Month: April 2020

A 68 YEAR MOTHER HACKED BY SON OVER LAND WRANGLES

Today we are visiting NM, a 68 year old female hailing from Sembabule, a victim  of  physical  assault  due  to  land  wrangles.  This  has  become  a  common phenomenon  in  Uganda  due  to  the high  population  growth  and  land fragmentation issues. NM can now fortunately move her head from side to side. Her journey for the past 3 months from Sembabule to the Mulago Intensive Care Unit, then on to the neurosurgical ward has not been an easy one.  

NM  was  assaulted  by  her  biological  son  over  land  disputes.  Due  to  the extensive  injuries  she  had  sustained,  she  was  rushed  to  Mulago  Hospital  for further  management.  The  team  in  ICU  has  been  working  tirelessly  to  help  her recover  despite  the  scarcity  of medical  resources  that  have  become  an  all  too familiar  manifestation  in  the  hospital.  Caring  Hands  was  brought  on  board  to assist  with  the  medical  sundries,  drugs,  pampers,  and  laboratory  investigations.

Due  to  NM’s  critical  condition,  she  exceeded  her monthly  medical  needs  usually allocated for each patient, but Caring Hands always went the second mile to meet her needs.

One attending physician in ICU called and exclaimed, “Look at her!   She is alive  because of  your  constant  provisions!” This  experience  from  the  very beginning got me thinking about a lot of things, but the biggest has been LOVE. 

Most  evil  things  like  a  son  hacking  his  mother  almost  to  death  is  unthinkable  to most of us, yet God says, “Love one another as I have loved you.”

We  at  Caring  Hands  are  spreading  this  love  right  from  IOWA,  and  all  over the  world,  to  Uganda  through  our  work  on  the  wards  and  in  the  countryside through  our  medical  missions  outreach.  If  we  love  each  other  regardless  of religion,  race,  or  tribe,  then  the  world  would  be  a  better  place  for  tomorrow’s generation, and what an example that would set for them. 


Compiled by 

Ms Nakandi Rebecca

Nurse

3YEAR OLD BOY WITH DYSENTERY

FE  (Initials for  the patient’s name)  3yr old  boy,  whose  parents  left  Rwanda  to  seek refuge in Uganda a few years ago, although unregistered with refugee commission, they were able  to  find  shelter  in  the  nearby  locations.  They originally settled  in Mubende district and started subsistence farming which would get them food to eat but nothing to save.  

FE’s parents were saddened by the ill health of their beloved son.  He had developed fevers, bloody diarrhea, was unable to eat, and generally very weak. The child lost significant amount  of  blood  and  thus  required  a  transfusion. He  had  sought  treatment  from  nearby public  health  facilities  and  as it  is the  norm,  he  couldn’t  get  appropriate  care  since  most of these centers lack drugs, blood for transfusions and sometimes inadequately staffed.

At  that  point,  FE’s  parents  had  no  option, but  to mobilize the little resources  to get transport to transfer the child to Mulago National Referral Hospital-based in Kampala. All they needed  was  to  save  their  child. Upon  arrival  in Mulago, FE was  welcomed  by  passionate doctors;  they  were  willing  to  do  anything  within  their  reach  to  save  the  boy’s  life. However, there wasn’t much to offer as the hospital had run out of antibiotics that FE needed to have his condition treated. Getting blood for transfusion was a challenge too; neither did his father have any money left to buy meds in the outside pharmacies. The situation was too difficult for him (father) to comprehend and he was  begging to wonder whether it was worthy bringing the  son all  the  way to  Mulago  than leaving him (FE) to  die  at  home  where  they  would  not need money to transport the body back in case FE passed on.  His worries increased when he learnt that  his  other  4 children  and wife  might follow suit  since  this  was  a  communicable disease.

