Page 13 - TB: The Ticking Time Bomb
P. 13
“ I had intestinal TB which had spread throughout the body and had affected
my lungs, sparing only my brain and bones. During this lowest point in my life it was
only my parents and close family who stood by me. I was pregnant and didn’t get
good care post delivery in terms of nourishment and rest. I had very low resistance
and then to top it all, had a miscarriage which further rendered me weak and
susceptible to this illness.
The disease got ignored for 8 months as I was in Nigeria with my husband. There
they kept trying to find out what was wrong but to no avail. When they couldn’t
diagnose my illness I was sent back to India. I came back with a weight of 35 kg and
haemoglobin of 5.
What disappointed me was the discrimination from my in-laws. They stayed away
from me and visited me only once and that too with precautions. I was told very
strictly by my mother-in-law that I was not to disclose my illness to anyone. I stayed
with my parents for almost a year and with them looking after both me and my
daughter. Though it’s been 19 years but that still hurts.
I would just like to add that this disease doesn’t discriminate between rich and poor.
It can strike anyone with a low resistance as it is airborne. There is nothing to be
ashamed about so talk about it and let people know how to cope. It is very
traumatising to find out that you have TB, so family support is essential.
- Monika Sharma ”
“ I got gall bladder stones and was being operated for them. That’s when the
surgeon realised that the lymph nodes don’t look normal. He explored a little more
and after biopsy, it was diagnosed that I have TB of lymph nodes.
Literature says that extra-pulmonary TB is even more fatal and difficult to cure. My
treatment was without Rifampicin since I was very allergic to it. I got skin rashes,
high fever and vomited every time I took it. I now dread a relapse, even a mild fever
scares the hell out of me.
” - Sheela
Delhi
11
my lungs, sparing only my brain and bones. During this lowest point in my life it was
only my parents and close family who stood by me. I was pregnant and didn’t get
good care post delivery in terms of nourishment and rest. I had very low resistance
and then to top it all, had a miscarriage which further rendered me weak and
susceptible to this illness.
The disease got ignored for 8 months as I was in Nigeria with my husband. There
they kept trying to find out what was wrong but to no avail. When they couldn’t
diagnose my illness I was sent back to India. I came back with a weight of 35 kg and
haemoglobin of 5.
What disappointed me was the discrimination from my in-laws. They stayed away
from me and visited me only once and that too with precautions. I was told very
strictly by my mother-in-law that I was not to disclose my illness to anyone. I stayed
with my parents for almost a year and with them looking after both me and my
daughter. Though it’s been 19 years but that still hurts.
I would just like to add that this disease doesn’t discriminate between rich and poor.
It can strike anyone with a low resistance as it is airborne. There is nothing to be
ashamed about so talk about it and let people know how to cope. It is very
traumatising to find out that you have TB, so family support is essential.
- Monika Sharma ”
“ I got gall bladder stones and was being operated for them. That’s when the
surgeon realised that the lymph nodes don’t look normal. He explored a little more
and after biopsy, it was diagnosed that I have TB of lymph nodes.
Literature says that extra-pulmonary TB is even more fatal and difficult to cure. My
treatment was without Rifampicin since I was very allergic to it. I got skin rashes,
high fever and vomited every time I took it. I now dread a relapse, even a mild fever
scares the hell out of me.
” - Sheela
Delhi
11
