Mphatso's Story

Hello Everyone. Thank you for checking out this story. Mphatso is a student of mine who has been unable to attend school because of his current medical difficulties. I met him a few months ago and have become very interested in helping him. Many people have asked me "if you help him, how can you not help everyone." I have struggled with this question, however; I have decided that helping him-who wants to walk so that he can eventually do Community Development Work in Malawi-means good things will continue to happen far beyond my stay here. I have made the conscious choice to help him and I have thought and prayed a great deal. Please do not feel obligated to help. It is only that I want you to know about someone who is in need of help. He is a friend of my as are you. Just thought I could pool my resources. I do not expect to make another request of this nature but this is a delicate matter and time is of the essence. Thanks again for reading! If you are interested in helping, I am thinking "50 people $20" and you can send the money to my mom. She is going to get the money together and get it to me. THANKS!! & GOD BLESS!

Here is Mphatso's story as he has written it. I will edit here and there to keep it brief ( I know your time is precious). Thank you in advance for reading!

Mphatso's Story.

I am Mphatso Sikwawa and I am coming from Kanyambo village in Nkhotakota district. I am 21 years of age and I would like to share my story with you. I have got this problem called, "Osteomyelitis" on my left leg close to my ankle. This problem started in December of 1997 and it started on its own. One day in the afternoon it was raining and cold so I went to sleep. When I woke up I was surprised because I failed to walk one step. I didn't tell anyone until my brother asked me to go somewhere and I couldn't walk. I felt so much pain that I started to cry. After 3 days the leg began swelling and pus was forming. After one week there was discoloration on my skin. Finally in January on 1998 I went to Nkhotakota District Hospital. The Doctor sent me for an xray. The doctor said that the problem was of the skin and not the bone. He gave me medicine and instructed me to dress the wound daily. One day as I was dressing it I felt pain and so I removed the bandage and saw a piece of bone marrow and I took it to show the doctor. I was so afraid to tell the doctor to think that he was going to remove my leg but he told me not to worry. He said he would help me but he didn't. The next day I removed more pieces of bone but still the doctor didn't help me. I was so concerned because I knew there was something wrong but I didn't know how I was going to get treatment. I went home disappointed. Many people told me to go to a traditional doctor to give me medicine like trees and roots. I went and some man cut tattoos on my body, more especially on my back and legs. He told me that my problem was coming from a witch. I used that medicine for two weeks but things didn't change. When I see that things wasn't working I decided to go back to the hospital in March 1998. He gave me medicine (cororophenice) and he told me to go to the hospital every two weeks to get treatment. I went from March of 1998-December of 2002. I could see that I was wasting my time because the would was still producing pus but it was very small so I took it like it wasn't a problem. I was walking and even running without a problem. I stayed 3 years without medicine. In January of 2006 the leg started swelling again so I went to another hospital in Lilongwe (capital city)and the Doctors discovered that I had "Osteomyelitis" and they said I needed surgery. I was afraid it was my death but my friends encouraged me to go (especially another Peace Corps volunteer that I am in contact with now). In February I went to surgery. To my surprise I woke the next morning however; the pain was so great and there was no one to help me. The guards didn't let my mother in the gate so I was there to comfort myself. After a few weeks I saw no improvement in the wound and I returned to the hospital. The Doctor told me I will always have this problem. I cried hearing this from a person who said that he would help me. In March of 2007 I went to another hospital but they only gave me antibiotics. So after this time I saw many doctors but no one has helped me. A friend recently told me about a hospital in Blantyre that has specialists who deal with bones. Recently I went and received and Xray. The doctor also confirmed that I have "Osteomyelitis" and I need surgery. He told me that the surgery would cost $1600 but he thinks it will work. He says that he will use "bone grafting" and take a piece of bone from another part of my body and connect it to my leg. Using a brace he is hoping that the bone will heal itself and grow together. It is my hope that I will receive this treatment. I fear that I will not finish school and therefore, become ignorant. I wish to finish school and work in Community Development. I want to teach people of Malawi how to help themselves through various farming and agricultural strategies.