Ukholo Endandinalo Lwandomeleza—Njengoko Ndinesifo I-ALS

KUBALISA UJASON STUART

“Ndilusizi Mnu. Stuart ukukwazisa ukuba unesifo esibizwa ngokuba yi-“amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” okanye i-ALS, nesikwabizwa ngokuba sisifo sikaLou Gehrig.”a Ugqirha wandixelela eyona nto ihlasimlis’ umzimba: Kungekudala andiyi kukwazi ukushukuma okanye ukuthetha, ibe esi sifo siza kulawula ubomi bam. Ndambuza oku lo gqirha: “Ndisalelwe lixesha elingakanani ndiphila?” Waphendula wathi: “Mhlawumbi iminyaka emithathu ukusa kwemihlanu.” Ndandineminyaka engama-20 kuphela ubudala ngelo xesha. Kodwa phezu kwazo nje ezo ndaba zimbi, ndandiziva ndisikelelekile ngeendlela ezininzi. Makhe ndikucacisele.

NDAZALWA ngoMatshi 2, 1978, kwisixeko saseRedwood, eKhalifoniya, eUnited States, ndingumntwana wesithathu kwabane bakaJim noKathy Stuart. Abazali bam babemthanda ngokunzulu uThixo, yaye mna nabantwana basekhaya—uMatthew, uJenifer noJohnathan—basenza sanoxabiso olunzulu ngezinto zokomoya.

Ngokwendlela endikhumbula ngayo, ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu, ukufunda iBhayibhile kunye nokuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla zamaKristu kwakuyindlela yethu yokuphila. Ukukhuliswa ngale ndlela, kwandinceda ndaba nokholo olomeleleyo kuYehova uThixo. Andizange ndiyicinge indlela ukholo lwam olwaluya kuvavanywa ngayo.

Iphupha Lobuntwana Liyazaliseka

Ngowe-1985 sonke ekhaya sahamba notata saya eNew York siye kutyelela iBheteli eBrooklyn, ikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova. Nakuba ndandineminyaka esixhenxe ubudala, ndavakalelwa kukuba kwakukho okuthile okubalulekileyo ngeBheteli. Wonke umntu wayekhangeleka onwabile emsebenzini wakhe. Ndicinga, ndathi: ‘Xa ndimdala ndiza kuza eBheteli, ukuze ndincedise ekwenzeni iiBhayibhile ndisenzela uYehova.’

Ngo-Oktobha 18 1992, ndazahlulela ndaza ndabhaptizwa emanzini. Kwiminyaka embalwa emva koko, xa ndandineminyaka eli-17, saphinda sahamba notata saya eBheteli. Njengoko ndandisele ndithe dlundlu, ndandikuqonda kakuhle ukubaluleka komsebenzi owawusenziwa apho. Ndabuyela ekhaya ndizimisele nangakumbi ukufikelela umnqweno wokuya eBheteli.

NgoSeptemba 1996, ndaba nguvulindlela othe ngxi, okanye umshumayeli weendaba ezilungileyo wexesha elizeleyo. Ukuze ndizigcine ndithe qwa, ndaxakeka kakhulu zizinto zokomoya. Ndalandisa ixesha lam lokufunda iBhayibhile nelesifundo sobuqu. Ebusuku ndandiphulaphula iintetho zeBhayibhile ezirekhodiweyo. Ezinye zezi ntetho zazithetha ngabazalwana ababejamelene nokufa kodwa benokholo olungenakugungqiswa kuvuko nakwiParadesi. (Luka 23:43; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4) Kungekudala ndandizazi ngentloko zonke ezo ntetho. Ndandingayicingi nokuyicinga indlela loo nkcazelo ikhuthazayo eyayiza kuba luncedo ngayo kungekudala.

