“My name is Mylene Amor Pañares Fulgencio and I am 38 years old and have been a public school teacher for 14 years teaching high school biology. In 2022, I was diagnosed with avascular necrosis but my pain began the previous year. It started as an inexplicable ache in my right leg.
As a teacher, my classes are on different floors, so I often had to travel up and down flights of stairs. I remember feeling embarrassed in front of my students because of the way I struggled to walk. I remember one of them saying, “Oh no, our teacher is limping!” That really hurt, because I used to be very athletic. I loved outdoor activities like mountaineering, river trekking, and I even fulfilled my childhood dream of climbing Mt. Matutum. I never thought I would develop a condition like this. When I first received my diagnosis, I couldn’t believe it. I cried right in front of my doctor.
As time passed, the pain and condition got worse, spreading to both legs. This January, it was confirmed that I was suffering from avascular necrosis and needed surgery as soon as possible. I wasn’t sure what I would do. In July, I saw on St. Elizabeth’s Facebook page that they were offering hip and knee replacement at no cost through coordination with Operation Walk Los Angeles. Without hesitation, I called the number and my prayers were answered, being chosen as one of the beneficiaries of this partnership.
My operation lasted two hours. When I woke up, I felt bandages on both hips. A physical therapist with OpWalk, Don Shimabukuro, approached me and said, ‘Let’s walk!’. I was shocked, I had just had surgery on both of my hips. To my surprise, I was able to walk, without pain. The next day, Don visited again and my surgeon Dr. Scott Ball checked in on me. I told them that I had no pain, so they discharged me.
At home, I started walking slowly, I could bend my knees. But the most remarkable moment of my recovery was when I accidentally forgot my cane and found that I could walk on my own!
I am deeply thankful and forever grateful to Operation Walk Los Angeles and St. Elizabeth Hospital. Soon I will be able to run because my dream came true. Thank you for helping me walk again.”
-Mylene
