Læsetid: 4 min.

Gisele: Udstødt efter fødselsskade

En traumatisk fødsel

Gisele var 28 år og gravid. Hun var jublende glad og forventningsfuld over at skulle være mor – indtil hun mistede sit barn under en langstrakt og vanskelig fødsel i sin landsby i Congo i 1993.

Udover den fysiske smerte fra den traumatiske fødsel og det hjerteskærende i at miste sit barn fik Gisele også en fødselsskade – en obstetrisk fistel, som gjorde hende inkontinent. Desuden måtte hun bære endnu en følelsesmæssig byrde – nemlig hendes mands afvisning. Han forstod, at hans kone sikkert aldrig ville kunne føde børn og forlod hende for at finde en anden kone – han ønskede stadig børn. ”Jeg spilder tiden sammen med dig,” sagde han til hende. Kvinder som Gisele bliver stigmatiseret og udstødt.

På grund af lugten trak Gisele sig tilbage til et ensomt liv. I 20 år levede hun med en stadig strøm af urin ned ad benene. Hun overvejede selvmord som eneste udvej, indtil hun hørte om gratis fisteloperationer ombord på Africa Mercy.

Førhen vågnede Gisele op mange gange hver nat for at skifte sit våde tøj, men efter hun er blevet opereret, siger hun: ”Nu sover jeg godt – min seng er ikke våd mere.”

Gisele blev opereret sammen med andre kvinder i samme situation. I tiden efter operationen var de indlagt sammen, indtil deres sår var helet, og de var helt ”tørlagt”. Her lærte Gisele at strikke. Hun nynnede tilfreds og nød samtalerne med kvinderne i sengene omkring hende. Det blev en kæmpe styrke at være en del af et fællesskab med ligesindede. ”I dag er en god dag,” sagde hun.

Gisele mødte Mercy Ships i Congo i 2014.

Program orthopaedic

Congo

Fødselsskader

DEL

Marie-Madeleine : histoire de nos patients H2

Marie-Madeleine est une battante qui ira sûrement loin dans la vie. Depuis toute petite, elle fait preuve d’une détermination hors norme puisqu’elle refuse que son handicap soit un frein dans son parcours scolaire en Afrique et dans sa vie professionnelle.

At 13, Marie-Madeleine has a lot going for her. Not only does she believe in the importance of a good education to achieve her dreams, but she is able to put aside her disability to get ahead in life.

Congenital malformation H3

Since she was a child, her right leg has had an abnormality that has not gone unnoticed. Due to an abnormal muscle contracture, her knee bends in the wrong direction. She develops a very peculiar gait that attracts everyone’s attention, but does not stop her in her tracks.

Against all odds, Marie-Madeleine’s childhood went well and she developed a cheerful personality. She loves going to school and walks to school every day. Despite her difference, the other children accept her and she makes many friends.

However, her family fears that the obstacles are becoming too great for her to reach her full potential. And there is not enough money for any kind of treatment! Adama, her grandmother, confirms: “As we did not have the money to hope for medical help, we waited for a miracle

Hospital Ship Intervention in Africa H3

The long-awaited miracle came true last summer. Our hospital ship Africa Mercy docked a hundred kilometres from his village, offering orthopedic surgeries entirely free of charge thanks to your donations. What more could they hope for? Adama accompanies her granddaughter to the selection of patients and gets a positive answer: Marie-Madeleine is accepted for an operation in November! From then on, the young girl enjoyed imagining what her new life would be like with two straight legs.

After 8 weeks of patience with her leg immobilised in a plaster cast, a new and crucial phase began. With her crutches removed and a large splint fitted, Marie-Madeleine can experience her first feelings of freedom and lightness. But there was no question of rushing things, because the operation was not enough to get her back on her feet. For almost twelve years, the muscles in her leg have not functioned normally, and it is essential that she strengthens her muscles so that her leg can support the weight of her teenage body.

Follow-up therapy by our volunteers H3

Surrounded by our team of volunteer physiotherapists, she is entering the final stretch of her recovery. For three months, her visits to the big tent on the quay – where the rehabilitation of our patients takes place – will gradually lead her on the right path.

Last February, a final appointment with our physiotherapists based in Africa confirmed that her leg was in good shape and that she could return home. Marie-Madeleine triumphantly gives us a double victory sign. It was a long way to go, but she crossed the finish line with a smile on her face!