“I slid, I did not know about winter and the snow outside, there was water shortage, the lady boss then asked me to go outside and turn on the main water tap. I had slippers, immediately I opened the door and stepped out; I slid and rolled down the stairs. I got injuries at the fingers, back and hands. I went back to the house, wet allover, showed the lady boss…… she did not even tell me sorry, she only said it is alright” narrates Lydia
Almost a year since the accident, Wangare has never visited any hospital for medical checkup, this is despite the fact that she quit her job as a house help in Saudi Arabia and came back to her home country, Kenya. She says, she has no source of income and so she fears going to hospital because she believes she will be asked for money
“I still use pain killers because it’s what I can afford.” Laments Lydia. “Sometimes my knees swell so bad that I have to walk by supporting myself. The society expects a woman to be very strong so I have to persevere. If only I could get money to go for a proper diagnosis know what exactly is wrong with me before it’s too late, nothing would make me happier but for now there is nothing much I can do for myself. I am not only jobless but even if I got a job now, I cannot do it because of my back and if I can’t work what kind of person am I? If walking in itself is very difficult for me imagine the trouble I go through to use a pit latrine at home.” says Wangare
“When we talk about the spine, we are talking about the whole body. If the spine is injured, then the entire body cannot function. Therapy helps to balance the spine which makes sure that every bone or every vertebral and every disc in the spine is at its position well-arranged so that there will be no problem when movement or work is needed to be done in the body. Says Malube
Malube further says that if spine injuries are not treated other diseases and problems like diabetes, ulcers, nervous breakdown, lame and backaches, vision and hearing degeneration and high blood pressure among others can also be caused by spine injuries. However, Lydia Wangare may have more than just spine injuries considering the regular episodes of depression following the hectic nonpaying job she did in Saudi Arabia and also the difficult life she lives in Kenya with her two children.
`Sometimes I feel like committing suicide. I don’t even have a house; I am only given beddings for me and one of my children. The other stays with my other sister because I cannot feed them” Says Wangare.
Could Lydia’s depression be as a result of her spine injury? Malube explains that if the backache is as a result of a spinal injury, it might lead to other organs in her body failing to function normally resulting to the victim developing numerous other complications including stress, high blood pressure, stroke or depression/despair due to unwanted thoughts.
“There are those risk factors, like losing someone they love; losing a job etc. can lead to depression. Women are able to share their problems, talk about it and that is why they are able to deal with depression unlike men. Exercising and sharing issues with other people as well as accepting that someone is depressed are some of the first steps towards getting help. We can support people ailing from depression by accepting, loving them and helping them to engage in activities that can help them recover from depression.” concludes Nyokabi
According to the latest estimates from world health organization, WHO more than 300 million people in the world are currently living with depression. This is an increase of more than 18 percent between 2005 and 2015.World Health Day is celebrated annually on 7thApril. The theme for 2017 was ‘Depression, let`s talk.
By Tebby Otieno
Tebbyotieno62@gmail.com
