After the Visit: "...this experience helped my faith."

For much of her career, Julie worked at large companies that provided healthcare benefits. But in 2022, her employer relocated its headquarters and laid off the entire North America team. Julie found herself without work and without insurance. Unfortunately, this came during personal difficulties as well. That same week, she had found out that her mother’s physical health was worsening and the family decided additional support was needed.

Julie chose to not seek new work, and used her unemployment to become the caregiver for her mom.

“I felt like the details of the timing was God telling me to use this time to focus all my attention and all of my time to taking care of her. My parents were so good to me growing up, it was a privilege to care for her. I don't know how else to say it other than I felt extremely blessed. That extra time to be together really was a blessing.”

As Julie cared for her mother, the toll on her own health became apparent.

“One day, she was very wobbly and started falling. I tried to help her and I blew out my shoulder. The doctor let me know, ‘I’m really sorry, but you can’t take care of your mom full time anymore. You are not physically capable of doing so.’”

Julie ended up needing surgery for her shoulder. She was only able to attend one session of Physical Therapy after the surgery, but did her best to follow instructions online and practice the tools at home.

As her mom received increased care in an assisted living home, Julie began working again. This time it was part time for a smaller family owned company, which Julie greatly enjoys working at, but unfortunately does not provide insurance.

Around this time, an old injury from a car wreck caused Julie to lose her balance and re-injure her shoulder. Because she didn’t have insurance, she was trying to manage the pain on her own.

“I had been trying to look on YouTube to find what kind of exercises I could do to heal myself. Because I don’t have insurance and wasn’t getting paid consistently, when I did get paid I used that to pay the mortgage, gas, electricity- all that stuff. I was getting further and further behind but I kept thinking ‘I can catch up.’”

One day her daughter called and during the conversation could tell her mom was hurting. Once she realized what was going on, she searched online for free clinics and found Watermark Health. Julie drove to her daughter’s house to spend the night and the next morning they went to the Skillman Clinic.

Julie’s visit to Watermark Health was transformative.

“We were able to get one of the appointments that Saturday, waited our turn, and the Physician’s Assistant who saw me was so kind and understanding… It really was so generous because they provided the x-rays that I needed to find out what was wrong, and also recommended an Orthopedic Doctor to reach out to for specialty care, just to make sure that I didn’t need any kind of surgery, and they prescribed medication on the spot for me to deal with the pain.”

Julie was able to participate in the relatively new Watermark Health Referral Network, where a variety of specialists have agreed to see Watermark Health patients for no cost in their practice. Dr Chris Miller at Legacy Orthopedics was able to assess Julie’s condition and determined further surgery was not needed, but that she would benefit from Physical Therapy. Luckily, Megan Ochoa, PT was also a part of Watermark Health’s Referral Network.

Megan heard about the opportunity to serve with Watermark Health as a Referral Partner through a friend that worked with Watermark Health. Megan had recently helped open a new location for Therapy Partners of North Texas, and approached the leadership team about offering some pro bono services to patients without  insurance who needed care. They were open to the idea and willing to let her use the space.

“Serving in this way has been really encouraging, and it’s a way to challenge my faith. I get to more boldly share with patients, knowing that they have come from Watermark Health and expect that to be a part of the conversation. It is a privilege to get to utilize my skills to help them recover in a season they wouldn’t normally get recovery.”

Julie has been grateful for the ways Megan opened up her schedule and practice to Watermark Health patients.

“Megan has been working with me for months, free of charge, to get back in shape and to heal. She has addressed the original issue with my shoulder, but also helped to discuss some other physical issues from previous injuries. I was able to get surgery in the past, but didn’t have enough money to pay for PT. So I had been trying to do things at home, but having Megan there to professionally guide me and tell me what I should be doing and what steps I should be taking has just been absolutely phenomenal.”

Megan has also been blessed by getting to work alongside Julie consistently.

“Ms. Julie has been through a lot the last six months. But she shares such joy when she comes in. I’ve been seeing her during a season when she’s experienced loss and hardship, and it has been so sweet to watch how she’s really clung to joy and her faith in the midst of it. She has really prioritized working on her physical recovery to get to a better season. It is a privilege to be a part of that journey with her.”

The benefits of Watermark Health extended far beyond medical treatment. Julie found herself part of a caring community.

“This experience helped my faith. When you’re really hurting, sometimes what you need most is community. I was blessed to receive that here in addition to the medical care.”

Her positive experience has given her opportunities to share about the support and encouragement she’s found with other patients in the lobby, her church book club, and coworkers.

 “When I first went to the clinic, I was apprehensive because I have never had to ask for a free clinic visit. I have always been employed by Fortune 500 companies who offered wonderful medical and other benefits. So this was a new experience for me. I was trying not to be too humbled by the need to have to go, but at the same time, I knew that this was something I needed to do.”

“My experience there was far better than I could have hoped for. I saw God at work at Watermark Health. As followers of Christ, we’re supposed to live by our words. We’re saved by grace, but sometimes our behavior is the only Bible others will ever read. Watermark Health is walking that out and it was so cool to witness.”

At Watermark Health, the benefits extend far beyond a patient visit. The healthcare and spiritual resources we connect our patients to have the ability to create lasting life change. As a partner of Watermark Health, you make these benefits possible. Learn more - 2025 Explanation of Benefits.