.
It was the day, it was my birthday, my fifteenth birthday. One of the days I will never
forget. Dr. Gorla was not on rounds that day, instead it was Dr. Bonilla. Dr. Bonilla made sure I
didnt forget my birthday. I was having a good day for being in the hospital and being in pain.
However, when it was my turn in Dr. Bonillas rounds, she gave me very upsetting news. She
told me that all the medications did not work and there werent any more medications I could try
so the only option was to have surgery. She said it very straight forward just like that. My
reaction to this was just to keep strong and not to cry because I knew I would get through it.