Gladys Masiembe is a 52-year-old woman. She comes off as very confident and open. She narrates that she is married and has eight children. She first suffered fistula in 1995 after having her first child.
Gladys had prolonged labour and delivered a generally heavier than average baby. The baby was four kilograms heavy. She laboured for two hours before finally delivering her baby. Gladys narrates that during her previous pregnancies, she laboured for less than an hour, therefore the two hours was an unexpected delay. She was labouring at home with the assistance of a local midwife as the nearest hospital was too far for her to arrive in time. The healthcare system had failed her.
After delivery, she realized that she was unable to control her flow of urine. She sought medical help at the local hospital where she received prescription medicine after presenting her problem. The attending doctor gave the prescription without examining her to access the extent of the problem. She took the medicine hoping to get some relief, hoping that her problem would be solved and that her life would resume normalcy. She religiously took the medication and her situation improved and she was happy with the effectivity of the medication. This joy was, however, short-lived. as soon as she completed the dose of medication, her problem recurred.
She visited a different hospital after the recurrence and hoped to get a permanent solution. The attending physician at that hospital examined her and diagnosed her with fistula. Again, she received a prescription and was sent home. The medication she received only offered temporary relief because as soon as she completed the dose she reverted to her previous condition. She managed her situation and accepted her fate.
After six years, Gladys delivered another baby. During her delivery, the baby did not come through the birth canal. The local midwife attending to her had to push the baby back into her uterus so that it could come out through the birth canal. This made the situation persist. Again she was put on medication but as soon as she completed her dose, the problem continued.
Gladys was unable to work. Before she developed fistula, she was a farmer. She would till her land to feed her family and sell the produce for some income. Since suffering fistula, she was unable to do either. Further, her social life was severely curtailed. She could not associate or socialize with her friends and family due to her condition. She felt embarrassed and lonely. Luckily, her husband never abandoned here. Despite having to sleep in separate bedding, he did not chance her away or mistreat her.
In 2018, Gladys heard about fistula treatment in Webuye on the radio. She visited the medical facility offering the service and was given some medication which did not treat her.
On 15th September, 2021, Gladys received a phone call about treatment for fistula from Bungoma’s First Lady’s office. She prepared to travel to Webuye for surgery on 4th October 2021 when she was scheduled to go under the knife.
Gladys sounds relieved to be able to resume her life before fistula and is hopeful that she will make a full recovery. The highlight for her is that she can resume enjoyable activities such as attending church. When coming for the surgery, she invited two of her friends suffering from fistula, but they refused to accompany her because of the myths and misconceptions about surgery. She looks forward to going back home and sharing her success story and also intends on sensitizing other women on fistula and encouraging them to seek help. She is grateful to the Flying Doctors Society of Africa for putting an end to her misery.
