The folllowing real-life story details domestic abuse and refers to infant loss.
Around the same time, she very sadly experienced the loss of two babies shortly after birth, and being concerned about these patches of skin was not an important priority whilst she was grieving her children.
Over the next three-to-four years, other significant symptoms developed including painful blisters on her hands and feet, and resulting disabilities. Concerned and embarrassed by her condition, she sought advice from a local pharmacy and hospital but due to lack of training, staff were unable to correctly diagnose her condition. It wasn’t until Rohima attended a dedicated referral centre that she was finally diagnosed with leprosy.
Due to the prejudice and misunderstanding surrounding the disease, Rohima’s husband began to mistreat her.
“He didn’t let me sleep in the same bed as him and sometimes didn’t give me food. Sometimes he beat me, and he later married someone else.”
Rohima underwent an operation to help to minimise the physical impact that the disease had caused to her hand. Following her diagnosis, she was prescribed multidrug therapy treatment, and was referred to Lepra.
“Before that I didn’t really have a connection with anyone.”
To support her emotional recovery, Lepra arranged for Rohima to receive regular counselling sessions.
“When I first met my counsellor, Rimi, I felt like I was being held in my mother’s hands. I was comforted and valued. Previously, I experienced a lot of negative thinking. I’ve since been taught mindfulness exercises and meditation, and I’m now much more positive.
I have a lot of good things going on in my life. My relationship with my sister who I now live with, I have good connections with Lepra and my local community. These are all precious things to me.”
Attending a self-support group helps Rohima to learn from the experiences of other people affected. Unable to work due to her injuries, Rohima worried about her finances, the group supported her to access disability benefits and apply for a loan to start a smallholding. She told Lepra that her dream to to build her own house on her own land.
As Rohima continues her journey of recovery, she now uses her experience to help others:
“I’ve started looking out for and talking to people with early signs of leprosy and signpost them to the referral centre. Someone I identified with symptoms went on to be diagnosed.”
With Lepra’s support, Rohima has found the courage and confidence to rebuild her life and the compassion to encourage others to seek treatment.