MEET GRATEFUL PATIENT, ASTRID

Astrid, 34, received surgery to treat her strabismus during our recent field program in Villa Nueva, Guatemala.* Our team stayed in touch with Astrid to see how life changed for her after undergoing surgery. We are honored and grateful to Astrid for sharing her story with us.

(Astrid's interview has been translated from Spanish to English.)

*Strabismus is a visual problem in which the eyes are not aligned properly and point in different directions.

YOU SHARED WITH US THAT YOU WORK MULTIPLE JOBS. TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO.

I've been working as an instructor for the Ministry of Education, teaching occupational subjects such as beauty, aromatherapy, jewelry making and raffia and mesh crafting and, even though my job is exhausting because I travel every day to get to different groups of women and I work double shift, what's important at the end of the day is knowing that my students can support their families with the crafts they learn. I've been teaching at the University for five years. I try to strengthen my students desire for self- improvement and for making a difference in the environment in which they work.

“ALTHOUGH MY SON WASN'T BORN WITH STRABISMUS, I WAS SCARED TO THINK HE COULD BE A BULLYING TARGET BECAUSE OF ME AND THAT MOTIVATED ME TO LOOK FOR HELP, AND WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY SHOWED UP, I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT TWICE.”

BEFORE SURGERY, HOW DID STRABISMUS IMPACT YOU THE MOST?

During my childhood, because kids tend to be very honest and, on occasion, cruel, I was a victim of bullying many times. My classmates called me hurtful names and I had almost no friends. Even though I always pretended to be strong, this affected my self esteem. I never shared this with my mom because she also suffers from strabismus and I didn't want to hurt her. She never knew why I didn't like to go to school and to this day, I've never told her. She always saw me as strong and willing to succeed.

WHY DID YOU WANT SURGERY TO TREAT YOUR STRABISMUS?

My four-year-old son will start school soon and that brought back hurtful memories from my childhood. Also, my mom never allowed me to even think about the possibility of surgery because she always thought it was too risky and that if not really necessary (a life or death matter), then it shouldn't be done. Although my son wasn't born with strabismus, I was scared to think he could be a bullying target because of me and that motivated me to look for help, and when the opportunity showed up, I didn't think about it twice.

HOW HAS YOUR SURGERY IMPACTED YOU?

I am more confident and eager to flourish, to continue studying, working, thanking God for the blessings, and to tell the world that everything we are capable of dreaming, we are also capable of achieving.

MOST OF OUR SUPPORTERS LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES. WHAT WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW ABOUT HEALTHCARE IN GUATEMALA?

Unfortunately, in my country we don't have good medical services. Mainly, the free services are very deficient and people with limited resources do not have access to health services, let alone medications. International aids in any area are a blessing and my village is very grateful. Strabismus surgery, that I had done so professionally, was a dream come true. For me, surgery was not affordable because I'm a daughter of a single mother, and a single mother myself. Hence, this wasn't even an option for me even if I was wishing to get it done with all my heart.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?

I would like to thank VHI for my eyes that I enjoy watching in the mirror so much... They're perfect now! And thank all the people with a noble heart that bring wonderful changes to the lives of so many. God bless them and multiply them. I feel lucky and happy and if I once used to want to conquer the world, now I'm convinced I can accomplish it and you are a part of that engine that's pushing me to wish to be better every day.

"I FEEL LUCKY AND HAPPY AND IF I ONCE USED TO WANT TO CONQUER THE WORLD, NOW I'M CONVINCED I CAN ACCOMPLISH IT AND YOU ARE A PART OF THAT ENGINE THAT'S PUSHING ME TO WISH TO BE BETTER EVERY DAY."