A story feature that aired on Citizen TV’s Saturday night on 17th December dubbed Patients of Patients has touched many Kenyans who watched it.
Michael Otieno, a young patient at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNHsuffering from Sickle Cell Anemia has a room filled with insurmountable loneliness. Michael has been battling with Sickle Cell Anemia since he was 2 years old.
Michael left his school in Narok more than 1 year ago. The 17-year-old’s terminal condition made him trudge through the Narok County Referral Hospital corridors, where he admitted himself knowing if he failed to do so, his life would for sure be as good as gone.
 In the interview, Michael disclosed he decided to seek medical attention since his relatives were not bothered by his fate. On August 8th, after a transfer approval, Michael was driven by an ambulance to the KNH hospital where journalists from RMS caught up with him.
“I was in so much pain and took myself to a hospital in Narok but the doctors got tired of treating me and transferred me here,” he narrated.
Even after being in hospital for more than a year, Kenyans empathize with the young lad whose relatives have never set foot in the hospital to visit him, with no reason whatsoever.
Michael revealed that all his life, since his diagnosis at 2 months old, he has lived through seasons of pain and uncertainty. A new year beckons and it comes with the same challenges which he cannot evade.
READ: Samidoh & Kamau Wanjiru: A tale of fame, money, women, destruction
The sickle cell anemia essentially crippled him and thus most of his hospital time at KNH is spent in a lonely room where he journals in a notebook.
The sharp-witted young man explained his condition to the journalists as if he were a doctor, adding that his blood was insufficient for surgery to be conducted on him.
Furthermore, Michael says that he once came across medics who told him that with his condition, he would barely hit 18 years.
“The most disappointing thing is that sickle cell never exactly gets fully treated, it remains in the victim’s body for the rest of their lives,” he says.
Like any other kid who dreams of a prosperous future, Michael says that the news he received from the doctors always breaks his heart, since he has been optimistic all his life that he will recover and study medicine to become a qualified doctor.
“I would wish to become a doctor so that I treat other patients suffering from sickle cell like myself,” he adds.
After being forsaken by his family and close relatives, Michael still holds zero hard feelings for them. He says that there are no moments of peace in his life, day and night, but he perseveres through it and prays to God.
To forget about the outside world, Michael delves into his Notebook and spends his time journaling his experiences in the hospital in his diary, that he came with to KNH.
Within the book, what caught the eye was a daily prayer that he recites to himself on a daily basis. A heartbreaking prayer is included in his journal where he asks his God to forgive his relatives for abandoning him.
“I want the LORD JESUS to forgive my aunt’s family and to show them light so they can see the light and learn to love each other,” he wrote.
In what seemed like all hope is lost for Michael, Kenyans turned up in numbers to support the little man and visit him on his hospital bed.
Some have formed WhatsApp groups for wellwishers to contribute money that’ll enable Michael to receive specialized treatment from India.
Here is a comment from a supportive Kenyan:
“I love Michael’s faith in the writings, the way he had stressed the words, BLOOD OF JESUS, LORD, shows his faith is on another level. ALMIGHTY GOD heal Michael.”
For those willing to visit Michael in KNH, he can be seen at the Palliative Care Facility, Ward 3B, under Dr. Nafula.
