Barbara Dressman

A Journey Fulfilled: Barbara Dressman’s Story

Barbara Dressman had spent a year preparing to walk 500 miles across Spain with her husband to celebrate their 70th birthdays. But just weeks before their departure, a heart scan revealed something unexpected: a rare cardiac tumor. Thanks to the swift and compassionate care of the team at St. Elizabeth, Barbara not only recovered—she completed her journey.

Preparing for the Camino—and the Unexpected

Barbara and her husband had long dreamed of walking the Camino de Santiago. “This was going to be our fourth trip to the Camino, but each time we had just done a segment,” she recalls. “It was really serious. I wanted to make sure I was in good shape. ”

She spent the year focused on her health—strengthening her back, working with a nutritionist and getting custom inserts for her feet. “Things were going really well,” she says. “I had decided that I also wanted to make sure that my coronary arteries were in good shape for the trip.”

That decision led to a cardiac scan ordered by Dr. Julie Gomez, a Primary Care doctor at St. Elizabeth. The results revealed a myxoma—a rare, benign tumor in her heart. “I had never heard of it,” Barbara remembers. Dr. Gomez called Barbara to connect her with the Heart & Vascular team where Barbara was introduced to Dr. Mario Castillo-Sang, a Cardiac Surgeon at St. Elizabeth.

Compassionate and Speedy Surgery

Barbara met with Dr. Castillo-Sang the very next day. “He was so compassionate and so good at explaining what needed to be done. Which was heart surgery,” she says.

“I looked at my husband and said, ‘You go on the trip. I’m okay. I’ll recover here.’ And Dr. Castillo-Sang asked what trip,” Barbara recalls. Even though Barabara explained that the 500-mile walk was only seven weeks out, Dr. Castillo-Sang was confident she would be able to join her husband.

Within nine days, Barbara underwent totally endoscopic minimally invasive heart surgery. “Dr. Castillo-Sang aligned everything with the hospital and made room for me,” she says. “Six weeks later, I started the Camino.”

She spent just three nights in the hospital. “Those nights were filled with nurses and others who were nothing but wonderful and kind to me and my family.”

Dr. Castillo-Sang noted that myxomas are rare and potentially dangerous. “He described it as mushroom-shaped,” Barbara recalls. “If the stem breaks off, I could have a stroke.”

A Journey of Healing

Barbara completed the Camino with her husband, walking up to 22 miles a day. “I had so much time afterwards to feel such incredible gratitude and gained a whole new outlook on life,” she says. “Things that seemed to be important before weren’t.”

She even carried holy water from the Vatican, gifted to her by Dr. Castillo-Sang, as a blessing for her journey. “The care isn’t just prior and while you’re there, but after too,” she says.

Barbara also found comfort in the spiritual care she received at St. Elizabeth. “The nun that came in and prayed with me gave me incredible comfort and seeing the crucifix on the wall when I woke up.”

Her one word to describe St. Elizabeth is “Dedication.” “Everyone—from nurses to transport staff—really takes their job seriously. They care about the patient and are dedicated to their well-being.”

Trusting Her Instincts and Encouraging Others to Do the Same

Barbara encourages others to advocate for themselves and trust their instincts. “I don’t know why I really wanted that test done, but it felt like it was the right thing to do,” she says.

She and Dr. Castillo-Sang also want patients to know they can trust the care at St. Elizabeth. When Barabara found out how rare her tumor was, she was sure she would have to travel elsewhere for care. “When it comes to the more advanced care in cardiovascular disease, we are right here,” says Dr. Castillo-Sang.

Barbara’s story is a testament to the power of listening to your body, trusting your care team and believing in what’s possible. “I feel like I had a guardian angel,” she says.

To learn more about Heart Surgery at St. Elizabeth or to schedule a consultation with one of our surgeons, call (859) 301-9010.