NgoJulayi 11, 1998, kwafika ileta evela eBrooklyn. Ewe, ndandibizwa eBheteli. Kwinyanga nje kamva, ndandikwigumbi lam laseBheteli. Ndabelwa ukuba ndisebenze kwisebe elenza iincwadi, nokuze zithunyelwe kumabandla amaninzi. Kaloku eli yayiliphupha lam ndisengumntwana. NdandiseBheteli, ‘ndisenzela uYehova iiBhayibhile!’

Ukuqala Kwesi Sifo

Malunga nenyanga ngaphambi kokuba ndiye eBheteli, ndaphawula ukuba umnwe wam wokukhomba wawungavumi ukoluleka ngokupheleleyo. Kwakhona ndafumanisa ukuba, emva komsebenzi endandiwenza wokucoca amaqula okuqubha ndandikhawuleza ndidinwe. Ingathi kum ndandingazibhokoxi ngokwaneleyo. Kaloku ndandikhe ndenza eminye imisebenzi enzima kunalo ngaphandle kwengxaki.

Kwiiveki ezimbalwa emva kokufika eBheteli, oku kudinwa kwathabath’ unyawo. Ndandingakwazi ukuhamba nabanye abafana ukuhla ndinyuka kwizinyuko. Umsebenzi wam wawuquka ukuphakamisa amaphepha adityanisiweyo aza kwenza iincwadi (signatures). Ndandingakhawulezi ndidinwe nje kuphela, kodwa isandla sam sasekunene saqalisa ukushwabana. Ibe ubhontsi wam waqina yaye ndandingasakwazi ukuwushukumisa.

Phakathi kuOktobha, iinyanga nje ezimbini emva kokufika kwam eBheteli, ugqirha wandixelela ukuba ndine-ALS. Xa ndaphuma kuloo gqirha, engqondweni yam kwakunkenteza zonke iintetho zeBhayibhile endandizigcine entloko. Kumele ukuba umoya kaYehova wawukunye nam, kuba into yokuba ndandiza kufa ayizange indoyikise. Ndalinda umntu owayeza kundiphuthuma ngemoto sibuyele eBheteli. Ndathandazela ukuba uYehova omeleze abantu basekhaya xa ndibaxelela ngale nto.

Njengoko ndiye ndachaza ngaphambili, ndandiziva ndisikelelekile. Iphupha lam ndiseyinkwenkwana yayikukuya eBheteli, ibe lazaliseka. Ngobo busuku ndema kwiBhuloro yaseBrooklyn, ndaza ndambulela uYehova ngokuzalisekisa umnqweno endandinawo. Ndambongoza ndicela uncedo lwakhe ukuze ndinyamezele le meko.

Abahlobo abaninzi babonakalisa uvelwano yaye bandikhuthaza. Ndazama ukuba ndigcine isimo sengqondo esihle. Noko ke, emva kweveki ndixelelwe ngugqirha ngesi sifo, ndathetha nomama ngefowuni, ibe wathi kum, kuhle ukuba ndinyamezele kodwa kwakungekho nto iphosakeleyo ngokulila. Akazange asigqibe eso sivakalisi, zathi waxa iinyembezi. Kwathi qatha engqondweni into yokuba, ndandiza kuphulukana nayo yonke into endandiyifuna.

UMama noTata babefuna ndibuyele ekhaya, ngoko ke, ndingalindelanga, ngenye intsasa ngasekupheleni kukaOktobha ndeva benkqonkqoza emnyango. Kwiintsuku ezimbalwa kamva ndababonisa ikhaya laseBheteli yaye ndababonisa abahlobo bam nabanye ekudala bekunye nentsapho yaseBheteli. Ezi, ziintsuku ezixabisekileyo nendingenakuze ndizilibale ebomini.

Ukukhumbula Amaxesha Amnandi

Ukususela ngoko, uYehova uye wandisikelela ngeendlela ezininzi. NgoSeptemba 1999, ndanikela intetho yam yokuqala yesidlangalala. Ndiye ndanikela ezinye ezininzi kwamanye amabandla, kodwa ndaqalisa ukungavakali xa ndithetha ndaza ndanyanzeleka ukuba ndiyeke ukunikela iintetho zesidlangalala.

