Dennis dreaded telling his wife Anna that he thought the problem was back. She had been through hell during his last medical crisis six months ago, rushing around borrowing money, begging for help, sitting in the kitchen every night with a calculator trying to work out which bills to pay first and how much she could spare.
Dennis had always been the provider but now he felt as if he was just a burden. That time it had been an abdominal blockage needing an emergency operation leaving a mountain of bills for the lab tests, scans, hospital, surgeon, anesthetist and more. Two weeks later Dennis was discharged but only after they signed a ‘payment plan’ agreeing to pay all the debts that had mounted up in hospital.
Six months later, with over two thousand dollars still owing, something was wrong again; Dennis was in agony, his stomach distended, he could hardly walk. Another emergency trip to the specialist. The cash upfront, then the scan, cash upfront. A day in hospital, cash upfront and finally four and a half litres of fluid was drained from Dennis‘ abdomen.
When I saw Anna she looked exhausted, deep rings under her eyes. All their lives they had worked, saved, made careful investments but everything had been lost in the cycles of economic collapse in Zimbabwe.
I handed Anna a small envelope to help towards the medical bills, money that had come through ZANE and the Old Legs Tour group, “this comes with love from all the people out there who really care” I said. Anna’s eyes filled with tears, “how can I ever thank them?” she said.
* Names and images may have been changed for privacy reasons
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Thank you – Nicky Passaportis ZANE Australia
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