My good names are Joseph w. Kamau ( Jose God's Son, i am 28years old from kenya, I am a person living with a disability and wheelchair
user.But I was not born with a disability, my life changed in a split of a second up todate I was diagnosed with a paraplegia secondary to a fall from a height wich occurred on 21st of September 2014.
Beside the trauma of the accident, I was confronted with unknown consequences due to the accident. The reality stroke me that I will never be able to walk again. In addition, I could say my body has been affected by more conditions. I have been also diagnosed with an acute compression fracture on my spinal cord which is level T10-T11 dislocation and transection and adjacent cord contusion which causes my bladder/bowel problem..”
What is a spinal cord injury? Spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that results Is a loss of function such as mobility or feeling wich has also affected me I can't feel from the chest downward.
The spinal cord and the brain are the two components of the central nervous system (CNS). The spinal cord extends from the base of the brain, down the middle of the back, to the lower back, and it coordinates movement and sensation in the body. It contains nerve cells, supporting cells, and long nerve fibres (axons) that connect to the brain and carry signals downward from the brain along descending pathways and upward to the brain along ascending pathways.
"I have a lack of sensations where my bladder and bowel would get full without being aware of I do use catheter ,and adult diapers each and everyday. I have trouble standing up because of the damage to the nerves on my both legs and became paralyzed which has led to not experience sensations . I have been admitted to many hospitals here in Kenya for treatments the first admission was in kiambu hospital,then Kenyatta national hospital, Shalom hospital where I stayed for Nine months , and later spinal injury hospital, following a referral from shalom hospital . I have undergo seven successful surgeries and I thank God for keeping me alive he has done a lot in my life.
The spinal cord consists of several segments along its length, with higher segments controlling movement and sensation in upper parts of the body and lower segments controlling the lower parts of the body.
The types of disability associated with SCI thus depend directly on the type and severity of the injury, the level of the cord at which the injury occurs, and the nerve fibre pathways that are damaged. Severe injury to the spinal cord causes paralysis and complete loss of sensation to the parts of the body controlled by the spinal cord segments below the point of injury. Spinal cord injuries also can lead to many complications, including pressure sores which has affected me and increased susceptibility to respiratory diseases...
After spending years and months in the hospitals, a hospital doctor discharged me to the nearest facility for follow up and phiyio therapy.However due to financial difficulties I have not been on follow up as per the guideline
When i was in the hospital my mother separated with my father because of my situation I remember very well Just like Yesterday what my father told my mum because I was just next to him is ( Oya kionje Ng'iaku umenye kúria úgutwara ) meaning Take your cripple I cried alot but I had no otherwise my mum to just to take his kionje i even tried to kill my self thrice same day .This have left my mother being the only primary caregiver as she takes care of me and stays with me on a rental houses where our life is not good because of her unemployment state she lost her job back in the year 2016 because of me ,because I was not independent enough even I was not able to turn myself in bed and I was requested by doctors to be turned every after two hours to avoid bed sores, and many more..
Due to this she is not in a position to meet all my needs she has been doing vibarua here n there atleast to help where she can ,I do use alot of stuffs like adults diapers, catheters,Urine bags,and many more which it's more expensive she can't afford because the little she get we use to buy food and to pay rent which its more difficult to get sometimes we sleep without eating anything sometimes landlord locks our house
like for now we have been going been going through difficult time like putting a meal on the table and struggling to buy personal paraphernalia Like adults diaper catheters urine bags and much more.
Some months back I started a Hawking business atleast to help my mum to buy food and to pay rent but Due to healthy issues I lost my business up to date and I've not managed to start up again And the wheelchair I was using damaged the batteries and they more expensive I can't afford to buy them. if i can get a capital and wheelchair batteries I am ready to start up again ive been thinking about sausage and boiled eggs bussines because that one I will not walk alot.
I've been going through difficult challenges but what makes me live is Hope because I Know my tommorow will be greater than today and and I love my self the way am even if accepting the situation was not easy
I've been experiencing and feeling more pain on my spine and experiencing catheter infection s spasms and many challenges but no matter what am going through I can't because I know give up Giving up is not an option."even if as person it comes to the certain stage whereby you feel priceless where you can't do anything but just to give up but I am not willing to give "Ju siwezi taka kumuacha mzazi wangu akiteseka peke yake .imekua matamanio yangu kumtoa mamayangu kutoka kwa nyumba za kukomboa nimununulie ploti na nimjengee nimuondolee machozi ile amekua akilia kila mwisho wa mwezi ju ya kukosa pesa ya rent lakini sina uwezo lakini naamini siku moja mungu atanitimizia ndoto yangu
Request: On 11 may 2022 i went to Aic kijabe hospital for surgery to correct my spine and reduce the pain I have been experiencing and I thank God surgery was successful they managed to do CORPECTOMY PLUS POSTERIOR INSTRUMENTAL FUSION T9-L2 .. After discharge I have not been going to phyio therapy Even though I am required to continue with it as per the doctors guidelines which will be a huge expense,which my mum and I went are not unable due to financial difficulties..
Therefore am humbly requesting for your Assistance as per your ability to help me to continue with my follow-ups and physio It my wish to continue with follow ups so that I can begin to lead a normal life again ,Also if you are here and you are in position to assist me start up a business to relly on my self also to Archive my dream to buy a plot and build a house for my and I.Please I need your hand on this.
Any little help will be greatly appreciated your kindness can save me and great support for me.
Thank you in advance for your potential support to improve my well-being.
Kind regards
Joseph w kamau
Thank You!