‘I will die of bleeding’. . .Woman with rare condition appeals for help

24 Apr, 2022 - 00:04 0 Views
‘I will die of bleeding’. . .Woman with rare condition appeals for help Ms Dionne Pullen

The Sunday News

Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
FORTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD Ms Dionne Pullen, from Trenance suburb in Bulawayo is scared she will bleed to death if she does not get surgery to remove a growth in her reproductive system that is causing her to bleed 17 to 20 days a month.

Ms Pullen, a mother of three, says lack of funds saw her being discharged from United Bulawayo Hospitals earlier this year after she failed to secure two pints of blood worth US$175 each to enable her to undergo a surgery.

A Sunday News crew visited her at her home where she told her heart-rending story of how she has failed to live a normal life because of her condition since her diagnosis in November 2021.

She has a growth growing from her cervix and is protruding outside her private parts and in-between her legs. She was told it could cause her to bleed to death if it raptures owing to its positioning. She cannot do any vigorous work or move about as any disturbance will cause it to rapture at any time.

Ms Pullen says she has a lot of discomfort with the growth as she always has a discharge and has to constantly be cleaning herself. The cost of sanitary pads is also weighing her down as she cannot afford them regularly and is forced to use pieces of clothing as protection.

“I am unemployed at the moment. I have a growth growing out of my womb and I need to have a hysterectomy to get rid of it. The problem that I am having is that I actually went to UBH in March 2022 and they notified me about a deposit of $10 800 in local currency that was needed for the operation to go through.

I assumed it would cover all other needs, but after that I was told I needed to do some blood tests which were not covered by the hospital. I went to a private laboratory and they needed some money for the blood tests.

It became a challenge as each doctor that saw me came and requested various things and I had no money for all those things. There were various requirements that were needed and it got frustrating,” she said.

Ms Pullen said the hospital, when she was admitted on 24 March 2022, requested that she has a Liver Function Test at a private laboratory again and was charged US$25.

“I asked to be discharged and try and look for the money for the test but I was not allowed as I was due for surgery.

As I was still processing that, I was informed that there was a need for theatre supplies that would be used during the operation. I asked a friend to check the cost of requirements and they were costing US$125. I told them there was no way I could afford the requirements and they said they would make do with the supplies that my aunt had managed to get,” she said.

The woes did not end for her.

“After getting blood tests at the laboratory I was told my sample was defective and I had to get a new one that evening before my operation. The results were available the next morning at about 7am and I got the devastating news that my blood count was way too low and needed two pints of blood for transfusion at US$175 per pint.

Because of the constant bleeding, I have lost a lot of blood in the process. This was needed before 8am so that the operation could be done. I gave up as the demands were too much in a short space of time. I could not even afford it and I asked to be discharged,” she said, wiping away tears from her eyes.

Ms Pullen said she paid for tests and hospital fees for a procedure she failed to complete because of the costs associated. The hospital had offered to give her a refund for the fees but she failed to produce a bank account that the money could be deposited into.

“I was so emotional after failing to get the procedure done and I decided to relax at home and focus on healing.

However, since I was discharged, I have not held a single dollar that can enable me to go to town and get my refund.

The money has also lost value over the days,” she said.

The hospital has informed her that she can get the procedure done if she provides the two pints of blood and the remaining theatre supplies. Ms Pullen who is also taking other medication said she has since stopped taking her drugs as she has challenges in providing food on the table.

She however, said she doesn’t know if the hospital deposit has been eroded or needs a top up when she eventually finds money for blood transfusion. Her two children are supposed to be in high school but are stuck in primary schools as they failed to secure school fees and are lagging behind.

“The 14-year-old should be in Form 3 but is currently in Grade Seven, the younger one should be in Form 1 but is still stuck in Grade 3 at Trenance Primary school, ‘’ she sobbed.

She is however, asking for donations of US$500 to cater for her hospital requirements which will enable her to get two pints of blood, more theatre supplies and any other hospital requirements. She can be contacted on 0772673230. — @NyembeziMu

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