Two months ago, when Nurudeen
Jewoola, aka Astro, a journalist with Newswatch
Daily, began experiencing constant fatigue, he naturally blamed it on the
hectic schedule of his job.
It was a near-death experience
that brought to light the condition of his health and the state of his kidneys.
“I had no inkling that my kidneys
were failing. The only symptom I had at the time was constant fatigue and I
didn’t know it had anything to do with my kidneys. Then one day, I went to OPIC
office at Gateway Building along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to make enquiries
about a story I was working on. All of a sudden, I came down with an intense
cold; I was shivering.
“Thinking I was coming down with a
fever, I found somewhere quiet where I rested a bit and afterwards called my
editor to inform him that I would not be at the office that day,” Jewoola said.
The following day, Jewoola was back
on his feet; this time he went to OPIC Plaza at Ikeja to source for documents
for the story he did not complete the day before. To his embarrassment, Jewoola
was assailed by a sudden urge to throw up and defecate at the same time.
He said, “I was just defecating and
vomiting; I couldn’t understand what was happening to me. Luckily for me, the
security men at the Plaza came to my aid and gave me water to clean myself up.
When I was through, I decided to go home and rest.
“Less than 10 minutes after I got
home, I became cold, lost my hearing and could not talk for about ten minutes.
Although I was sitting outside my house, in the midst of my neighbours, they
had no idea I was in pain.”
Finally, when he was able to muster
some strength, Jewoola told a neighbour that he was dying.
The neighbour, who is also a nurse,
administered sedatives to calm Jewoola down. By this time, everyone around him
had known Jewoolan was ill but none still knew how ill he was.
It wasn’t till the next morning that
Jewoola’s neighbours began to fret; it was 9am and he had not woken up. Jewoola
lived alone and there was no one to tell them if he was okay.
Jewoolan said, “They kept banging
on my door to wake me up. When I eventually did, they told me they were
scared I was dead.
“They called my daughter to take me
to the General Hospital at Marina. It was like I was in a trance throughout the
period. At first, I was told my blood level was low, about 17 per cent, but I
still went on to have more tests.
“Eventually, I was told that my two
kidneys had failed and that I would need a kidney transplant. I had to be
referred to Rivate Specialist Hospital at Ajao Estate for my dialysis because
the General Hospital had no functional dialysis machine,” Jewoola said.
A copy of the referral letter from
the General Hospital Marina made available to PUNCH
Metro stated, “The above
named patient is a 50-year-old, recently diagnosed hypertensive who is being
managed as a case of decompensated CLD, with chronic glomerulo nephritis. In
view of the above investigation results, patient will require urgent
haemodialysis.” The letter was signed by the consultant nephrologist, Dr. Ohihoin.
“Each dialysis session costs me
N45,000; already, I have had five sessions and have depleted my savings. I need
money not only to continue my dialysis but also seek a kidney transplant in
India. My treatment has been estimated at N7m. This is something I cannot
afford and that is why I am crying out for help. I need all well-meaning
Nigerians to help me,” Jewoola said.
Editor’s note: Those who want to help should contact PUNCH Metro for Jewoola’s number.
Tags
Society