| THIS BOY HAS A DREAM
You can help him realise it
By TOYIN OSAWE
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
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Olajide Abdulrazaq Agboke
• PHOTO: Sun News Publishing
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Twenty-year-old Olajide Abdul Razaq
is a bright young man. He is a student of Kings College, Lagos and now in SS1.
He sees himself as a future journalist or a lawyer. He knows where he is going,
though he cannot see.
However, Jide’s physical challenge is now
being compounded with an End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) diagnosed in March 2007.
To stay alive, the young man has to endure dialysis twice weekly, which costs
between N60, 000 and N80,000.
For a permanent relief, his doctor says
he would need a kidney transplant, which will cost N7.5 million and an additional
N2 million for drugs after the transplant.
Speaking with Daily Sun, his distraught
father, Mr. Suraju Agboke, narrated how it all started.
"I went to
visit him in school a few months back when I noticed that his face and feet were
swollen. I asked him what the problem was and he told me he had malaria and had
been to the school clinic."
But suspecting that all was not well with
his son, he took him to a private hospital where he was referred to the Lagos
University Teaching Hospital(LUTH). It was there that he was diagnosed as having
kidney failure.
The specialist at the tertiary health institution, Dr.
M.O Mabayoje, diagnosed Jide’s condition as secondary hypertension and End-Stage
Renal Disease.
"He was referred to LUTH in March 2007 because of swollen
feet and the face. Our investigations show that both his kidneys are irreversibly
damaged and he has ESRD secondary to a suspected Chronic Glomerulonephritis. He
is now on twice-weekly sessions of heamodialysis to keep him alive pending his
getting a kidney transplant.
"Kidney transplant is the definitive
treatment for End-Stage Kidney Disease and the cost of the transplant is N7.5milion.
He will also require the sum of N 2 million to purchase drugs that he will be
taking after the transplant."
The challenge before Jide’s father,
an out of job accountant, is getting the funds for his son’s transplant,
as he does not want his child to die with the promise (prospect) he holds.
"Jide
wasn’t born blind, the problem started at the age of four when he complained
to his Quaranic school teacher that his eyes were paining him. We took him to
hospital, where he was diagnosed as having Glaucoma. He was operated upon at the
University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin to correct the problem. However, he lost
his sight eventually and we lost hope on educating him till a family friend told
us about Pacelli School for the Blind."
A proud father of a brilliant
son tells of how his son has always been outstanding academically despite the
loss of his sight. He also showed this reporter, his son’s result at the
last Junior Secondary School Examination, in which he had four Distinctions, five
Credits, and two Passes (in Mathematics and Bussiness Studies which always posed
a challenge to blind students).
"Jide is a very brilliant boy, he
is always taking between first and third position in his class. When he finished
at Pacelli, he took common entrance examination into Kings College and Loyola
Jesuit. He passed the exams for the two schools but we decided he should go to
KC because of his condition, and proximity since we reside in Lagos.
"We
need help from Nigerians, corporate bodies and individuals for a kidney transplant.
I’ve been out of job for years now, there is no way the family can come
up with that amount. I worked with Savannah Bank till it was liquidated and at
John Holt, where, due to streamlining, I also lost my job as an accountant. Since
this problem started, close family members and friends have been supporting us.
My wife is a trader, now she can longer do that, because of the financial burden
we have had to bear."
Emaciated and obviously in pains, Jide also tells
of his agony.
"When this problem started in school, I just noticed
that I was getting weak and couldn’t do things by myself. Usually, we the
visually impaired students move about unaided in school but I noticed that I couldn’t
do that anymore as I was losing track of the usual routes that we take. And my
friends were
complaining.
I was also coughing very
much then, so I went to the clinic where they gave me malaria tablets. I didn’t
know what the problem was really till my dad came to visit and we went to the
hospital."
Jide says the dialysis he goes through is also very painful,
but he is grateful to the medical doctor who came to his rescue recently to alleviate
the pain.
"The dialysis is very painful, they do it through the femur
bone. They fix the injection and the guard wire through that place and at times
I get injured when the doctor is not careful. I was injured a few weeks ago and
my leg became swollen, I had to do physiotherapy to walk well again.
