Maria has been a patient of the clinic for 3 years and her husband Carlos was previously a patient. Six years ago Carlos came to the clinic because he was unemployed, uninsured and worried about a family history of heart disease. Carlos needed surgery due to a condition in which his heart was enlarged and the heart muscles weakened. He made a remarkable recovery post-surgery and landed a full-time job that provided him with health insurance.
Carlos regularly brought Maria to the clinic for her own appointments. When she arrived at the clinic one day without him, she tearfully shared that Carlos had been admitted to the hospital with chest pain and died.
In the wake of this tragedy, Maria focused on maintaining her own health so that she can support her two young children. She continues to visit the clinic for routine health assessments and lab work. She also works with the clinic’s community health worker to take advantage of counseling and other community resources. The clinic has been a resource where Maria is comfortable asking for help during a very difficult time in her life.
