For 32 years when he served Nigeria at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Mr. Sylvester Ajayi didn't suffer a major health challenge. But when it was time to undergo tests at the Gwarimpa General Hospital in order to register for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the year he retired from the civil service, he was diagnosed with diabetes type 1.
Though he was surprised at the outcome of the diagnosis owing to many years of good health and a lifestyle devoid of high sugar consumption, 62-year-old Ajayi on the advice of his doctor started using drugs to manage diabetes. He also took up light exercises as further advised by his doctor.
However, sometime in January, the man who worked for over three decades as woodsman started feeling weak each time he returned from walking or his light exercise.
Things came to head, when in February, Ajayi felt so weak that he asked his wife Roseline to help him whenever he needed to turn over in bed.
“I knew that something was wrong when sometime in February, he asked me to help him turn over while we were in bed,” Roseline told Abuja Metro at her Gwarimpa home.
Closely following the difficulty in moving his body in bed was the swelling of his hands and legs. And soon, the Ajayis sought the help of a physiotherapist. After weeks of treatment with no improvement even after the couple had spent almost all their savings, the physiotherapist advised that Ajayi undergoes an MRI scan. But the couple couldn’t only raise N60,000 after months of saving and this was a far cry from the huge sum needed for the test at the State House Clinic, Abuja.
“We had to beg them that we will run around and make it up to N70,000. We told the doctor at the clinic to look at the date my husband was asked to undergo the test and when we finally came. They took mercy on us and conducted the test,” Roseline narrated with much sadness.
The printed result from the MRI scan showed that Mr. Ajayi is suffering from Severe Cervical Spondylosis. This disease also known as arthritis of the neck has few risk factors like aging, genetic factors and jobs that have to do with vigorous movement of the neck. The former FHA woodsman fits into the first and last risk factors.
For most of his adult life,Ajayi prided himself as a hardworking woodsman who gave his best each time there was work to do.
“I am the kind of person that will work till midnight and be the first to start work by 6am the next day,” he said.
Sadly, now, the man who loved working hard cannot even do basic things like feeding, clothing and bathing himself. His swollen hands and legs lay credence to his wife’s disclosure that she does all of these simple things for her husband.
“As you see him, I am the one that takes him to the bathroom. I feed him and assist him in wearing his clothes,” she said.
Added to spending all of their savings, Mrs. Ajayi has to leave her kiosk to help her husband whenever he needs her, hence their inability to pay their children’s’ school fees. In fact, they find it hard to feed and depend on handouts from friends.
This explains why the Ajayis felt helpless when they were told that they would have to raise a minimum of N2m for the family’s breadwinner to undergo corrective surgery that will make him walk again and be able to provide for them.
“I appeal to Nigerians to come to my aide as we were told that I need no less than N2m to undergo surgery and post surgery treatment at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan,” Ajayi pleaded.
He is still upbeat that he has a lot in him to contribute to the development of the country. He said,
“Aside from being able to fend for my family after my surgery, my dream is to build a school to train woodsmen like me, gardeners, painters and all other handymen to provide quality service in the construction industry. Unlike now when those learning these skills do so at illegal spots in the city and are regularly harassed by FCT officials.”
Assistance can reach the family using the account: ROSELINE AJAYI, SYKYE BANK ACCOUNT NO: 3020683553
Source : ABUJA METRO
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