Phakathi kweentsikelelo endibe nazo, ibe yinkxaso nothando lwabantu basekhaya kunye nabazalwana noodade bokomoya. Njengoko imilenze yam yayisiba buthathaka, abahlobo babendincedisa xa sihamba entsimini. Abanye babesiza ekhaya ukuze bancedise ekundinyamekeleni.

Phakathi kwezona ntsikelelo zibalaseleyo, ngumfazi wam uAmanda. Xa ndabuyela ekhaya saba ngabahlobo ibe ndatsalwa kukukhula kwakhe ngokomoya. Ndamxelela yonke into ngesifo endandinaso i-ALS nezinto ugqirha awayecinga ukuba zaziza kwenzeka. Sasichitha ixesha elininzi sishumayela kunye entsimini, ngaphambi kokuba sithandane. Satshata ngoAgasti 5, 2000.

UAmanda uthi: “Into eyandenza ndatsaleleka kuJason luthando lwakhe ngoThixo nangokuthanda kwakhe izinto zokomoya. Wayethandwa ngabantu abadala nabaselula. Andingomntu othetha kakhulu, kodwa yena ngumntu oliqhakra-qhakra nonobubele. Sobabini siyakuthanda ukuhleka. Ndandiziva ndikhululekile xa ndikunye naye ngokungathi kudala ndimazi. UJason waqiniseka ukuba ndisazi kakuhle isigulo sakhe, noko kwakulindelekile. Kodwa ndacinga ukuba sasinako ukulonwabela ixesha elalisele sisobabini. Ngaphezu koko akakho umntu onokuqiniseka ngobomi kule nkqubo yezinto. Nabantu abaphile qete behlelwa ‘lixesha nasisihlo esingenakubonwa kwangaphambili.’”—INtshumayeli 9:11.

Ukufumana Iindlela Zokuthetha

Njengoko ndandisiya ndingavakali xa ndithetha, uAmanda waba ngumguquleli wam. Xa ndandingasakwazi ukuthetha kwaphela, sazakhela indlela ekhethekileyo yokuncokola. UAmanda wayebiza oonobumba abathile, ndize ndiqhwanyaze ukuba uchanile. Uyamgcina loo nobumba size siye kolandelayo. Ngale ndlela ndiyakwazi ukubiza isivakalisi sonke ngoonobumba. Sele singamachule noAmanda kule ndlela yethu yokuncokola.

Ngenxa yobugcisa bala maxesha, ndinekhompyutha eyilaptop endenza ndikwazi ukuncokola. Ndichwetheza oko ndifuna ukukuthetha, ize ikhompyutha ibize loo magama. Ekubeni ndingakwazi ukusebenzisa izandla, kukho isixhobo esineinfrared esidleleni sam, sikhangela indlela endishukumisa ngayo umlomo. Ikhompyutha ivelisa ibhokisi enoonobumba. Ngokushukumisa nje isidlele, ndiyakwazi ukukhetha unobumba endiwufunayo ndize ndibhale amagama.

Ngale khompyutha ndiyakwazi ukubhala iileta, ndibhalele abantu abanomdla eBhayibhileni—abo umfazi wam abafumana entsimini. Ngokusebenzisa amazwi ekhompyutha, ndiyakwazi ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu ndize ndiqhube nezifundo zeBhayibhile. Ngale ndlela ndiye ndaqhubeka ndinguvulindlela othe ngxi. Kutshanje ndiye ndaphinda ndakwazi ukunikela iintetho nokusingatha nezinye izabelo zokufundisa kwibandla endisisicaka solungiselelo kulo.

