Two are better than one. Two arms best than one arm. Its not the case for Cynthia Nekesa, Form Three student at Tingolo Secondary School in Butula Constituency who want her arm amputated. It started as a small swelling on her left hand and has now become a major problem that has complicated her entire childhood.
When the swelling started, Nekesa’s parents thought it would just disappear. However, it did not go away.The swelling has become so heavy that Nekesa has difficulties walking. She has to lean on her right to balance the extra weight in order for her to walk.
She is tired and want it amputated; ”I just want this hand amputated so I can have some peace. It is too heavy and painful. I don’t like the way people look at me on the road. I wonder if I will ever find a solution to this problem. I desire to live a normal life. I am unable to walk for long. I get tired fast because of the extra weight. That is why I only go to school thrice a week.”
Doctors have referred to her condition as neurofibromatosis.It is a genetic condition that causes tumors to grow in the nervous system. According to hospital records, Nekesa was six-years-old when she was admitted to hospital because of her condition. She was admitted on August 13, 2006 and underwent surgery. Doctors recommended regular checkups to manage her condition, whose cure is yet to be found, but this has not been happening because of financial constraints.
Her father, Francis Wanakawa , moved to Nairobi early this year to look for a job so he can raise money for Nekesa’s treatment. He is currently working at a construction site in Rongai in Kajiado County. He is hopeful his daughter will live a normal life; ”I empathize with my daughter, especially when the hand starts paining. She wails yet I cannot do anything to ease her pain. The swelling did not seem to be a major problem when we discovered it. We thought it would just disappear. However, we were shocked when it continued growing. We would take her to local health facilities where she was given medicine to ease the pain but this did not take away the swelling.”
The Deputy Principal of Tingolo Secondary Andrew Biketi said Nekesa has also been pleading with teachers for help.