Down in Gatenga, Kicukiro district, a 22 year old Gloria Akariza Rwamu is living in great pain. She talks with much difficulty. Rwamu lives with her parents. She is a victim of Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. “It has not been easy for me. It’s hell,” Rwamu speaks sadly. “Why did it have to be me?” she asks. But there is no definite answer to this sad question. “Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the body tissues are mistakenly attacked by the body’s own immune system,” an orthopedist at King Faisal hospital, who declined to be named, said. “Normally, the cells and antibodies which form the immune system are designed to “seek and destroy” invaders of the body,” he said , adding: “in the case of patients with autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, the antibodies in their blood target their own body tissues which lead to inflammation of the joints.” According to a report by Rheumatologist Dr. Nabih Abdou, at the Center for Rheumatic Diseases, Kansas City, the disease is three times more common in women as compared to men. “It afflicts people of all races equally. The disease can begin at any age, but in most cases, it becomes common at the age of 40 and above or 60. In some families, multiple members can be affected, suggesting a genetic basis for the disorder. “I used to be normal until one day I started feeling a lot of pain in my legs and hands. That’s when my mother took me for tests and the doctor diagnosed me with this disease.” said Akariza sadly. According to Abdou, rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive illness that has the potential to cause joint destruction and functional disability. “Joint inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis causes swelling, pain and stiffness of the joints. The inflammation can also occur in tissues around the joints, such as the tendons, ligaments, and muscles.” reveals the report. This is what makes Akariza unable to perform simple tasks that many take for granted such as opening a door knob or even holding a spoon to feed. Akariza is currently deformed at her joints. She said her joints at times swell and they become painful. This is a result of chronic inflammation that leads to the destruction of the cartilage, bone, and ligaments, causing deformity of the joints. Doctors say. “Sometimes, when I swallow the medicine, the situation becomes worse. I don’t know what to do,” she laments. The rheumatologists report says the cause of rheumatoid arthritis remains unknown. Even though infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi have long been suspected, none has been proven as the primary cause. Some scientists believe that the tendency to develop rheumatoid arthritis may be genetically inherited. It is suspected that certain infections or factors in the environment might trigger the immune system to attack the body’s own tissues, resulting into inflammation of various organs of the body such as the lungs or eyes. The report continued to reveal that environmental factors also seem to play some role in causing the horrible disease. Recently, scientists reported that smoking tobacco increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. “In Akariza’s case, the doctors suspected the cause to be genetic though it is not 100 percent certain. There is no body else in the family of Akariza who is suffering from the disease,” says Akariza’s mother. The physical appearance of Akariza depicts a sense of helplessness and pain. When the disease is active, symptoms of fatigue, lack of appetite, low-grade fever, muscle and joint aches, and stiffness are evident. “When I wakeup, movement is painful though I try my best to walk because my muscles and joints stiffen more when I spend long periods without moving,” narrates Akariza. Since rheumatic arthritis has no known cure, steps to live comfortably with the disease are what Rwamu was recommended by various doctors to adopt. The mother explains: “The doctors told us to continue stretching her limbs whenever she wakes up and at the same time make sure she gets enough rest.” Currently, the mother cannot afford to take her sick daughter for physiotherapy since she is jobless. This has greatly contributed to the deterioration of Akariza’s health. Akariza’s state is one that requires maximum attention and a lot of help from outside. This is in the form of finances to go for physiotherapy and get the proper medication that will stop the bleeding in the stomach. “I only believe that God will one day heal me since my mother tried a lot of places and nothing can be done. My strength comes from God and I know He cares about me even if I am like this.” said Akariza, adopting a religious tone. Contact: anyglorian@yahoo.com
