Dignity:Liberia
  • Home
  • What is fistula?
    • Liberia: A Nation in Recovery
  • Our Mission
    • Board of Directors
    • Liberia NGO Office
    • Our Partners
  • Get Involved
    • Maternity Waiting Home
    • Past Campaigns and Updates
    • Serve as a Dignity Advocate
    • Healthcare Service Teams
  • Donate
    • Give to Dignity:Liberia
    • Donate Supplies
    • Our Wishlist
    • Meet Our Supporters
  • News
    • Let's Palava
    • Board Access (restricted)
    • Photos
  • Contact

In a Fistula Survivor's Voice

6/30/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Fistula Survivor’s Name:  Fatu Moore
Interview Date:  February 25, 2020
Interview Location:  Phebe Rehabilitation Center, Bong County
Interviewer:  Kathy Beth Stavinoha
Assisted by: Emma K. Katakpah
 

Fatu Moore grew up in Chebiah with three brothers and three sisters.  She stopped attending school in the 8th grade.  I asked her to say something in Gola, her dialect.  She told me: “Hello.  How are you coming on? I tell God thank you.”  She is 20 years old
.
Fatu was in pain (in labor) for one week.  They took her to Tubmanville Hospital where she was told she was having “slow pain,” (pressure, not true labor) so she returned home.  When she started progressing, the TTM (Traditional Tribal Midwife) thought she had it under control but didn’t recognize when the baby got stuck.  By the time Fatu got back to the hospital, the baby had already died and they had to cut her open.  Her stomach started getting big so they took her back to the hospital where she was told her womb was damaged.  Following a second surgery, she came down with fistula. 
 
She had fistula since January 2019 until December when she had her fistula repair surgery.  She is not dry but is just leaking at night.  She will need another operation. * 

Fatu had both RVF (rectovaginal fistula), which was repaired in December, and VVF (vesicovaginal fistula) which will be repaired next.  She still experiences leakage in the night but she has panties (Depends) to stop the leakage.

Fistula makes her feel bad and lonely.  And she feels discouraged.  Her friends won’t come around her.  Some of her family are with her but some are embarrassed by her situation. 

She has learned how to make soap and bread, but there are no starter kits.  [Note: a starter kit would include the supplies needed to go into business.  Previously these were provided to Rehab Center graduates.]  So, despite learning a trade, she will stay at the Rehab Center.  When she does leave the Rehab Center, she hopes to keep making bread and soap in order to survive. 
 
She will tell her friends don’t allow any midwife (TTM) to screw you - to give birth by yourself.  If the doctor says you are not able [to give birth by yourself], please go to the hospital.  And the TTM shouldn’t allow you to give birth without assistance (to “born the baby by yourself if don’t able to born it by yourself”).  Fatu said you should go to the hospital and not just assume a doctor will make a mistake.   
 
She was in slow pain (feeling pressure) and was crying for the whole week. The fetus had already died.  She has no other children.
 
When she leaves the Phebe Rehab Center, she wants to be a student.  She likes Social Studies.   

Fatu is a fistula survivor.  Hear her story in her own voice.

*ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Because Fatu had both RVF and VVF, she will have to have multiple surgeries.  The rectal fistula is repaired first so as not to cross contaminate with stool, the vaginal surgery.  She also needed a colostomy bag.  Just prior to my leaving for Liberia, a friend donated some stoma bags to Dignity:Liberia.  We left those for Fatu.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Dignity Advocate Teams
    In A Fistula Survivor's Voice
    Trips

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017

    RSS Feed


    Visit our photo gallery >
 
Bringing restoration and hope to women with fistula and their communities 
through healing, education, and prevention.

Let's  end fistula together

Follow. Like. Share.
Dignity:Liberia is a 501(c)3 not for profit corporation. 
Donations made to Dignity:Liberia are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
© 2020  Dignity: Liberia
Web Design + Development by The Brave Creative