Ukubonakalisa Uburharha

Siye sanawo amahla-ndinyuka. Njengokuba imilenze yam yayisiya isiba buthathaka, ndandisiwa rhoqo. Ngamaxesha amaninzi ndandisiwa ndize ndibetheke ngenqentsu ndiphum’ uduma. Kwakuqina izihlunu ndize ndiwe ngokungathi kuwa umthi. Abanye babendisizela baze beze kundinceda. Kodwa ndandisuke ndiqhule ngaloo nto ukuze bakhululeke. Yintoni enye endandinokuyenza? Ukuba ndandinokucaphuka kuba ubomi bam bungelula, oko kwakuza kunceda ntoni?

Ngenye ingokuhlwa xa sasibethwa ngumoya nabanye abahlobo bethu ababini, ndawa ngomva ndaza ndabetheka ngentloko. Ndikhumbula abantu abathathu bendijonge ntsho bexhalabile, yaye omnye wabahlobo bam wayebuza enoba andenzakalanga kusini na.

Ndathi: “Ewe, ndiyaphila kodwa ndibona iinkwenkwezi.”

Yena waphendula wathi: “Uqinisekile?”

“Ewe, jonga phaya,” ndatsho njalo ndikhombe isibhakabhaka. Ndaza ndathi: “Zintle.” Bonke basuka bahleka.

Ukujamelana Neengxaki Zemihla Ngemihla

Njengoko izihlunu zam zaya ziqina, ndaya ndisiba nezinye iingxaki. Izinto nje ezilula, ezifana nokutya, ukuhlamba, ukusebenzisa igumbi langasese kunye nokuqhobosha amaqhosha empahla, zazindenza ndidinwe ndize ndidimazeke. Ngoku imeko yam imaxongo, kangangokuba andisakwazi ukushukuma, ukuthetha, ukutya okanye ukuphefumla ngaphandle kokuncediswa. Nditya ngemibhobho, ukutya okuselwayo. Ndinesixhobo esisemqaleni esindincedisa ekuphefumleni.

Nakuba ndandizimisele ukuzenzela izinto kangangoko ndinako, uAmanda ebesoloko endinceda. Njengoko ngoku ndixhomekeke kuye, andikhumbuli nangenye imini endenza ndizive ndingento yanto. Ebesoloko endiphatha ngesidima. Ndisuke ndimangaliswe yindlela andinyamekela ngayo kodwa ndiyazi ukuba bekungeyondlwan’ iyanetha.

Echaza indlela aziva ngayo, uAmanda uthi: “Impilo kaJason ibidodobala ngokuthe ngcembe, ngaloo ndlela ndiye ndafunda indlela yokumnyamekela njengoko ixesha lihamba. Ekubeni enomatshini wokuphefumla, ufuna ukunyanyekelwa ngalo lonke ixesha. Imiphunga yakhe izal’ uxakaxa namathe yaye oko kufanele kutsalwe ngesixhobo sokufunxa. Ngenxa yoko, kunzima kuthi sobabini ukuba buhle ubuthongo nasebusuku. Ngamanye amaxesha ndiziva ndililolo yaye ndidimazekile. Nakuba sisoloko sikunye, kunzima ukuncokola naye. Wayengumntu odlamkileyo, kodwa ngoku ukubona oko emehlweni akhe kuphela. Usandihlekisa nangoku ibe ingqondo yakhe isasebenza kakuhle. Kodwa ndiyalikhumbula ilizwi lakhe. Ndikhumbula ukwangiwa nguye nokuze andibambe nje ngesandla.

