Sarita's Story

We first met Sarita, a 26 yr old mother of three, when she had already faced many troubles. She comes from a war-torn district in Western Nepal where many of the health posts have been destroyed, making access to health care very difficult. She came with six months of fever, weight loss and abdominal pain.

She had journeyed to the zonal capital several districts from her home where an ultrasound scan suggested abdominal TB. But Sarita returned home with no treatment options being instituted. Pills from the local pharmacy did not help. Eventually a contact from a neighbouring village told her of the care that could be obtained from the mission hospital in Tansen. Full of hope, she made the 3 hr walk and 10 hr bus journey to reach us. A difficult operation was performed but was complicated by a wound fistula (bowel content discharge) and on-going bowel obstruction with vomiting that prevented her from absorbing the essential TB medicines.

A second operation was needed but once again severe inflammation was encountered and made it necessary to construct an ileostomy (bowel bag). Over the next months she was kept alive by a feeding tube passed directly into her bowel, and was further sustained by the prayers of many. She eventually made a good recovery from problems of infection, malnutrition, blood loss and a bladder fistula and learnt to manage her ileostomy.

As prolonged hospitalization was unaffordable for her family, Sarita's husband, who had cared attentively, went to India to find work. Sarita meanwhile rehabilitated in the social services flats and is grateful for the help she received. During this time she became a caregiver for other patients from remote districts who also had difficult and prolonged illnesses. She comforted a dwarfed lady whose baby had died and whose uterus and bladder had necrosed as a result of obstructed labour. She became the "aunty" of a child whose mother had her femur reconstructed following previous osteomyelitis. She visited and encouraged sick children through participation in the toys program.

It was so heartening to see one who had been a recipient of care become part of the team healing others who came bearing grief and pain. After the TB treatment was completed the ileostomy was closed. Her body had been healed as had her mind and spirit, but new challenges lay ahead. Her family was scattered in two countries and three districts, her village was in a state of famine and her youngest child did not even recognise her. She has now returned to live with extended family in another district.

We thank God for her recovery and continue to pray for a successful family reunion. Moreover, we pray that Sarita may be an agent of grace and peace to others in remote parts where there is a need for forgiveness and a new start.