You have TB: A Statement that Throws many TB Patients Off the Balance

Elizabeth Goreti (left), Irene Mukabi (Center) and Rukia Chelule (Right)

“You have tuberculosis.” These were the words that changed my life forever.

It was September 27th 2019, and I was at the chest clinic at St. Mary Mission Hospital in Mumias West Sub County. While at the hospital, the tuberculosis Sub County Coordinator Rebecca Oriya explained to me why I had been coughing blood and experiencing chest pain. Tuberculosis? I was left stunned. How could it be possible? Why was this happening to me?

Earlier this year, my family hosted a close relative to my husband. She was very sick and  had defaulted on her Antiretroviral Therapy (ARVs). I took care of her every single day because I was the only one at home. She was so  sick that she couldn’t move and on some days I would stay up all night just to watch over her. In June 2019, I took her to the hospital because she was not getting better after visiting many herbalists. At the hospital she was diagnosed with tuberculosis,  and was immediately started on TB treatment and ARVs. About a month after she had left, I began to feel sick. I had days with fevers, headaches, and I constantly felt tired. I thought it was a simple cold, but despite taking cough syrup my condition worsened day by day. 

I started coughing blood and losing weight since I would vomit every time I tried to eat.  When my situation got worse, my husband realized that whatever was happening wasn’t normal. He was worried and decided to take me to the hospital, where they carried out an X-ray of my chest since I was coughing blood and they couldn’t subject  my sputum to GeneXpert or smear microscopy tests. While I was waiting for the Chest X-ray interpretation by the facility radiologist, a lot of things crossed my mind: What’s happening to me? Am I cursed? Are my children safe? 

While I was lost in my thoughts, I felt a soft touch on my shoulder. It was  Rukia Chelule, the community health volunteer at St. Mary Mission Hospital. She told me that my chest X-ray results are out. I followed her to the clinic and she urged me to have a seat. 

The tuberculosis Sub County Coordinator Rebecca Oriya, told me that the right side of my lung was adversely affected and that I have tuberculosis. I was perplexed, because I knew that tuberculosis and HIV go hand in hand and that terrified me. I cried to God and asked Him why He had allowed this disease to infect me. Rebecca Oriya noticed that I was shaken, and so she reassured me that all will be well. She ordered for HIV test since it is a requirement that all tuberculosis patients must be tested for HIV. When the result came back, it was negative and I felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off my chest. Immediately, I was started on TB treatment and on the same day Rukia enrolled me on Keheala’s support intervention. 

ABANDONING TREATMENT WAS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME. 

As the days went by, I came to accept my illness. Keheala support sponsors told me that TB is curable; I should take my drugs every day, eat well and take plenty of fluids. Support sponsors also informed  me on some of the drug reactions that I would experience at the onset of my treatment and they assured me that those drug reactions would fizzle out over time and if they persist then I should not hesitate to go back to the hospital for further evaluation and management. I felt encouraged when support sponsors from Keheala told me that they will always be there for me until I complete my six months treatment.  

 I knew that in order to survive, I couldn’t abandon my treatment. Keheala’s constant support from daily reminders to availability of reliable information about tuberculosis, helped me throughout this process. 

I am more empowered and I know  that having tuberculosis doesn’t mean  having HIV. Words of encouragement and constant check - up  from Keheala’s support sponsors have helped me through days where I would have forgotten to take my medication. 

Now, I only have 3 months left to complete my treatment. Thank you Keheala, Rukia and all the healthcare workers at St. Mary Mission Hospital who have been and continue to be part of my healing process. God bless you all.

-Edwin-