“Abantu ngamanye amaxesha bayandibuza ukuba ndijamelana njani nale ngxaki. Oku kuye kwandifundisa indlela endifanele ndithembele ngayo ngoYehova. Xa ndithembela kwawam amandla ndiziva ngathi ndisemgxobhozweni yaye iba ngathi andikwazi nokuphefumla. Umthandazo uye waluncedo, kuba uYehova ngoyena uyazi kakuhle imeko endikuyo nohlobo lomntu endinguye. Abazali bakaJason baye baluncedo olungathethekiyo. Basoloko bekho xa ndifuna ikhefu okanye ndifuna ukuya kushumayela. Ndiyixabisa kakhulu inkxaso esiye sayifumana kubazalwana noodade abakwibandla esikulo. Enye into eye yandinceda kukukhumbula ukuba nakuphi na ukubandezeleka esikufumanayo ngoku ‘kokomzuzwana kwaye kuncinane.’ (2 Korinte 4:17) Ndizama ukujolisa amehlo am kwihlabathi elitsha elizayo, apho uYehova aya kulungisa yonke into. Ndiza kuhleka ndilile kwangaxeshanye xa zonke ezi ngcinezelo sele zidlule yaye uJason engulaa Jason ndimaziyo yaye esempilweni.”

Ukulwa Nodandatheko

Ndimele ndivume ukuba oku kuyadimaza ngokwenene njengendoda, ukuhlala kwisitulo esiqhutywayo ndingenakuzenzela nto. Ndikhumbula ngenye imini xa sasityelele udade wethu siyintsapho yonke. Ndandingekakufumani ukutya yaye ndandilambile. Wonke umntu wayenandipha inyama eyosiweyo nezikhwebu zombona. Njengoko ndandibukele abanye besitya yaye bedlala nabantwana, ndaziva ndithe khunubembe. Ndacinga: ‘Le nto ayilunganga! Kutheni ndimele ndiphoswe zizo zonke ezi zinto?’ Ndandingafuni ukuphazamisa abanye, ngoko ke ndambongoza uYehova ukuba andincede ndizibambe, ndingalili.

Ndakhumbula ukuba, ukuba ndizigcina ndithembekile kuYehova, ‘uya kumphendula uSathana omngcikivayo.’ (IMizekeliso 27:11) Oku kwandinika amandla, ndaza ndakhumbula ukuba, kukho izinto ezibalulekileyo kunokutya izikhwebu zombona owosiweyo nokudlala nabantwana.

Ndiyayazi indlela ekulula ngayo ngomntu ogula njengam ukutyiwa ngumvandedwa. Kodwa ndikufumanise kuluncedo ‘ukusoloko ndinokuninzi kokwenza emsebenzini weNkosi.’ (1 Korinte 15:58) Ngokusoloko ndixakekile kumsebenzi wokushumayela, andinalo ixesha lokucinga ngeengxaki endinazo. Ukunikela ingqalelo ekuncedeni abanye babe nokholo kuYehova, kuye kwandizisela ulonwabo.

Ikho enye into eye yandinceda ekulweni nokudimazeka. Ndiye ndafunda amabali obomi amanye amaKristu aye avalelwa ezintolongweni, amanye avalelwa odwa, kuba engazange ayeke ukushumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Ndiye ndenza ingathi igumbi lam yintolongo endivalelwe kuyo, ibe ndivalelwe ngenxa yokholo lwam. Ndicinga ngeemeko ezibhetele endikuzo xa ndizithelekisa nabanye. Ndiyakwazi ukufumana uncwadi lweBhayibhile. Ndiyakwazi ukuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla, ndisiya ngokwam okanye ndiphulaphule ngefowuni. Ndikhululekile ukuze ndishumayele. Umfazi wam endimthandayo usoloko ekunye nam. Ukucinga ngezi zinto kundenza ndikhumbule indlela endisikeleleke ngayo.

