Nearly 10 years before having the first of two hip surgeries at El Camino Health's hospital in Los Gatos, Tomi noticed unfamiliar symptoms. She'd feel aches and pain while getting in and out of her Mini Cooper — a car that sits lower to the ground than most vehicles. On other occasions, she’d experience discomfort while riding her bicycle to work or going for walks.
Every person's holistic health journey is unique, and over our 60-year history, El Camino Health has provided the expertise, support and care that people need to recover and live their best life. One of our most unique patient stories is that of Jian.
For Nick, it began with a regular visit to his primary care physician in January 2015. He was experiencing an urgent and frequent need to urinate, and was treated for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or prostate gland enlargement. At 56 years old, Nick was not concerned since BPH is common among men as they age.
They say that in life, timing is everything. For San Jose's Ed Wasnioski, that old axiom proved to be very true last month at a party in Mountain View.
Trust El Camino Health's certified nurse-midwives to guide you through childbirth. Experience personalized care and support for a safe, empowering journey.
Follow Linda's remarkable journey from caregiver to cancer patient, as she confronts stage III lung cancer with unwavering resolve and a commitment to service.
In April 2021, Renina's vision began to blur and she was struggling to read. The letters she had spent more than half her life teaching to toddlers were now difficult for her to see.
Craig enjoys staying active playing racquetball, cycling, and hiking, but in 2020 he started feeling sharp pains in both of his knees during his weekly hikes, and decided to see a doctor.
When Michaela walked across the stage to receive her Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree at the University of Southern California this past May, it was a full circle moment.
Ted is a lifelong San Francisco 49ers fan, so when the 49ers took on the Green Bay Packers on September 26, 2021, he was at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara with his brother and their closest friends.
When Carol reflects back on her journey with cervical cancer, she has a daily reminder of what helped her get through it each time, a tattoo on her arm with her personal motto inspired by her Great Aunt Anna.
After her wedding in 2012, Ashley was a 28-year-old newlywed ready to check things off her bucket list before starting a family. She was in the best shape of her life and preparing to qualify for a global CrossFit competition, but after many years of abnormal pap smears, she had to get a colposcopy. When her biopsy results came back, Ashley was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
In February of 2021, 63-year-old Trina was having a normal evening at home when her life changed suddenly. She fell to the floor and remained there for two hours, unable to move. When her husband walked in, he called 911 immediately. Trina had suffered a stroke, but this reality didn't hit her until days later as she laid in a hospital bed and began regaining more awareness.
In her 73 years, Donna — a motivational speaker and author — has survived childhood malnutrition, a plane crash, stage III melanoma and open-heart surgery, so she isn't one to back down in defeat. When she found out she needed aortic valve replacement, she was determined to get the best treatment possible.
As someone who places a priority on an active lifestyle, Jim is known to spend his afternoons walking outside in the warm California sun. But earlier this year, Jim started to feel like he wasn’t himself; he struggled to maintain his physical activity levels, and he had a feeling that something was wrong.
When Laura, mother of two, felt a lump in her breast, she assumed her milk ducts were clogged. She was about to stop breastfeeding her infant son and knew mastitis was often a side effect.
Susana, now 74, has gotten her annual breast screenings at El Camino Health since she was 40. In 2016, her mammogram revealed abnormal tissue that required a biopsy.
Symon is an engineer, which means numbers are often the best way to get his attention. In 2019, one number became particularly concerning to Symon and that was his latest A1C blood test result.
In early 2019, Agostino and his wife Gayle received the shocking diagnosis that he had leukemia, and without treatment, only three to six months to live.
The pressure of her senior year of college was weighing on Michaela and after a sleepless night spent nervously pacing, Michaela contacted her therapist for counsel on how to manage her emotions.
Bianca knew that her natural beliefs were going to be at the center of her birth plan for her firstborn, but she didn’t know she would also have to factor in how the COVID-19 pandemic was going to impact her delivery.
Shortly upon returning to Santa Clara from his vacation to Norway and London earlier this year, George found himself in a battle for his life after contracting COVID-19.
After a stressful year caring for her sick mother, Silvia started to experience issues with her menstrual cycle in addition to extreme fatigue, lightheadedness and throbbing head pain.
Kristina is a 48-year-old mother of two living in San Jose. For 15 years, she was a project manager for a tech company and is now an active volunteer who teaches art, helps with student fundraisers at her daughter’s school, leads couples’ retreats and supports many community grassroots efforts.
