Help Mary Fight Life-Threatening Crohn's Disease
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Mary Kumi, a friend in Tema, Ghana is facing a life-threatening autoimmune disease, called Crohn's disease—with highly expensive treatment cost which has become unbearable. There is no state/government support available for this. She has had 5 surgeries so far since December 2019.
Mary who lost her father some years ago has spent all her savings, and her mother has spent everything she has available too on treatment for her. Therefore, it has become necessary to reach out to anyone who may wish to donate to help Mary fight this illness, and get her life back.
If you are in Ghana and you are unable to donate using this page, you can send mobile money direct to Mary Kumi via: 0593868214 (MTN number) or 0273099178 (Tigo number).
Below is what Mary Kumi has to say:
"On the 12th of December 2019, after my physiotherapy at the International Maritime Hospital, I had severe stomach pains and because I'm an ulcer patient, my mother and I thought it was the same thing that was happening again.
I went to see the doctor and I was given some meds and injection, after that I went back home. The pain became more severe accompanied with constant vomiting. I went back to the hospital and was admitted.
After several days of treatment, the pain and vomiting persisted, I went for an abdominal scan and a CT scan the day after.
I was referred to a surgeon who said I needed surgery because it was a bowel obstruction and adhesions. I had the surgery on the 18th of December 2019.
We sent the part of the intestines that was removed to the pathologist at the Ghana Standards Authority, the findings came out as Crohn's disease. It was my first time hearing of it.
I was discharged on the 26th of December, and I was admitted again on the 28th of December due to high temperature and pus in the wound. My wound had gotten infected, some antibiotics were given but it didn't get better so I had to undergo another surgery on the 30th of December 2019.
The surgery went well, and I was gradually responding to treatment, and then my wound got infected again, the stitches were removed and the wound was left gapped to be dressed twice a day. My drain had been removed, another collection of pus occurred this time more severe than the first.
I had my third surgery on the 9th of January 2020, I spent about 5 days in the ICU and then came back to the ward, after that my wound began to heal until we realized that my lower abdomen had another infection, stitches we removed, and the wound gapped was dressed.
I was discharged on the 9th of February 2020, still, with my gapped wound I went in for dressing twice daily.
One morning, getting ready to go to the hospital for checkup and wound dressing, I saw this yellowish fluid coming from the wound, we rushed to the hospital and the surgeon was asked to see me. A fistula had occurred which is very common with Crohn's' patient, I needed another surgery to correct it.
I went to the Tema General hospital on the 11th of February and was scheduled for surgery the next day.
I had other surgeons come around to explain to me that because of the constant tear of the intestines, my stoma will be pushed out so that the intestines would be allowed to heal before they push it back in, then I can go to the toilet normally.
The fourth surgery was done on the 12th of February. It was an ileostomy. When I became conscious after the surgery I was on a colostomy bag. It was quite frustrating and difficult to accept, somewhat depressing. I had to gather courage and accept it as my new normal.
Surprisingly, another fistula occurred, and I had my fifth surgery. It was successful and my wound healed up nicely, I was discharged and finally came home on the 12th of March 2020.
I went back to see my surgeon a week later for a secondary suturing since the upper part of the wound became gapped, after 7 days we took the stitches out and it was healed nicely.
I was told to go to Akai House at Cantonments, Accra to see a specialist, a gastroenterologist who would manage me for the Crohn's disease. We did several labs and test but due to circumstances beyond our control, we had to change hospitals to Euracare to see another gastroenterologist. The gastroenterologist asked for other tests as well to be sure it was Crohn's disease. The tests confirmed this.
Per every treatment session, a sum of 10, 500 Ghana Cedis (about 1,800 dollars) is needed. After the initial treatment is done, there has to be a repeat in 2 weeks after, then repeated in 6 weeks after then 8 weeks after, then it has to be repeated every 8 weeks.
Crohn's is an autoimmune disease, it's a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract, treatment helps to ease symptoms and pain but it cannot be cured.
