The relationship between a doctor and patient is a unique one. A mutual trust is established from the moment a patient walks through the door for an appointment.
From the day we're born, we rely on doctors to care for us. We expect them to be able to listen and understand when we're in pain or sick. We expect to walk out of the doctor's office with some sort of plan or solution for recovery.
What happens when doctors simply won't listen to your cries for help, when the pain is there, but they aren't able to see the problem with their trusty technology?
This was the exact case for Edward Garcia, a 31-year-old college student from California. He spoke with specialists and surgeons for months, begging them to operate, but none of them could seem to find a problem.
Although he is disabled, Garcia could tell something wasn't right, and he knew he was running out of time.
Scroll down for a look at Garcia's unbelievable story, and let us know what you think in the comments!
[H/T: People]
At just 11-months-old, Edward Garcia was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid deep within the brain.
This condition is rare, but Garcia has managed to live with it thanks to a surgically implanted drainage system called a shunt.
Garcia has had 26 surgeries since he was 8 years old, so he knew right away when something was off. He was in excruciating pain and even began losing his vision.
"I felt my body kind of shutting down," Garcia told People magazine in an interview.
Garcia could tell his condition was worsening, but the specialists he visited couldn't find anything wrong.
"Every doctor said my CT scan looked fine," Garcia explained, "But I knew this wasn't how I was supposed to be feeling."
Finally, Garcia ended up in the emergency room at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. He pleaded with the neurosurgeons on duty to get a better look at his brain.
"I remember there were five doctors in my room and I told them, 'If you open me up, you will find that something is wrong,'" said Garcia.
Dr. Isaac Yang decided to take Garcia's word for it and opened him up. He found that Garcia was absolutely right.
The shunt was no longer operating properly and the problem was below the CT scanner's reach.
As soon as he woke up, Garcia felt relief from the pain and pressure.
"The first thing Dr. Yang told me after the surgery was, 'You'll never hear a doctor say this, but I was wrong and you were right,'" Garcia explained.
Garcia went on to complete his eleventh competition for the Special Olympics just months after his surgery. He awarded the surgeon that saved his life the gold medal he received at the Special Olympics state finals.
Although Garcia was extremely proud to receive his awards, he recognizes that his journey in life is much bigger than the contests he enters.
"You don't need a medal or a trophy to know your worth," Garcia told LittleThings. "All you need is a mirror."
What do you think of Edward Garcia's amazing story? Let us know in the comments, and don't forget to SHARE his story with the inspirational people in your life!