It’s was at point that  the  Primary Care  team sought Caring Hands Foundation  (CHF) intervention .We rose to the father’s rescue and we were able to provide a 7 ten day course of antibiotics,  feeds  and  feeding  tube,  pampers,  and  our  team  continuously  provided  health education on proper hygiene and how he could prevent his children from contracting such a disease. We (CHF), the father and primary care team were pleased to see FE back on his feet, playing and able to feed himself. 

FE’s is one of the very many Ugandans who are suffering from curable diseases and yet can’t  provide  for  themselves.  Many  more  patients  at  Mulago  hospital  have  similar  or  worse stories. CHF has a dedicated team that has impacted and will continue to change people’s lives through the love of God bringing restoration, faith and hope by serving one another.

 

Compiled by

Dr. Kiggundu (Medical Officer, CHIMAMM)

 

BEDRIDDEN FOR MONTHS

 Brian is one of the patients that we have been privileged to attend to over the last few months. This 17year old was involved in a motor vehicle accident and sustained many injuries along with a fractured femur bone. This accident was very debilitating.

Brian was on the verge of sitting for his senior four examinations when he sustained the accident. He was rushed to a nearby clinic and was attended to immediately because he was bleeding profusely.  After being stabilized, he was transferred to Mulago Hospital for immediate surgery. Brian has two siblings, both girls. His mother, a single parent, takes care of her three children and is the sole bread winner for the family. Maria, the eldest sibling, was placed in charge of looking after Brian’s needs in the hospital while his mother remained at home taking care of the youngest child and ensuring the inflow of income to cover Brian’s medical expenses.

While Caring Hands was involved in Brian’s initial care, together with the primary medical team, he was later transferred to Kiruddu Hospital, where Brian recovered, and the family was very appreciative of the care we had extended them. 

After our initial treatment, we visited him later, but we were shocked to find him very mentally confused. We wondered at the rather sudden change in his demeanor, but after re-evaluating him, we realized he was tired of being hospitalized and wanted to go home. He had decided to go on a hunger strike and during that time he developed oral sores. We placed him on some medications and the primary medical team decided to pass nasogastric tube to enable his feeding.

After some time, Brian improved and the team removed the tube. Shortly after that, he was discharged to go home. We followed up on him 2weeks later, and he was walking and smiling broadly anticipating returning to school next year 2018.

He appreciates the care and love given to him by CHIMAMM and in his words he said, “I found a very supportive family and there’s nothing I can pay back, but my prayer is that the Almighty gives good life to all the team of CHIMAMM so that kind of love can be extended to other patients like I had.”

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

Hurdled on the bed under light brown bed sheets which have seen many washes is 15 years old Nalunkuma Angella. She is being attended to by her mother who also appears tired due to the many months spent on hospital floors in search for a cure for whatever is ailing her daughter. Angella problems started 5 months ago when she developed fevers, vomiting and she was taken to Masaka regional hospital, but there was no improvement despite of the many treatment regimes. After 2 months, they were referred to mulago national referral for specialist management.

The mother and daughter made the 81 miles journey from Masaka to Kampala and they were admitted on ward 2B in Mulago hospital. Initial investigations done like the abdominal ultra sound scan had shown that she had an abdominal mass which was fast growing suggestive of a pancreatic tumor and the radiologist had recommended that an abdominal computerized tomography scan should be done to correlate his findings. This was a mountain for the mother in her quest for a cure to whatever was ailing her daughter.

In Uganda the cost of an Abdominal CAT scan is 120 US dollars and that’s in private hospitals. The culture of healthcare in Uganda is that in public hospitals healthcare is dubbed to be free, but in actual sense investigations, medicines are provided at a fee. Nalunkuma’s mother did not have any choice, but to request for a discharge. Luckily enough, one of the residents who was doing a surgical rotation on the ward, called the Caring Hands Team if they would assist the family.

