Crimilda
Crimilda’s relationship suffered after she was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
“My name is Crimilda Simeão Manhique. I am a 26-year-old woman, married with two children ages 7 and 4. Currently, I live with my 3 brothers and mother with my children. When I was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) and started treatment, I was asked to not have sexual relations with my husband. This has been hard on our relationship, since we are still young. I chose to move back to my mother’s home, since it was not easy to sleep in a bed and avoid sexual relations with my husband. To be honest, I fear that my husband may be cheating on me or may already be with another woman.
I don’t know how I contracted pulmonary TB. It only began for me when I started having chest pains and could not attend my evening classes for adults. I also could not work since my legs also hurt, but I did not lose a drastic amount of weight. I had been scared because a very negative stigma exists for TB-patients, and I was scared of spreading the disease to my family, friends and colleagues. At this point, I stopped going out, the neighbors made comments and wondered what was happening to me. But APOPO’s community health worker said that all this attitude and attention will pass once I complete the 6-month treatment. I also had my children tested. We stopped eating from the same plate and sharing cups. I don’t want anyone else to go. through this.
TB has changed many things in my life, having money for food has been a problem. Being able to send my daughter to school is currently impossible. I myself cannot finish night school. In addition, my husband does not seem to care about us. I could let this get me down, but I have my children to think about. Maybe once I am better things will change? I will be cured and can pick up my life where it left off.
However, I am grateful for the HeroRATs. They saved my life. What the HeroRATs do is AMAZING. In this life everything is possible. If it was not for the HeroRATs I possibly would not have received treatment and would have died of unknown causes. But thanks to them, I’m here getting treatment. And one day I’ll be just fine. I thank God for APOPO’s work.