A wonderful patient of ours shared this detailed and thoughtful testimonial of how our services helped her with her fibroid issues. We asked for her permission to share it with all of you. She kindly agreed. Below are her exact words. Her name, face and personal details are not included to protest her privacy.
“Today, I had my post-op appointment with Dr. Kelly Roy. My incisions look good, and my swelling is going down, slowly but surely. I was advised to continue resting for another week, with walking and returning to my regular diet, and I can start working out in a couple of weeks. My swelling makes me look like I have a baby bump, which actually works well when trying to navigate sidewalks (folks get out of the way, haha). All in all, this was an amazing experience.
I am 32 years old, and I have been dealing with fibroid issues for the past decade of my life. It is an understatement to say that my issues interfered with my life, as complications only increased as the years went on. From eating to attempting to walk to classes on campus, and everything in between, my life was at the mercy of my fibroids.
Still, I lived my life, and I was able to accomplish quite a bit. I survived law school; I traveled to Europe and South America, and expanded my advocacy networks to encourage and empower marginalized communities. I was a leader, a mentor, a tutor, and an agent of change. However, at the end of the day, I constantly battled with feelings of insecurity attached to being a “normal” woman. Biological markers of womanhood were malfunctioning, and I felt that I would not find respite.
I met with myriad doctors, and I underwent multiple imaging procedures. As the fibroids grew, I watched medical providers explain to me the negative effects of their size and positioning. I also held back tears as they refused to operate and remove the fibroids from my body. I was told, not asked, what future plans I had, and how the operation could complicate them. “You’ll want to get pregnant,” I was told, as I was offered yet another type of hormone. The alternatives never worked long-term, and I learned to carry-on living “my best life” while making multiple concessions.
Working with BridgeHealth and Dr. Kelly Roy was the FIRST time I felt like my voice was incorporated into the conversation on my health and my body. As a black, disabled, LGBTQ individual, I am no stranger to marginalization, micro-aggressions, or systemic silencing. However, I had hoped and prayed that advances in social justice and equitable medical care would have opened the doors for a woman to not be typecast into select “convenient” options.
Ben never asked me if I was certain about wanting my procedure, and he did not try to convince me to wait until I fulfilled some feminine ideal expectation. He asked me questions related to my comfort level with traveling, and what type of providers I preferred. Dr. Roy took my desire to be without fibroids seriously, and she offered me diagnostic and operative procedures that would help me find relief from debilitating symptoms. Each and every interaction I had with these two individuals made me feel elated, safe, and hopeful for my future. In the end, the weight of the FIVE tumors removed weighed more than 3x the weight of an average uterus. I’m still in shock thinking about this fact.
In the next six weeks, I’ll be making plans for my future that include fitness, travel (Lord willing), new clothes, and much more. I won’t be restricting what pants I wear based on whether or not I’ll be three inches wider in my waist; I won’t walk around crowds with anxiety that I’ll start bleeding; and I won’t attend dinner dates in fear that I may need to run to the ER. That feels absolutely amazing.
Please continue to nurture the relationship established between BridgeHealth and Dr. Roy’s practice. She is a phenomenal provider, and I would recommend no one else for gynecological care. Further, I hope that more insurance providers realize the value of BridgeHealth and how your company’s ability to provide coverage for life changing procedures matters in this world. Not only did you alleviate a financial burden, but you helped me navigate a process with ease and confidence.”
Getting Help for Fibroid Issues in Arizona
A note from our medical team on getting help for your own fibroid issues. Uterine Fibroids are a common problem for women. They can cause severe pain and infertility issues. Our team at Arizona Gynecology Services specializes in helping women in the greater Phoenix area and surrounding communities better understand, manage, and treat their condition so they can still achieve the family they desire.
Learn all about the signs, symptoms and treatments of uterine fibroids here. Or, contact us to schedule an appointment to discuss your concerns.
