Meet Marie: “I do not fear”

Marie came to our clinic a few days ago, she got here at 9:00am and was patient number 57. She was complaining of dyspnea (trouble breathing), weight loss, and cough for 7 months. She is one of those patients who just ‘looked sick.’ When she noticed that she was not improving Marie went to the Mupfumu (traditional healer) who told her that she has the “shoe disease.” Many traditional healers tell their patients they have a shoe in their throat and the treatment is a uvulectomy (cutting the uvula, hangy ball in the back of the throat) and/or a epiglotectomy (cutting the epiglottis which protects the windpipe). Marie had both procedures done. With no improvement she went to her local health center in Rumonge twice and she was treated for malaria.

Marie decided to come to VHW even though it took her 2 days to get here. She explained that, “this clinic is known everywhere.” With TB suspected, a chest X-ray which was horrible, confirmed the diagnosis. TB is spread through coughing and since she has no epiglottis to protect her lungs she is constantly coughing and potentially spreading TB to others. She is currently in our “isolation” room, which is a large room with 2 TB patients. In the U.S. TB patients have specialized rooms with airflow control, negative pressure systems, and filtration. Here we open windows.

She shared her story with us and explained that she has 2 children (10 & 12) who are now living at home alone while she is here. Her husband was killed about 9-10 years ago during the genocide. Marie is worried about her children being home alone and caring for themselves. She is also concerned because it is the rainy season (which means torrential downpours) and her mud hut with a grass roof could collapse or wash away at any moment. Her daughter is coughing at home so we want them to come to the clinic for treatment, she does not want them to go to a traditional healer after her terrible experience. After Melino explained the situation and about TB, Marie told us that she is glad to be here getting treatment at our clinic and ended saying: “I do not fear.”

Her story hit my heart. This story seems unique but it is not uncommon. So many of the people face these challenges everyday. Can you imagine living with constant food insecurity, risk of your house collapsing in the rain, lack of sanitation, and poor access clean water? These struggles are everyday life here.