By Melody Gwenyambira
A 24-YEAR-OLD woman from Chihota is in need of help
after her fingers and feet were amputated.
Sekai Paraffin (24) of Chivakwe School in Chihota was
injected and given antibiotics in July this year at Harare Central Hospital
after she suffered from gangrene.
“I felt sharp pains in my neck and I started vomiting.
I had a running stomach the whole night and my temperature went up,” she said.
Sekai’s brother who works at Zimplats Mine was the one
who ferried her to the hospital so that she could get medication,
“I was given (sic) injections and cotrimoxazole but I was very weak,” she said.
Tracy Maunganidze (Sekai’s sister) (39) has since
taken Sekai in.
She revealed that they even resorted to other ways of
assisting her.
“We were encouraged to visit prophets. They also
failed and told us that they had given up on her,” said Tracy.
Sekai’s condition deteriorated and Tracy took her to
Kadoma Hospital,
“My feet and hands turned black and they were numb,”
said
Sekai.
She was admitted at the hospital but they transferred
her to Harare Hospital where their worst fears were confirmed.
“We were told that she had Gangrene and she had to be
amputated,” said Tracy.
Gangrene is a serious and potentially life threatening
condition that arises when a considerable mass of body tissue dies (necrosis).
This may occur after an injury or infection, or in
people suffering from any chronic health problem affecting blood circulation.
The prime cause of gangrene is reduced blood supply to
the affected tissues, which results in cell death.
“We were worried that she was going to be amputated and
refused but after we learnt that she was going to lose her life we consented,”
said Tracy.
Sekai’s nine fingers and her feet were amputated.
She is only left with an index finger.
“I am a fighter and I know that I can pass through
anything in life,” said the single mother of one.
Philip Muzambi (48), Tracy’s husband said they were doing
everything to help Sekai,
“It is difficult to move her around and we are appealing
to anyone who can help us get a wheelchair,” said Muzambi.
Sekai also requires daily wound dressing and Muzambi said
it was difficult to get her to the local hospital which is located 10
kilometres away.
*****
TWENTY-four-year-old Sekai Parrafin who
got her fingers and feet amputated is a happy woman.
Sekai received a wheel chair from
Claire Gunha from Mt Pleasant.
“I am so grateful to what Ms Gunha
has done for me. It is now easy for me to move around. The burden has also
become lesser for my relatives,” she said.
Sekai’s story touched the heart of
Claire who came to the woman’s rescue.
In less than a week, the woman with
the heart of gold gave Sekai the brand new wheel chair.
“I am praying that God blesses Ms
Gunha for what she has done. It is not every one who has such a kind heart,”
said Tracy Maunganidze, who is Sekai’s sister.
Sekai who has had her bandages on the
hands removed was glowing with joy and she said that she was not feeling any
pain.
“At the present moment I am not
feeling any pain,” she said as she sipped a soft drink
Mary Chimukanda who is Tracy’s
friend also thanked Gunha,
“We are praying that God blesses
her. The wheel chair has become very handy. I remember the last time she came
here with Tracy, she needed help to move her around,” she said.
Sekai also took the time to express
her wishes,
“I am now able to move around. I would
like a pair of arms fitted with fingers so I can do things by myself and also
help my sister,” she said.
The family is however still battling
to pay out the hospital fees,
“We owe the hospital US$1 792 and we
only paid US$50 so that they could discharge her. The total amount we owed was
US$1 842,” she said.
Sekai also expressed how easy it was
for her to travel,
“When we got off the bus at Mbare
Musika I was put in my wheel chair and wheeled around unlike the Iast time I
travelled on the bus.”
“My sister always used to carry me
and it was becoming extremely difficult but today it was a flawless journey,”
she said.
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