Difficult Surprises of Obstestric Fistula Treatment

-
  Undergoing a fistula reconstructive surgery and healing are two different things. I realised one surgery doesn’t always guarantee healing. When I was newly admitted to the hospital one woman cried bitterly during the ward round when she was told to go home and come back after two months for another surgery. This was her second surgery and the leaking urine had not stopped. She painfully asked me how she would go back home after two months of hospitalization and still leaking urine yet people knew she came for treatment? She struggled to go back home to be a burden to his brother since she was separated from her husband after she lost her baby and developed a fistula. She also closed her business due to fistula. It was better for her to stay in the hospital where she is assured of three meals and two snacks a day, diapers and she doesn’t need to strain herself or bother people to take care of her.  Most women who undergo surgery to deal with leaking urine stay with one, ...
Post a Comment

From Classroom to Fistula Diagnosis: A Teacher's Unexpected Journey

-

In 2019, I was a high school teacher going about my daily life, unaware that a single moment during an exam invigilation would change my life forever. As I watched over my students, a young girl under my care faced an embarrassing and distressing situation—she wet herself. Little did I know that this incident would lead me down a path I never expected.

A colleague of mine, who happened to have a cousin working at the Kenya National Hospital with fistula patients, raised the possibility that this young girl might be suffering from fistula. At that moment, I had no idea what fistula was, but I listened intently as my colleague explained the condition. Little did I know that this conversation would be a turning point in my life. 

As the class teacher, I reached out to the young girl's mother, offering to connect them with medical assistance. However, despite our efforts, the mother assured us that her daughter was fine. Nevertheless, the conversation left me with a lingering sense of unease.

Listening to the symptoms and risk factors described by my colleague, I couldn't help but recognize certain similarities with my own experiences. This led me to secretly seek screening for obstetric fistula (without my colleagues' knowledge), despite my initial doubts. It just so happened that a fistula surgery team was visiting my town, Nakuru, that week. They had a last-day opportunity for screenings and surgeries.

The examination revealed that I had a third-degree tear, and the doctors recommended immediate surgery since that was their last day. I was told that delaying the procedure could worsen the condition. This news hit me like a tidal wave.

At that moment, I was not just a teacher; I was a mother with a young baby and the thought of being hospitalized for days and undergoing a surgery I had never experienced before was daunting. I also felt that I was not psychologically prepared. 

The medical team also explained that it would be safer to plan future pregnancies via elective cesarean section to prevent further complications. Faced with this challenging decision, I opted to delay the surgery, planning to have the repair after having another child.

Join me on this blog journey as I share more about my experiences on how I got fistula and how long it took me to get treatment

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Difficult Surprises of Obstestric Fistula Treatment

-
  Undergoing a fistula reconstructive surgery and healing are two different things. I realised one surgery doesn’t always guarantee healing. When I was newly admitted to the hospital one woman cried bitterly during the ward round when she was told to go home and come back after two months for another surgery. This was her second surgery and the leaking urine had not stopped. She painfully asked me how she would go back home after two months of hospitalization and still leaking urine yet people knew she came for treatment? She struggled to go back home to be a burden to his brother since she was separated from her husband after she lost her baby and developed a fistula. She also closed her business due to fistula. It was better for her to stay in the hospital where she is assured of three meals and two snacks a day, diapers and she doesn’t need to strain herself or bother people to take care of her.  Most women who undergo surgery to deal with leaking urine stay with one, ...
Read more

Behold the Tear: My Obstetric Fistula Journey Unveiled

-
Introduction All cases of obstetric fistula are associated with childbirth, specifically long obstructed labor. As I mentioned earlier, mine is not a "real fistula" but a 3rd-degree perennial tear. During my 24 days of hospitalization, I witnessed more severe types of fistulas, such as rectovaginal fistula (RVF) and vesicovaginal fistula (VVF), which require more complex reconstructive surgeries. Most women who suffer from a "real fistula" lose their babies due to long obstructed labor (more than 24 hours) and are unable to reach the hospital for quality care in a timely manner during labour. By the time they reach the hospital, they are left with the double tragedy of losing their baby and dealing with the fistula condition. However, third and fourth-degree tears receive fistula-related surgeries due to urine and stool leakage, but at a more manageable capacity than fistulas, including passing gas. It's also crucial to note that childbirth is not the only way w...
Read more