About two years ago, to be precise, it was one fateful Saturday, 29th February 2020, when a normal day and had seen me go around and about my normal chores turned sour in a split second.
I was visiting my mom, and coincidentally my cousin brother(an angel sent by God to save my life) had checked in on my mom too. I was preparing some mangoes for my cousin in the kitchen when someone hit me so hard on the back of my head … or so I thought! But on struggling to stand up straight found out there was no one who had hit me.
After offering the visitor the fruit, I struggled again to get to the bedroom, and all this while my cousin was oblivious of what was happening, and I, too, wasn’t sure what was going on but honestly felt life slowly slipping away.
By this time, I heard mom come into the house, and I called her into the bedroom, and she immediately gave a scream…by this moment was soaked in my sweat, my neck stiff, and my head pulled backward. I started vomiting green substance (which by now I have known is bile)
My cousin drove like a mad man, and upon realizing that I may not make it to the district hospital, he branched off to Karen Hospital Branch Meru, which was like a 5minutes drive from home.
They got me to the emergency room and were doing everything possible to bring my pressure down, which by this time had clocked 183/108. After a bit of first aid, they recommended that I immediately be transferred to Nkubu Consolata hospital, which had the facilities to take a brain CT scan.
By this time, I had the ‘world’s worst headache. If you have suffered a migraine, please take that pain; kindly multiply it by infinity…that’s how painful that headache feels. Did I mention my cousin accidentally hit another vehicle, and we had to go to the police station? Anyways.
The CT report was that I had Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Bleeding in the brain. A second CTA, Circle of Willis, done on 3rd March 2020, gave an impression of an ACOM aneurysm.
The CEO directed that I should be transferred to Mathari Consolata Hospital Nyeri.
For lack of funds for the ambulance, we used a private car and drove for about 3 hours, where we were received by Dr. Nyaoncha and Dr. Sharon, both neurosurgeons in the hospital.
I was again diagnosed with a ruptured ACA aneurysm on the 4th of March 2020. They scheduled an immediate operation the following week, but since we couldn’t raise the total amount, the hospital discharged us, and I deteriorated further. Violent tremors attack my legs and eventually my whole body.
My brother-in-law drove the better part of the night (such a blessed soul) to Nyeri to pick me, my husband, and our daughter en route to Nairobi Kenyatta National Hospital.
Our little sister Nancy had gone very early morning and booked us an appointment with Dr. Reuben Lubanga, a Neurosurgeon.
He recommended an MRI scan. This day was another dark one. The tremor attacks became so violent that the nurses had to rush me into the MRI room, and at that moment, as everyone else made way for me …for once, I felt like the hour had come. But when I saw the pain, agony, and tears on my daughter’s face, she was trembling. I couldn’t let death win. I just couldn’t. The MRI reported a Leaking aneurysm. He further requested we do CT/CTA/CTV Scans. This one showed normal brain CTA.
It was during that time the first Covid-19 case was admitted to Kenyatta Hospital, and he advised that It wouldn’t be wise at all to be admitted because if I got Covid19, I wouldn’t survive and advised me to go home, take medications, and do follow up with him from time.
The suffering that my family and I have gone through, especially after the lockdown due to Covid19, cannot begin to cover up.
Until April this year, 2022, all hope was going when our brother Dr. Allan and his wife Mercy (they have walked the journey with us, encouraging, supporting, and counseling us and giving us hope..how can w ever repay you) consulted with Dr. Wanyoike the Neurosurgeon at BSR, and we were able to see him.
He recommended a CT Angio, which reported an aneurysm, and scheduled surgery for 4th April 22, which didn’t happen again because we could not afford it.
Currently, we have seen Dr. Edwin Mogere, the Neurosurgeon at Agha Khan University Hospital Nairobi, who has recommended a DSA and possibly coiling or clipping of the aneurysm.
The cost stands at 1.6 million Kenya Shillings.
You are the only chance we have now to save my life from this aneurysm of which all the doctors have agreed that in case of a rebreed, it will be fatal, causing a stroke or even death.
With your donation, I can go for the procedure as early as possible since our family resources and funds have dried up.
We are grateful to every kind donor that chooses to contribute. Please share our story with your family and friends across social media like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter. Thank you.”
Mercy and Allan Gitobu
We are Mercy and Allan Gitobu. We live in San Diego with our daughters, Nkatha and Meme. Our brother Mutwiri, his wife Jaki, and children Kapoom, Murithi, and Joey live here in San Diego as well. Gitobu and Mutwiri are the brothers of Maingi – Mercy’s husband. Not to confuse anyone, Maingi and Gitobu’s wives share the first name “Mercy.”
Why are we talking about ourselves? It is because we are leading the effort to help Mercy Maingi raise the money to fund her surgery.
Kenya has little to poor insurance coverage. In Mercy’s case, the operation will require $16,000.00. Her health coverage through NHIF (government-sponsored health insurance much like Medicare in the US) will not cover more than 10% of this bill. For that, Mercy has to find the money by appealing to family, friends, and neighbors. We are leading this effort and appealing to you to help her through the donation methods we have provided.
The Doctor’s word
Hi all,
My name is Julie Mayeku, AKA Dr. Julie, for most of my patients. With Ms. Mercy’s permission, I wanted to share a little bit regarding her medical condition.
Mercy has been diagnosed with a symptomatic aneurysm in one of the blood vessels in her brain. Briefly, an aneurysm is a weakening of the artery wall. Some symptoms associated with the brain aneurysm that Mercy has been experiencing include persistent severe headaches and seizure-like symptoms.
Symptomatic brain aneurysms are usually at increased risk for rupturing. Current data shows that the survival rate for those with a ruptured brain aneurysm is about 60% (40% die). Of those who survive and recover, about 66% have some permanent neurological defects. Unfortunately, there is an excellent medical algorithm to identify when or who will have a ruptured aneurysm.
For this reason, a logical intervention for Mercy at the moment is to repair the aneurysm now. For it is a race against time – Julie Mayeku, MD.
Donations
You may be able to donate to Mercy in any of the following ways:
- Zelle: Mercy Gitobu 858 231 3673
- Cash App: $MercyGitobu
- Venmo: @Mercy-Gitobu
- MPESA: +254 748 399728
- GoFundMe : https://gofund.me/c85248ca