"But
I’m grateful to doctor, Dr. Shonibare of Vantage Hospital, Victoria Island
who heard of my case and offered to give me a device which will make the dialysis
less painful. The device called Fistula was introduced into my hand through a
surgery, it takes about six weeks to heal and become operational. The surgery
usually costs about N75, 000 but he did it for me free. I’m hoping that
the device will alleviate my pain for the dialysis, when I start using it. But
the best and permanent solution to my problem will be a kidney transplant."
Corroborating
his story, Jide’s father said his son usually dreads the procedure.
"Because
the dialysis is a painful procedure, he is usually scared and his blood pressure
will rise anytime he wants to have one. At times, his PCV will be low and he will
need to take blood before he can have the procedure.
But we are very grateful
to Dr. Shonibare who gave him the Fistula and collected nothing from us, we learnt
the surgery usually costs N75, 000."
Besides the physical torment Jide
is now going through, he is out of school and has missed about three months of
classes. He says he misses school and his friends too.
"I miss my friends
at school and I miss school, but I go to read at one of the libraries for the
visually impaired when I’m bored from sitting at home."
On a good
day, Jide loves his books, his radio and as an ardent BBC listener, he often tackles
his dad on current issues. But as he now shuttles from home to the dialysis machine,
which only gives him temporary reprieve, life is far from being desirable. But
we can all make a difference and put Jide’s dreams and aspirations in perspective
again by lending a helping hand.
Mr. Suraju Agboke, Jide’s dad can be
reached on 08023015834. Monetary help can also be paid into account number 2311040000322
Abdulrazaq Babajide Agboke.
Jide’s disease
End-stage
kidney disease, is a complete or near complete failure of the kidneys to function
to excrete wastes, concentrate urine, and regulate electrolytes. It is also called
End-stage renal disease (ESRD).
The disease occurs when the kidneys are no
longer able to function at a level that is necessary for day-to-day life. It usually
occurs as chronic renal failure and worsens to the point where kidney function
is less than 10% of normal.
At this point, the kidney’s function is so
low that without dialysis or kidney transplant, complications are multiple and
severe, and death will occur from accumulation of fluids and waste products in
the body.
ESRD almost always follows chronic kidney failure, which may exist
for 10-20 years or more before progressing to become ESRD.
Symptoms include
unintentional weight loss, nausea or vomiting, general ill feeling, fatigue, headache,
frequent hiccups and generalised itching.
Urine output becomes greatly decreased
or no urine output at all, there’s easy bruising or bleeding and blood may
be seen in the vomit or stools.
There’s decreased alertness, drowsiness,
somnolence, lethargy, confusion, delirium and coma. Other symptoms include muscle
twitching or cramps, seizures, increased skin pigmentation (Skin may appear yellow
or brown), nail abnormalities, decreased sensation in the hands, feet, or other
areas.
Treatment
Dialysis or kidney transplantation
are the only treatments for ESRD. The physical condition of the person and other
factors determine which of these is used. Other treatments of chronic kidney failure
may continue but are unlikely to work without dialysis or transplantation. Current
therapy includes aggressive treatment of high blood pressure with an ACE inhibitor
or an angiotensin receptor blocker.
Associated diseases that cause or result
from chronic renal failure must be controlled. Hypertension (high blood pressure),
congestive heart failure, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, obstructions
of the urinary tract, glomerulonephritis, and other disorders should be treated.
Blood
transfusions and medications such as iron and erythropoietin may be needed to
control anemia. Fluids may be restricted to an amount nearly equal to the volume
of urine produced.
Dietary restrictions may slow the build-up of wastes in
the bloodstream and control associated symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Restrictions
include a low-protein diet, with high carbohydrate levels to make up for the lost
calories. Salt, potassium, phosphorus, and other electrolytes may be restricted.
ESRD
is fatal unless treated with dialysis or transplantation. Both of these treatments
can have serious risks and consequences. The outcome varies and is unique to each
individual. |