Until my symptoms are under control the stoma cannot be reversed, I'm still on the colostomy bag."
Mary who lost her father some years ago has spent all her savings, and her mother has spent everything she has available too on treatment for her. Therefore, it has become necessary to reach out to anyone who may wish to donate to help Mary fight this illness, and get her life back.
If you are in Ghana and you are unable to donate using this page, you can send mobile money direct to Mary Kumi via: 0593868214 (MTN number) or 0273099178 (Tigo number).
Below is what Mary Kumi has to say:
"On the 12th of December 2019, after my physiotherapy at the International Maritime Hospital, I had severe stomach pains and because I'm an ulcer patient, my mother and I thought it was the same thing that was happening again.
I went to see the doctor and I was given some meds and injection, after that I went back home. The pain became more severe accompanied with constant vomiting. I went back to the hospital and was admitted.
After several days of treatment, the pain and vomiting persisted, I went for an abdominal scan and a CT scan the day after.
I was referred to a surgeon who said I needed surgery because it was a bowel obstruction and adhesions. I had the surgery on the 18th of December 2019.
We sent the part of the intestines that was removed to the pathologist at the Ghana Standards Authority, the findings came out as Crohn's disease. It was my first time hearing of it.
I was discharged on the 26th of December, and I was admitted again on the 28th of December due to high temperature and pus in the wound. My wound had gotten infected, some antibiotics were given but it didn't get better so I had to undergo another surgery on the 30th of December 2019.
The surgery went well, and I was gradually responding to treatment, and then my wound got infected again, the stitches were removed and the wound was left gapped to be dressed twice a day. My drain had been removed, another collection of pus occurred this time more severe than the first.
I had my third surgery on the 9th of January 2020, I spent about 5 days in the ICU and then came back to the ward, after that my wound began to heal until we realized that my lower abdomen had another infection, stitches we removed, and the wound gapped was dressed.
I was discharged on the 9th of February 2020, still, with my gapped wound I went in for dressing twice daily.
One morning, getting ready to go to the hospital for checkup and wound dressing, I saw this yellowish fluid coming from the wound, we rushed to the hospital and the surgeon was asked to see me. A fistula had occurred which is very common with Crohn's' patient, I needed another surgery to correct it.
I went to the Tema General hospital on the 11th of February and was scheduled for surgery the next day.
I had other surgeons come around to explain to me that because of the constant tear of the intestines, my stoma will be pushed out so that the intestines would be allowed to heal before they push it back in, then I can go to the toilet normally.
The fourth surgery was done on the 12th of February. It was an ileostomy. When I became conscious after the surgery I was on a colostomy bag. It was quite frustrating and difficult to accept, somewhat depressing. I had to gather courage and accept it as my new normal.
Surprisingly, another fistula occurred, and I had my fifth surgery. It was successful and my wound healed up nicely, I was discharged and finally came home on the 12th of March 2020.
I went back to see my surgeon a week later for a secondary suturing since the upper part of the wound became gapped, after 7 days we took the stitches out and it was healed nicely.
I was told to go to Akai House at Cantonments, Accra to see a specialist, a gastroenterologist who would manage me for the Crohn's disease. We did several labs and test but due to circumstances beyond our control, we had to change hospitals to Euracare to see another gastroenterologist. The gastroenterologist asked for other tests as well to be sure it was Crohn's disease. The tests confirmed this.
Per every treatment session, a sum of 10, 500 Ghana Cedis (about 1,800 dollars) is needed. After the initial treatment is done, there has to be a repeat in 2 weeks after, then repeated in 6 weeks after then 8 weeks after, then it has to be repeated every 8 weeks.
Crohn's is an autoimmune disease, it's a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract, treatment helps to ease symptoms and pain but it cannot be cured.
Until my symptoms are under control the stoma cannot be reversed, I'm still on the colostomy bag."
Organizer
Chris-Vincent Agyapong
Organizer
England