Esmeralda Peraza

Contagious story

I am a Ovarian Cancer survivor this is my story, I was a certified nurse certified home health specialist I worked in California for 18 years helping the developmentally disabled children and adults, mentally ill adults, the elderly and sick individual. The areas I worked were Green Valley, Lake Sherwood, Thousand oaks, all over the San Fernando Valley, West Los Angeles and downtown Los Angeles. I worked through out the pandemic before my diagnosis. My favorite area to work was Culver City, I enjoyed working in this area because the people were hard working, very kind and well mannered. I worked as a certified nurse really hard there and for many years all over California at least 11 years full-time including live-in and companion care 18 years all together. My favorite clients were senior citizens and special babies I found working with elderly individuals very gratifying I felt thankful to have met and gotten to know so many old fashioned wonderful people, I cared for many and remember them still most of them have passed away by now. The ones I got to know, especially the ones that died in front of me touched me the most. The people I cared for included babies I cared for now adults were very sweet and I felt privileged to have had the opportunity to know them and enjoy caring for them it’s not a opportunity everyone gets. They also had amazing families. Some I met them on zoom camera teleconferences on my computer because of social distance families were not allowed in the facilities, so I spent a lot of time on Zoom. COVID-19 hit Los Angeles California very hard the area was saturated with this infectious virus, so many people died that the morgues were full and the nurses were so busy I imagine they never had a day off. I had never known of or seen so much death in my lifetime. The experience was like a science fiction novel completely unreal and unbelievable pandemonium throughout the land everyone scattered throughout the markets, and stores in survival mode looking for all the supplies they can get, the gun shops were sold out everyone was suspicious and anticipating the fall of society and government literally me and my family were very frightened we only left our home for food and other essential activities. Some people actually believed the world was ending and that we we’re living in the final days literally they believed the second coming was near it was out of control. I worked hard ending up in COVID-19 isolation basement surrounded by death. It was unbelievable and unimaginable what was about to unfold because of this pandemic I cannot believe that I was so surrounded by so much death that sometimes I would see real apparitions at my home of the people I was taking care of the people that were dying they would wake me up and haunt me and my dreams many times I woke up yelling it felt so real I could see the person or I could hear the person and that’s how it is when you work around people that are dying sometimes you could see their spirits sometimes you can hear their voices sometimes they call out loud at you .I did not get a day off the entire year of 2020, The only time I got a day off was when the patients died I would spend my afternoon at the beach. I learned how to sing amazing grace so when I would go to the beach I would sing amazing grace acappella to the sea the days were beautiful because it was California sunny California. But I was sad and stressed out but so many people were dying it was a very scary stressful time. I am currently living in Texas right now thanks to Dr. Joshua Kilgore oncologist in Amarillo Texas I am currently cancer free for the past two months I was diagnosed October 21, 2021 in Pampa Texas with a ovarian cancer a ovarian terminal cancer. I continue to receive treatment at Texas oncology in Amarillo Texas I am doing well and I’m going to continue to fight this ovarian cancer for as long as it takes because I’d like to hold on and be here for my family I don’t care to leave them. The necklace in the photograph is an ovarian cancer awareness necklace that I made for a silent auction to benefit the cancer foundation and those fighting ca certified when they need assistance proceeds from this necklace and other jewelry that I have made are going to the cancer foundation of Amarillo Texas