Amazwi kampostile uPawulos ndisoloko ndicinga ngawo, athi: “Ngoko ke asiyeki, kodwa kwanokuba umntu esinguye ngaphandle uya esonakala, ngokuqinisekileyo umntu esinguye ngaphakathi wenziwa mtsha kwakhona imihla ngemihla.” Ngokuqinisekileyo umntu endinguye ngaphandle uyonakala. Kodwa ndizimisele ukunganikezeli. Okona kundomolezayo kukugcina amehlo am “kwizinto ezingabonwayo,” kuquka iintsikelelo zehlabathi elitsha elizayo, apho ndazi kakuhle ukuba uYehova uya kundenza mtsha kwakhona.—2 Korinte 4:16, 18.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

Inkcazelo Nge-ALS

◼ Yintoni i-ALS? I-ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) sisifo esihlasela ngokukhawuleza imithambo-luvo yomnqonqo nommandla ongasemva wobuchopho. Imithambo-luvo idlulisela inkcazelo esuka ebuchotsheni eya kuzo zonke izihlunu zomzimba. I-ALS ibangela ukuba le mithambo-luvo idodobale okanye ife, ide ikhokelele ekubeni amalungu omzimba ashwabane.b

◼ Kutheni I-ALS ikwabizwa ngokuba sisifo sikaLou Gehrig? ULou Gehrig wayengumdlali webaseball odumileyo owafunyaniswa ene-ALS ngowe-1939 waza wafa ngowe-1941 xa wayeneminyaka engama-38 ubudala. Kwamanye amazwe i-ALS ibizwa ngokuba sisifo semithambo-luvo, indlela ebanzi yokubiza izifo eziquka i-ALS. I-ALS ikwabizwa ngokuba sisifo sikaCharcot, uJean-Martin Charcot, ingcali yaseFransi ngemithambo-luvo owaqala wasicacisa ngowe-1869.

◼ Yintoni Ebangela I-ALS? Akukho bani uwaziyo unobangela we-ALS. Ngokutsho kwabaphengululi, kwakukhe kwarhanelwa iintsholongwane, ukungabikho kweprotini, isiphene esikwimizila yemfuza (ingakumbi kwiintsapho ezine-ALS), izinyithi ezinetyhefu, izinto ezihlasela imithambo-luvo (ingakumbi i-ALS yaseGuam), nengxaki yenkqubo yomzimba yokuzikhusela neyamadlala.

◼ Ziziphi iimpawu zesi sifo? Njengoko esi sifo sihambela phambili, izihlunu ziya zisiba buthathaka yaye ukushwabana kunwenwela emzimbeni wonke. Ekugqibeleni izihlunu zenkqubo yokuphefumla ziba buthathaka, yaye umguli uxhomekeka kwimibhobho yokuphefumla. Ngenxa yokuba esi sifo sihlasela imithambo-luvo, oku akuyichaphazeli ingqondo yomguli, ubuntu bakhe, namandla okuqonda nawenkumbulo. Asinanto yakwenza neziva-mvo—abanesi sifo bayakwazi ukubona, ukujoja, ukungcamla, ukuva yaye bayakwazi nokuziva izinto abazichukumisayo. Ngokuqhelekileyo umntu ogula yi-ALS unokufa kwisithuba seminyaka emithathu okanye emihlanu ukususela ekuqaleni kwesi sifo, kodwa abaguli abali-10 ekhulwini baphila iminyaka elishumi nangaphezulu.

◼ Sinyangwa njani esi sifo? I-ALS ayinyangeki. Ugqirha unokukunika amayeza anokuthomalalisa iimpawu ezibangelwa sesi sifo. Kuxhomekeka kwiimpawu ezo kunye nenqanaba esikuso esi sifo, umguli unokuncedwa nakwiziko elibuyisela izinto kwimeko yesiqhelo, njengomzimba, indlela yokuhlala, indlela yokuthetha nezinye izinto ezinokumnceda.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Inkcazelo]

Lou Gehrig: Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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Ndityelele eBheteli ngowe-1985

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26, 27]

Ndikunye noAmanda ngosuku lwethu lomtshato

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

Ikhompyutha ye-“laptop” iya ndincedisa ekuncokoleni

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28, 29]

Ndiyakuthanda ukunikela iintetho ebandleni lethu