Antonio Torres | El Popular
Despair came suddenly to Guadalupe Mata after finishing her workday doing the grape harvest in the fields of McFarland. She had been suffering for days with symptoms of weakness in her legs and arms, her nose was constantly running, she was very tired and had difficulty breathing.
Suddenly, she became afraid. Her coworkers had told her about these symptoms. When she arrived home, she told her roommates, but they urged her not to go near a hospital because immigration authorities could arrive and deport her for being undocumented.
So, she chose to endure the illness isolated in her room where she paid $200 a month in rent.
As best she could, Guadalupe made herself comfortable in her small section of the room. She worried she could die, that if she went to a hospitals she could get worse and be isolated or never heard from again.
Originally from the mountains of Puebla, Mexico, Lupe — or Guadalupe — was very confused. Her companions would bring her food outside her room. The plates and glasses were disposable, meant to be thrown away immediately.
Read original story in Spanish at El Popular
