Patient Story: Peter Kyarugoki
10 years of living with prostate cancer, Mzee Kyarugoki is now pain free thanks to Hospice Africa Uganda.
“I had a lot of pain because of cancer, I could not sleep at night, and I was so worried and stressed. I even developed high blood pressure and got stroke.” This was the life of Peter Karyarugoki when he first came to Mobile Hospice Mbarara nearly 10 years ago.
Peter now 79 years, is a retired civil servant from Mutukula 1 ward, Nyakayozo Division in Mbarara District and married to 2 wives with 19 children. Peter’s misery started in 2005 when he lost his closest brother. “He was a very good friend of mine and when he died, I thought of also dying.” Peter became so stressed and miserable. He developed high blood pressure and later was attacked by stroke which worsened his condition and was admitted at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital for a long time.
While at the Hospital, Peter started to experience other complications like abdominal pain, problems urinating and incontinence. Several tests were carried out including from a biopsy. The results revealed that he had developed prostate cancer. This further complicated his life but the doctors were willing to help. They quickly realized that if they did a surgery while he had the other complications, his condition could get worse and fatal.
Peter was then referred to Mobile Hospice Mbarara for pain management and symptom control. “At Hospice, they gave me medicine for pain (morphine), counseled me and made me to accept the problem the way it is.”
“Through the efforts of Hospice, I became well. The pain is well controlled. They also support me to treat other ailments. When I get other problems like when I am so worried, I come for to Hospice for counseling and go back happy!”
Peter is now a big supporter of Hospice Africa Uganda especially in rallying his community to support the construction of the new facility –the beehive project. “Sincerely when I come to Hospice now, the place has become very congested with the increasing number of patients. I know when the new facility is built, it will benefit more patients. You know, there are many sick people out there and it’s our responsibility to build the new center because we are the beneficiaries. I was number 520 when I first registered, now the number of patients is more than 11,000!”