By Okong’o Oduya
Busia County, Kenya: Margret Auma who is 77 years old from Budalangi in Busia County has lived with a uterine prolapse complication for the last ten years.
She reveals to this writer that In the beginning, the problem seemed manageable but with time it has been worsening.
Auma has other wounds on her limbs as a result of leprosy. She confides that the first 8 years the uterus could come out and return back but has since worsened in the last 2 years.
“Initially, doctors could manage the problem but for the last two years it’s been out and it can’t go back. The unfortunate thing is that it has developed a wound that is bleeding,” A frail Auma reveals.
Auma says that she went to seek medication at Busia county referral hospital to remove the uterus, but it was not possible since she was unable to raise the money the hospital required to carry out the procedure.
Besides sagging uterus, Auma is nursing serious wounds on limbs and hands as a result of leprosy.
She is now calling upon any well-wisher to come in and help her raise more than Khs 100, 000 to enable her to remove it completely.
Francis Amakoye a retired senior occupational therapist who is currently taking care of Auma says he has taken care of Auma for many years when suffering from leprosy and now that she comes from a vulnerable family he has taken the responsibility of looking after her.
“Initially lady was on leprosy treatment at Alupe Sub-county hospital which she recovered. But ten years ago she developed the uterus complication doctors could address the problem until two years ago when the problem worsened. She went to seek medication at Busia referral hospital but due to lack of money, she could not proceed with the operation.”
“Her family is very poor. If there is any well-wisher out there, let him come help the family raise the money to facilitate operation and other requirements,” he said.
According to him when leprosy attacked the patient some nerves collapsed leading to the resurfacing of the wounds to limbs and hands.
According to Hellen Amakoye a senior nurse at Alupe hospital, she has been taking care of Margret from the time she was taken to the hospital suffering from leprosy 20 years ago, but along the way she developed complication on her uterus.
“I have been staying with Margret for the last 20 years. But she decided to move back to her home in Budalangi because there was no medication she was receiving at Alupe. The womb is out completely and wounds have developed on the womb that is bleeding. We went to BCRH for operation but they requested more than ksh100, 000 which the family was unable to raise.”
When she failed to raise the money she told me she wanted to come back home so that when she dies, she will be in her home.” She said.
Everline Ajiambo, family member says Margret’s health is deteriorating daily as a result of bleeding from the wound on the sagging uterus.
“She can’t walk. She has to drag herself if she needs to move. As a family, there is nothing we can do because of our financial status, we watch her helplessly.”
Uterine prolapse occurs in women when pelvic floor muscles and ligaments stretch and weaken that can no longer provide enough support for the uterus. As a result, the uterus slips down into or protrudes out of the vagina.
The womb or the uterus is normally held in place inside the pelvis with various muscles, tissue, and ligaments. But as a result of pregnancy or difficulty during labor and delivery in some women, these muscles weaken which may result in uterine prolapse.
The problem can be witnessed in women of any age.
Auma does not have a phone but can be reached through her caregiver,Hellen Amakoye on this number +254718396657.
