This is not the best of times for the family of Mr. and Mrs. Okoro Okechukwu. Okechukwu who hails from Ehime in Ehime-Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State is down with kidney ailment. The 43-year old has been battling to save his life. At the moment, he spends huge amounts of money weekly to stay alive. The sad side of his story, according to him is that he has not urinated since January, 2014.
Trouble started for Okechukwu in September, 2013, when he noticed a strange swelling on his body. Not ready to take chances, he headed straight to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), where he was diagnosed with ‘End Stage Kidney Failure’(ESKF). The medical report revealed that his two kidneys had been affected, and since then, his life has been at the brinks as he is being sustained by weekly dialysis.
For long, he had been told that the only way out for him was to undergo kidney transplant and thereafter, he would be sustained by a year-long, anti-immune drugs, whose cost was estimated at N9 million. He has since been placed on three-times-weekly dialysis, with blood transfusion, iron sucrose injection, racormon injection, glucometer, pre and post dialysis test, summing up to N54,000 per session. That means that he spends an average of N162,000 a week, on medication.
He said the last strike by medical doctors in the country worsened his case. As a result of that, he was taken to a private hospital in Port Harcourt (name withheld), where he is at the moment.
Speaking about his plight on his hospital bed, Okechukwu said: “Just one day, I saw my leg swelling up. I did not know the cause of the swelling. When I went to church, one of our pastors saw my condition and expressed surprise. I told him I didn’t know the cause of the swelling. However, I suspected it might be High Blood Pressure (HBP), because I learnt that it could cause such an ailment.
“He therefore, advised me to go to hospital where tests would be carried out to know the cause of the problem. In fact, he advised me to go UPTH for the test believing that it would be well handled there.”
He said with the test done, the result showed that he had High Blood Pressure which had caused immense damaged to his two kidneys, noting that, that could have terminated his life without notice.
“In fact, the HBP had caused enormous damage to my kidney. Both of them were almost gone. I asked the doctor what I would do and he said that the two kidneys would require transplant; that’s all. He emphasised that the dialysis I would be doing was not a cure for kidney problem. He advised that if I did not go for the transplant, I should be prepared to face worse times ahead.
“Thereafter, I began to wonder if that was how I was going to die. That’s how I found myself in this condition. When I later went for dialysis, one of the doctors revealed to me that the problem had lasted up to a year in my system. Now, I don’t know what to do. I’m helpless and confused because they told me that there was no way this could be cured. They said that my case was at its end stage – that it has stages and my own had attained its end point, emphasising that dialysis was no cure for it.
“Now, I cannot breathe well; if I attempt to do that, the water in my system will simply force its way up and close my lungs; So, I don’t enjoy any breathing space at all. At night, I don’t sleep; in the day I don’t sleep as well. I always feel itching all over my body. As I speak to you, I have not passed urine for about a year now. Since January this year, I have not been able to pass urine. Passing urine for me now is a luxury. In fact, I don’t really know what to do. That’s how bad my case is.
“Doctors say kidney transplant is the only way out. When I inquired about the cost, the amount they mentioned was in the region of N9 million. I can’t even raise that in a life time. The dialysis I attend thrice weekly costs N162,000. I don’t even have money to continue with that. I’m simply struggling to live.”
In tears, Okechukwu continued: “I am pleading to Nigerians: brothers and sisters, to help me come out of this problem. I don’t have any more dime left; I want to live. Please, I want to live; I don’t want to die. That is why I am begging everyone to help me out of this problem,” he pleaded.
In like manner, his wife, Chinenye, appealed to all well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to come to the aid of her husband and save his life. She lamented that the illness had crumpled his business and even affected her job.
“It has been a difficult and terrible experience. While at the UPTH, my husband underwent several operations. The cost of treatment was simply outrageous. The sickness is not what one can wish their worst enemy. It doesn’t allow him to sleep at night. Since January he has not urinated; he has been on constant blood transfusion. We are soliciting for assistance from everyone to enable him go for the transplant; I want him to live.”
The family could be reached via 08037467311 and 07033651120, just as assistance could be sent to Guaranty Trust Bank (GT Bank), account number 0139571638 in favour of Okoro Okechukwu.
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