The CHIMAMM medical team did a medical and social assessment of the family and she was admitted to the program. The patient was prepared, taken to nearby private hospital and the CAT scan was done. This enabled the surgeons to plan and do
surgery 5 days later. The specimen collected was taken for histopathology by CHIMMAM to Lancet Laboratories and she was diagnosed with endemic Burkitts lymphoma.

Finally, a diagnosis to what had been ailing the young girl had been found hence treatment was initiated. She was referred to Uganda cancer institute for treatment and the CHIMAMM team is still following up on the family. All this wouldn’t have been possible minus the generous donations from you our partners.

May God bless you.

Nakandi Rebecca
Nurse

LOST HOPE IS RESURRECTED

Eden Drasiku was a one month old baby boy admitted in “Mwanamugimu” Nutrition ward in Mulago Hospital. He was suffering from congenital hydrocephalus and severe non-edematous malnutrition secondary to his cleft left lip and palate. He was being attended to by his 24 year old mother, a housewife and his father Mr. Alex Bandua, a 30 year old man. The father was a part-time worker at Kakira Sugarcane Factory in Jinja District (Eastern Uganda). He worked as a sugar cane harvester earning a monthly wage of roughly 46 USD in order to take care of his wife and two other children. The father testifies that life was moving on fairly well with struggles here and there in order to provide for his family until a month ago when Eden, their third child, was born. “We were quite devastated when we saw this because we had not heard of such a condition nor did we expect it.”

He further stated that his wife did not attend antenatal services due to lack of money and gave birth at home with the help of a neighbor because her husband was at work at that time.

After Eden’s birth, the mother could not stop crying every time she looked at her son. Unique regarding Ugandan men facing such a situation, Alex did not give up as he sought help from the nearby hospital in Kakira, but the baby was not well received due to its uncommon condition. Nevertheless, a fellow Christian who had had a baby with similar problems advised him to try CORSU rehabilitation centre in Entebbe. While at CORSU, Eden

was examined and tests done, but he could not undergo needed surgery as he was severely malnourished. The family was then referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital for further management.

At Mulago, the child was assessed by the doctors and they determined a CT scan and ECHO cardiogram to be performed, but the family could not afford them because they had used all their savings on transport moving from hospital to hospital and buying food. At this point Caring Hands Foundation (CHF) was consulted. We immediately came and assessed the social history of the parents who were indeed found to be in need, and later on, the CHF medical team came on board, reviewed the patient, and approved funding for the investigations. The primary team on the ward organised an ambulance to transport the patient to Kampala Hospital where the procedures were successfully done.

The findings from the scan revealed an obstructive hydrocephalus (fluid accumulated in the brain). Due to the massive inter-cranial fluid, the little baby almost had no space for normal brain development. However, there was hope for little Eden as he required shunting of the cerebral spinal fluid followed by plastic surgery on the cleft lip and palate. The cardiac evaluation on ECG/ECHO was normal giving a green light for his much needed operations. Eden and his family still require lots of support to see them all through his major challenge.

Eden’s parents were grateful to CHF and expressed how we had restored hope to their hopeless situation. In his closing remark during the interview, the father stated that he was quite devastated with Eden’s condition, but through the counseling and support they had received through Caring Hands, he now loved his baby and wanted to see Eden treated and had hope for his baby’s future. Special thanks go to the entire CHF team who helped to support Eden. CHF remained on the case until Eden would be discharged from the hospital.

Mawanda John

Social Worker at CHIMAMM

LAST YEAR’S JOURNEY

“Is this it?” I asked myself on the morning of my graduation day. It had been an intense year of school, nothing like any educational program I had experienced before, but the grace of God carried me through it. Basking in the celebratory mood of my recent graduation, I took a mental walk-through of my last year’s journey reflecting on how it all started.

While planning on my next step in life at the time, and somewhat confused and tentative about things, I suddenly was overcome by a conviction to go for a postgraduate diploma in management. Those of you who are or have been in positions of responsibility can bear witness that management is a complex issue. Some might ask why would anyone want to study management, but I’ve learned that our struggles in life, and there are plenty in the office workplace, are usually directed towards finding solutions. My daily responsibilities at Caring Hands and MUYU are constantly reminding me of this reality of life.

