Valerie

Today's post is the miraculous story of a most courageous woman, reblogged from "Ainsworths in Africa".  Enjoy!

There are positive people in this world, and then there are people like Valerie who exude joy. Valerie has suffered with her large facial tumour for over 25 years. Except she probably wouldn’t use the term ‘suffered’, because she has not let it affect her life with her nine children.

Described by the elders in her village as ‘the pillar in the community’, Valerie has always been committed to helping and serving others despite her pain and discomfort: “She has always been someone we can lean on and trust” said one elder. At 40 years of age, Valerie has all but forgotten life before her tumour but still clearly remembers the day she decided to not let it take over her life: “When something happens to you in your life that lasts for a long time, you have a choice to make. I do not choose to be unhappy and let people’s comments affect me. I choose to rise above it and make the most of my life”.

What she and her family thought was a simple abscess behind her ear as a young girl had slowly but surely grown over the years- but her courage and confidence grew right alongside it. Left untreated, this neglected growth within one of her major salivary glands resulted in an abnormally large parotid tumour. For many people this would be deemed a life-hindering condition, but for Valerie it has just been a ‘small bump’ in the road of life that she refused to be ruled by.

After hearing about the Africa Mercy through her local hospital, Valerie began the long journey to the ship. Apprehensive and alone, she waved goodbye to her husband and children for what they thought would be the last time: “When she left, we were unsure if she’d come back alive” said John Baptiste, her husband of 21 years. “I was scared about the surgery, but more scared of her condition and if she would wake up with each morning she stayed at home”. Upon arrival, Valerie was greeted by fellow patients with conditions similar to hers. For the first time in her life she was no longer stared at, no longer pointed at, and no longer mocked for being different: “People used to accuse me of being the result of witchcraft” she recalled. But her warm smile and hearty laugh do not tell of a woman who’s lived a life of torment, but rather a life filled with authenticity and love. She soon made friends as she sat among the other patients exchanging life stories and shared experiences.

On the day of her admission, Valerie pondered a typical Monday morning back in her village. She would prepare her children for school and go to work on the farm where she has planted and harvested maize, plantain and sugarcane since she was 15 years old. But Valerie knew today wasn’t a typical Monday morning. She made her way up the gangway to be prepped for surgery, unsure of her future but hopeful nonetheless.

Surgeons aboard the Africa Mercy, who have been working on tumours of this size and nature for many years,  knew that in order to remove her growing mass they would need to cut through a crucial facial nerve. Cutting this nerve, that controls most of your facial movements, would hinder Valerie’s trademark: her smile. Her positivity accompanied her into the operating room as Dr. Gary Parker made a remarkable discovery regarding this cranial nerve. While the average human body only carries one set, Valerie had two:

“We’d already cut through the first nerve and weren’t even thinking about using the nerve simulator again. But, by complete chance, we happened to touch the main nerve and her whole face moved- we were shocked. She basically had two sets of nerves which is exceptionally rare. It was truly remarkable!” said Dr. Parker.

“The first day after surgery when I went to see her she was able to move her face fully. People with much smaller tumours can have far worse paralysis that can take years to get over. I have done a lot of these sorts of surgeries and I have never seen anything like this before”.

After Valerie’s surgery was over, her journey through rehabilitation began. Weeks of facial exercises saw her practicing her contagious smile and blowing kisses to fellow recovering patients. There was also the issue of balance to contend with, after almost eight pounds of tissue was removed from the right side of her face during the operation.

When the day of discharge finally came, Valerie skipped with excitement to the car ready to embark on the long journey home, waving frantically to all of the friends she had made on the ship. She had waited weeks for this day to arrive.

The car door closed, the engine fired up but Valerie’s smile began to fade. There was a strong sense of apprehension. Of nerves. Would her younger children recognise her? Her tumour was all they had ever known. Would her two year old son be scared of her, the way other children had feared her before her surgery?

Any fears she had soon dissipated as the car encroached closer and closer to her village. The crowds gathered as everyone tried to catch a glimpse of their beloved Valerie through the windows: “Is that really her?!” one villager asked, “it’s a miracle!”.

The singing and the dancing began as her children raced to see her and piled on top of her: “Everyone was coming to see me, I fell over with everyone greeting me and piling on me – even the dogs!”

Valerie didn’t believe she would ever have her tumour removed, nor did she have the money cover the cost. She had accepted her condition with a smile on her face. Now, having received free surgery with Mercy Ships, her life of positivity has been lengthened so she can continue to spread her love and cheerful spirit to others and live a long and happy life with her children:

“When I heard about Mercy Ships I was given something I didn’t have before- hope. It gave me great joy and I had a consciousness that everything was going to be okay. Mercy Ships has given me a new life. It’s a miracle for me and my whole family and I’m grateful for what they are doing for others and for me.”

Thanks to the surgery and extraordinary discovery of an additional set of nerves, Valerie now has a second chance at life with her spare smile. Finally the biggest feature on her face is the one that best reflects her personality.

Valerie with her husband John Baptiste who was thrilled to have her home safe and well