Support for Angelica ❤️❤️❤️

If you know Angelica, you know that she is a living embodiment of kindness, support, and generosity. And if you’ve known her well, then I am sure that she has blessed you with wisdom, guidance, advice, service and many times - HONESTY that might sting but that only she can deliver with love, patience and understanding.

Today, I’m asking you to help us. She has been hospitalized since December 27th of last year. What seemed to be a very painful but simple situation turned very complicated over the last few weeks. Right now, she has developed a pancreatic complication and is in delicate condition. 

We have done our best to cover all expenses, and our family has also been so kind enough to help as well.

But now I come to you. My family. Our friends. I come with a humble heart and ask for your prayers and financial support. If there is anything you can do to help, our appreciation would be overwhelming.

Thank you.

You can reach out to me if you have any questions at all.

Benjamin Alfaro

In Angelica’s own words…

First of all, there are not enough words in the English or Spanish language to properly capture the level of gratitude in my heart for all of you who have called, texted, messaged and reached out in any way to ask about me, pray for me and keep checking on me - I am beyond grateful and appreciative for every single one of you!!!! 

Now, I wanted to make this post to do my best to give as best of an explanation to the question “what happened”… because unfortunately it has been a journey, rather than just a straight answer. I even thought about starting a “saga” and do daily posts of breakdowns of literally how things would twist, turn, evolve and change not just daily, but often times even hourly! But then I thought - that might be too much. 

 So here’s the shortest, yet hopefully most thorough answer to that question: I had been in pain for weeks, until the pain became so intolerable that I couldn’t complete a morning walk around the block to my home on the morning of the 27th of Dec. Literally I had to stay on the sidewalk on the ground and Ben had to come pick me up in the car since I couldn’t walk, or even “unfold” myself from the pain. When he brought me to the house I am pretty sure I 100% accurately reenacted a scene from the original “THE EXORCIST” movie - as I am all but certain I crawled up the walls and the ceiling from the absolute mind-boggling pain I was in. I was brought to Mex for Medical treatment and was admitted that same evening, and have been hospitalized since. 

It has been a difficult journey as I don’t fit a “mold” and a lot of the studies and labs would show different things, and my symptoms others. I have had a combination of hepatitis, pancreatitis, colitis, stones in the bile ducts, and pneumonia. The reason I am still hospitalized is due to the last piece of the puzzle still not being completely recovered/healed. 

The pancreatitis developed so bad that it also caused pancreatic fluid collections and vast amount of them. This is what still causes daily fevers ranging from 101-103, excruciating pain, and massive inflammation. When I say pain, I mean I would rather give birth without an epidural every day back to back for 2 weeks straight - and THAT would be pretty comfortable compared to this pain. I have literally experienced episodes of psychosis, countless vomiting including containers full of blood-vomiting, and so many other things in between. 

 The goal is to have these collections reabsorbed through the body, and NOT have to do any further surgeries/procedures or interventions than what have already been done (4 so far). In order to avoid, of course, further complications but most importantly - the collections to become infected; which would be detrimental. Once this finally takes place I still will have to go through a VERY slow recovery process and essentially allow my body to relearn how to have food again. 

Prognostics are that I won’t be able to have a “normal” diet again for at least 4-6 months from now. I know my recovery will be complete and I know that I will be even stronger than ever. For now, I have my absolute trust in God and I also trust the team of medical professionals working literally around the clock to get me well.