One afternoon, I followed my conviction, and enrolled in a highly touted Masters Business Management program here in Kampala. The most interesting thing I remember on that first day of class began with the anxiety and frustration of dealing with Kampala traffic jams. They are horrendous. I found myself caught in a monster jam, and I was beset with the nagging thought of being late to my first class. Great first impression with my instructor. Aside from the jam, I had not attended the orientation session because the day it was scheduled I was out of town. I finally arrived at the institution, which was only ten minutes away from my work place without the jam, but I now realize I didn’t have a clue of where my classes were to take place. Awkwardly, I began following people I assumed were scholars and saying hi with a big smile to everybody I met on campus. Deep down I was ashamed to ask someone where my class was to be held. Feeling more desperate, I finally engaged a young man and verbally assaulted him with my ordeal chatting him up like I had known him all my life. I kept wondering what does he think of me? I watched him make a few phone calls on my behalf as I thought to myself, who is this guy, how come he has all these contacts? He got off the phone, took me to a window, and pointed to the building I should go. I finally composed and introduced myself. He did the same, and then added he was the school Guild President!!! When you are seeking God’s will, He will provide direction!

When I got to the building, I saw a familiar face. I wasn’t sure if this gentleman would remember me, but I was sure he was a senior instructor at the Institution and a former classmate of one of my friends and colleagues at work. I approached him with a smile, introduced myself, and reminded him that we had met at Prayer Mountain where he had offered my friend and I a ride back to Kampala. I was close to reminding him how at the time he had emphatically made us listen to a recording of a woman who supposedly had died but came back to life and lived another seven years to complete what God had instructed her to do but time did not allow for that. He told me a room number to go to and within a couple of minutes after sitting down, low and behold, he walked into the classroom and introduced himself as the instructor of our first class. The class ended at exactly 9:00PM. Fellow classmates had requested him to let us out at least a quarter to 9:00PM but he answered that he was a Christian who wasn’t ready cheat his employer. That affirmation was nice to hear but I too was worn out.

I arrived home at 10:10PM, regretting why I had to return home by public means. I had promised a friend that I would Skype with him and update him about how my first evening class went. Cooking dinner was next for me as well as for Precious, my pet dog. Although the day was stressful, I counted it all joy! This became my new life. Less sleep, less parties and less outings.

I learned a lot, made friends, ate lots of hard corn during class to keep awake and ingested more lunch time roasted chicken than you can imagine during exams. A time came when everyone seemed to willfully shove the food down our throats and struggle to attend all the classes, but in the end, the grace of God was sufficient.
Today I stand to thank God for His love, grace, mercy, provision and protection. 95% of the time that I attended my daily classes I arrived and departed via ‘bodabodas’, small dangerous motorcycles for those of you in the West. A few times when it rained, Sam Kisembo a work colleague of mine at the College of Health Sciences offered me a ride in one the College vehicles. Other times, Patrick and Akram (taxi operators) dropped me off or picked me up from school but at reasonable fares.

I thank Dr. Charles Reed Holt, my unofficial foster father, to whom I dedicate this article. He is the best thing next to salvation that has happened to me. Please accept my apologies for not sharing this educational adventure with you before I enrolled.
Dr. Bradley Richards, thank you for your friendship and encouragement. Thanks also to my dear brothers, Denis and Reagan, my classmates including Ms. Judith Nakaye, Ms.Frances Atima, Ms. Kirabo Justine, Caring Hands staff, and many other friends. And lastly thanks to my long time friend Dr. Evelyn Nabawanuka. (and no, I won’t tell anyone the number of years we have been friends because that makes you think you are old. Hahaha!). You all make my world!

Love,

Susan Nalugo