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Fighting diabetes for 31 years

Health & Science

By Nanjinia Wamuswa

About 31 years ago, what should have been Jotham Angatia’s moment of glory turned into a life shattering moment.

The morning of December 28, 1980 was a jubilant day as the local radios and television announced the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) national results.

Angatia had made it to the list of brilliant candidates having scored 33 out of 36 points, sending the entire student and teacher population of Ibokolo Primary School into celebrations.

As the drum beats and singing began to rent the air, Angatia’s strength started failing and try as he did to fight the bad feeling, it kept growing stronger.

"Eventually I fainted and everyone was in a panic as they prepared to take me to hospital," recalls Ngatia, adding: "Already rumours had spread that I had been bewitched by evil people and that is why I had fallen ill," remembers Angatia.

Helpless, his parents took him to St Mary’s Mission Hospital in Mumias, where he was admitted for three days and discharged after being treated for what was diagnosed as malaria and fever.

However, a few days later his condition began to deteriorate, prompting his parents to take him back to hospital where he was diagnosed with diabetes.

While on treatment at St Mary’s, Angatia went into a coma for three weeks and with his condition not improving, he was airlifted to Kakamega Provincial General Hospital for further treatment.

It took another four months for him to wake up from the coma.

As if that was not enough, Angatia was told that there was need for a complete life change if he was to survive.

"I was introduced to diabetic diets, which were foods without salt or sugar and I would eat ugali or porridge prepared using millet flour," says Angatia.

Insulin

In addition, Angatia was to have about two to three insulin injections daily for the rest of his life.

"At first it was difficult but l had no alternative if l wanted to live and I slowly started injecting myself with the insulin," he remembers.

Angatia’s dream of joining St Peter’s Mumias High School were crashed when the Head teacher denied him admission.

His parents sought help from the office of the Western Provincial Educational Officer who intervened and got Angatia admitted but as a day scholar.

Undeterred, his parents rented for him a house outside the school and he started attending classes.

Faced with numerous tribulations, his parents hired a person to help with his household chores.

Fortunately, the school got a new headmaster who was impressed with his performance and allowed him to become a boarder provided he came with his own food.

Despite the interruptions owing to numerous hospital admissions, he passed his ‘O’ levels with flying colours and was readmitted for ‘A’-levels in the same school.

Unfortunately, his condition got worse.

"In Form Five l was out for five months as I was put on more advanced treatment. I even sat for my final exams in hospital," he narrates.

In 1987, the Government employed him as an untrained teacher and posted him to Ematawa Primary School in Butere.

Six years later, Angatia joined Eregi Teachers Training College before graduating as a P1 teacher with 26 points and posted to Ematawa where he had previously taught.

But it is the morning of April 19, 2001 that was the saddest,

Angatia woke up to find he’d lost sight in his left eye.

He dashed to Kakamega Provincial hospital and was referred to Sabatia eye hospital, Vihiga.

From Sabatia he was referred to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Nairobi.

In two days, he underwent his first surgery with the second scheduled a year later, but it was too late and he turned blind. Braille study was recommended for him.

A year later, he joined Machakos School for the Blind before going back to teach after transferring from Ematawa to Ibokolo, which was closer to his home.

Today, Angatia is always on the road attending renal, eye, cardiac, asthmatic and diabetic clinics. All these clinics come on different dates.

"I have become a friend of hospitals. The only time I enjoyed good life was in primary school before I developed diabetes," he says.

Diabetes has cost Angatia his sight but he is soldering on.

Though visually impaired, the 44-year-old man is a gift to the pupils of Ibokolo Primary who he inspires.

"Diabetes has denied me my childhood dreams but I use my knowledge so that my pupils can achieve what I was unable to," he says.

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