(March 2014)
Michelle Waldron shares the life changing medical struggles facing a young lady.
I met someone the other day. She recently lost her vision. She is only 15 years old.
Michelle Waldron, gives support at a recent medical weekend.
She is HIV+ so her immune system is badly damaged. As a result, she contracted cytomegalovirus – which attacks when a person’s immune system is not functioning. This has left her blind.
Unfortunately, she did not receive the help she needed in a timely manner leaving her seriously compromised.
She was hospitalized for weeks with cryptococcal meningitis – a fungal infection in the brain that is very difficult to treat and also occurs when your immune system is depressed. She is struggling with Pulmonary TB which leaves her with no appetite so has also experienced severe weight loss.
At 15 she should be giggling over the boy who paid attention to her in break, laughing with her friends, or helping her mom make supper. Instead she can hardly leave her bed and is wasting away.
Someone has to bring her hope in her very dark world. The chances of her regaining her sight are almost nil, but with treatment, she can regain her health. I’m praying that will happen for my new young friend.
She is the reason we keep persevering in our health work at Seed of Hope. She is the reason we will not give up the fight against HIV.
*No names or photos are used in this story to protect identities.
