If you are reading this,
then James will definitely walk again. I first met James on a cold
and rainy evening at Kiambu district Hospital. The look on his face
was that of despair admixed with the constant grimace of a man in
pain. He leaned evermore on his wooden clutches as he handed me his
card to wait in line. It was about half past four on a friday.
After a one hour wait,
the old young man, in his late twenties, limped into the cold leather
sit. His story played out like that of a dying flame.
A young, vibrant soul,
suffering from a debilitating yet curable complication following a
fateful accident two years ago which broke his left thigh bone.
Poverty dictated his choice of treatment and the definitive treatment
offered within hours to days of injury was out of his reach.
Therefore, he settled for
traction. A process that would have him bed ridden for up to two
months with a weight constantly pulling down on his foot.
Unfortunately, the two months saw him reside at the facility for two
years with his fate looking up when the hospital through sponsors
managed to acquire him the much needed operation.
His thigh was healed, but
in its place, James developed an ulcer and was waived home for
outpatient-based care. With pain meds no longer in reach James has
known nothing but pain, biting evermore each day. He has not had the
wound cleaned in weeks. Kikuyu mission hospital had offered to dress
it in honey but that was cut short when he ran out of bus fare. Not
having any means, he resulted to walking to the nearest health
facility: Kiambu. On this particular ocassion, he had braved the rain
to make it here. He told me of how he wished that he had a piece of
land, because in his view that would buy him a cure. 'But there was
none' he said, his eyes welling up.
James' ulcer is only
several dressings and antibiotics away from skin grafting and because
of you he can walk again. God will never forgive us for allowing
James to give up. Kindly share this post and #JamesWillWalkAgain.
