Joan Ndungu is a 46-year-old mother of six. She sounds very happy and energetic during the interview. She successfully received corrective surgery on 25th November and is happy with the results so far.
In December 2015 Joan delivered her last child. It was a hospital delivery. She had been in labour for three days. During her delivery, while pushing out the baby, she suffered tears and the attending doctor also had to cut her up to create room for the baby to be birthed properly. The doctor sutured the area halfway leaving enough space for menstruation and coitus.
When she returned home from hospital, Joan had to resume house chores immediately as she had no househelp. In the process of the carrying out the chores she suspects that the stitches came off leaving her with both vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistula. She was passing stool from both her vagina and rectum.
She withheld this information from her husband as she could not explain it to anyone. During sexual intercourse with her husband, he would tell her that she was dirty and smelly. Sometimes he would have stool on his penis after the act. Her husband would ask her to shower properly and sometimes abuse her. She resorted to constantly checking herself to ensure that she was clean.
Her social life had also become difficult. She would often queef and feel embarrassed. Most people assumed that she had broken wind. She was also condemned to wearing adult diapers if she hoped to go about her normal life or socializing with others.
She tried getting help from a doctor at her local dispensary, but the condition did not improve. She was constantly on vaginal pessaries because of the numerous vaginal infections she suffered. The doctor then referred her to Dr. Joseph in Ol Kalou who she was told, could cure her. It was upon visiting Dr. John that she was diagnosed with fistula. The doctor advised her to sign up for NHIF which would aid in catering for her treatment costs.
In October 2021, Dr. John called the dispensary and requested them to inform me about the medical camp in Nyeri. It is at this point that Joan informed her husband of her diagnosis and that she was travelling for treatment. She asked him whether he had felt that her vagina was too wide during sex, and he stated that he thought it was normal since she had delivered many children.
Having successfully received surgery and is in the process of recovery, Joan is overjoyed at the promise her life now holds. She is so grateful to the Flying Doctors Society of Africa for the noble job they are doing. She stated that she will be an ambassador of fistula and enlighten other women about the causes of fistula. She also stated that she implores upon women to come forward and seek help and not suffer in silence.
