Bedridden Alex woman loses hope

Busisiwe Zulu’s hope to walk again is slowly fading. The 54-year-old woman, who has been bedridden for almost 20 years with suspected elephantiasis, was promised an operation that could help her condition but that promise has not been fulfilled.

A weeping Zulu said, “I’m asking myself what is wrong and why are they so quiet. I don’t know why they haven’t contacted me to tell me what is causing the delay.”

The procedure would have been paid for by an overseas company and would have required Zulu to be in Cape Town for four months. But Zulu said she has given up hope and doesn’t know what to do.

“Nothing is going right. This hurts me a lot. I can’t find peace and I’m tired of living like this. I don’t like the life that I’m living. I was actually happy that I was going to get a chance to live like other people but I don’t see that happening.”

She said her condition has made her a joke in the community and it has also put her family under a lot of strain.

She explained, “I feel stuck. I can’t do much for myself. It’s really hard. I can’t even bath myself and I need help to get into bed. One of my grandkids has even failed at school because she can’t concentrate and has to help around the house.”

Zulu added that receiving the help she needs would make her happy. “I will become normal again,” she said.