Follow Mary’s inspiring path at El Camino Health, where her experiences as a candy striper and mentor help shape the future of young volunteers and support patients.
Soon after retiring, Mike experienced a heart attack. He enrolled in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and started exercising regularly, monitored what he was eating and completely changed his diet for the better.
A year ago, Cheri’s chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was classified as Stage IV, requiring constant support from an oxygen tank. Even rolling over in bed at night exhausted her.
Pregnancy is a time of great anticipation and excitement, especially when planning for the arrival of your first child. That was the case for Besa until she was hospitalized on bedrest 25 weeks into her first pregnancy.
After enduring over 10 years of knee pain and attempting to alleviate the pain with cortisone shots and pain pills, Sharon’s knee was bone on bone, and it was time to consider knee replacement options.
Paul is a healthy and pretty typical 57-year old. He volunteers at his son’s high school, enjoys outdoor sports and adventures, and is involved in his community. Over the past few years, Paul has suffered from prostate issues, specifically an enlarged prostate also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) that was curtailing his ability to fully enjoy the activities he loves.
Mindy takes good care of herself. She regularly bikes long distances with her husband, which gives her a lot of time to think about life. When she noticed blood in her stool a couple of years ago, she didn’t jump to negative conclusions. She made an appointment with her doctor to get it checked out right away. A colonoscopy revealed a massive tumor.
Engaging staff from all levels of an organization to focus on one key initiative can seem like a monumental task, regardless of the size and scope of the organization. This was the challenge as El Camino Hospital embarked on its journey last year to reduce Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI), a leading cause of unexpected death for hospital patients across the nation.
Kam was getting ready to leave the gym when he began to feel dizzy. Recognizing his initial symptoms as a stroke, he sought medical attention at El Camino Health's Mountain View Hospital. The very same hospital where he works.
It was a volunteer position in high school that inspired Roxy to pursue a career in nursing and set her sights on becoming a part of El Camino Health’s hospital family.
For Teresa, volunteering her time with patients at El Camino Hospital is just one way to give back to the community around her, in the same way that her community rallied around her and her family after tragedy struck.
This is a story about Shirley—a wife and mother who loves making the most of life and spending time with her family and friends. Her cancer diagnosis caught her off guard, but she didn’t let it control her life.
This is a story about Nicole—a mother, wife and triathlete who would rather be logging miles on her bike than dealing with extreme neck pain. So when two cervical discs ruptured in her spine, she was determined to find a solution that gave her relief and allowed her to return to triathlon training.
This is a story about Raj and Pallavi—a husband and wife who have been long-time supporters of the South Asian Heart Center at El Camino Hospital. They had been worried about the threat of diabetes for years, but when they themselves became South Asian Heart Center participants, things began to change for the better.
This is a story about Stacy—a wife and mother who would rather be playing on the baseline than sitting on the sidelines because of a nagging condition. For years, uterine fibroids had given her physical discomfort and constantly weighed on her mind. Eventually something had to give.
This is a story about Bob—an accomplished athlete, retired executive and philanthropist who would rather focus on living a full life than be preoccupied with concerns about his health. So it comes as no surprise that when he found out he had an aneurysm, Bob decided to act on it right away.
This is a story about Jian—a wife, mother and scientist who experienced more critical medical care in the span of a few months than most people will face in a lifetime. Her story is about resilience, courage and defying the odds.
Dorothy has travels awaiting and can’t be slowed down by her chronic vascular leg condition. With help from El Camino Hospital, she can stay focused on her next destination.
Being a mom and an entrepreneur are two of Lisa’s proudest accomplishments. She is also thankful to have won an intense battle with postpartum psychosis.
Heart disease can hide behind even the fittest of people. Take Nickhil, for example. He never thought it could happen to him. But he dealt with it, head on.
You don’t always see it coming. Just ask Greg, a grandfather, golfer and prostate cancer survivor who beat it thanks in part to regular health check-ups.
This is a story about CK—an avid hiker and distance runner with many races in his future. He would much prefer to take on his training runs than have to face the challenges that come with diabetes.
This is a story about Fred and Susan—a husband and wife team whose dream of building their home together was put on hold because of their heart conditions. Their story is all the more compelling given that they live in Paso Robles, more than three hours away from El Camino Hospital. But they believe in the personalized care from El Camino Hospital so much, they think the drive is worth every minute.
