Ukufunda Ukuphila Nesifo Samathambo
Ngumlobeli wePhaphama! eBrithani
UDavid, oneminyaka engu-72 ubudala, unyakaza kanzima. Izindololwane kanye nezihlakala ezikhubazekile zibonisa imiphumela ekhubazayo yesifo esande kakhulu kwasebegugile.
UPeggie, osezoqeda iminyaka yamashumi angu-60 yobudala, uhamba kanzima. Naye futhi unalesifo, njengoba izandla zakhe ezikhubazekile zibonisa. Nokho, uyakwazi ukwenza imisetshenzana emincane yasendlini futhi uyakujabulela ukukhilosha.
UIsa, osehlale esihlalweni sakhe sabakhubazekile iminyaka engu-37, kuncane kakhulu ayekwazi ukuze-nzela khona. Nokho, ukumoyizela kwakhe okuthelelanayo kwakubonisa ubungqabavu obuphawulekayo.
UDAVID, uPeggie, kanye noIsa—abantu abathathu phakathi kwabantu baseBrithani abangaba izigidi eziyisithupha abaye baphathwa isifo samathambo. NgokweTimes yaseLondon, minyaka yonke lesisifo “sibangela ukulahleka kwezinsuku zokusebenza eziyizigidi ezingu-88 . . . , okungaphezulu kakhulu kokulahlekelwa okubangelwa ukuteleka.” Isifo samathambo “siyimbangela enkulu kunazo zonke yokukhubazeka” eBrithani.
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uhlalaphi, isifo samathambo singakuhlasela. Ayikho ingxenye yezwe egomekile. Udokotela wezokwelapha uVernon Coleman ekhuluma ngalesifo wabhala: “Zimbalwa izifo ezithinta abantu abaningi kangaka . . . Zimbalwa ezibangela izinhlungu kanye nokukhubazeka okungaka, futhi zimbalwa eziyisisusa sezinsumansumane eziningi kangaka kanye nokungaqondi okuningi kangaka.”—Bheka ibhokisi elisekhasini 14.
Akumangalisi ukuthi abantu abaningi abanesifo samathambo, njengoDavid, ukuphila bakuthola kucindezela. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uPeggie, uIsa, kanye nabanye bakwazi ukubhekana nokukhubazeka kwabo, baze ngisho baba nethemba. Lokhu kungenzeka kanjani? Kuthiwani ngawe? Uma unesifo samathambo, noma ucabanga ukuthi unaso, yiziphi izinyathelo ongazithatha ezingakusiza ukuba ubhekane ngokuphumelelayo nalesifo?
Uma Uyisisulu
Okokuqala, thola ukuhlolwa kwaso ngokushesha. IArthritis Book ithi: “Akunakugcizelelwa ngokweqile ukuthi ukuhlolwa ngokushesha kungasiza ekunciphiseni izinhlungu nokukhubazeka kwakamuva.” Yebo, ukwelashwa kwesifo samathambo ngempela “kuyimpi yakho konke ukuphila.” UDkt. Coleman uyavuma: “Uma . . . ukwelapha kuqaliswa ngokushesha nangentshiseko isimo sithuthuka kakhulu.”
Ngakho ungahlehlisi izinto. Thola imininingwane yenkinga yempilo yakho. Khona-ke, uma kuyisifo samathambo, yenza amalungiselelo okuqalisa ukwelashwa kungakephuzi.
Ukubhekana Nezinhlungu
Kubantu abahlushwa isifo samathambo, ukuncishiswa kwezinhlungu kuyinto ebaluleke kakhulu. Kodwa, kwezinye izimo zabantu abanesifo samathambo esidla uqwanga namalunga (osteoarthritis), odokotela abathile banikeza leseluleko: ‘Qhubeka ubekezelela izinhlungu.’ Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi izidambisa-zinhlungu zicindezela izimpawu eziyinhlaba-mkhosi engokwemvelo yomzimba. Ukungazinaki lezimpawu kungaholela emonakalweni ongalungiseki wamalunga.
Imiphumela emibi engenzeka yemithi enjalo ebulala izinhlungu nayo kufanele icatshangelwe. ILancet yaxwayisa ngokuthi “ingozi yokulaliswa [esibhedlela] ngenxa yesilonda sangaphakathi esophayo esibangelwa uketshezi olusiza ekugayeni ukudla . . . yanda kakhulu kubantu abasebenzisa iNANSAID [nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs].” Ngakho, abaningi bakhetha ukugcina ukusebenzisa kwabo imilaliso kusesilinganisweni esincane. Abanye bathola ukukhululeka ezinhlungwini ngokugxilisa ingqondo ezintweni ezibamba isithakazelo sabo. INursing Mirror iyaphawula: “Into ephazamisa ingqondo ingasetshenziswa njengesivikelo semizwa ngokususa ukunaka kwayo futhi iyigxilise kokuthile okungahlobene nezinhlungu.”
Lokhu akusho ukuthi kutuswa ukuba kugwenywe zonke izidambisa-zinhlungu. Kwezinye izimo ukungakwazi ukudambisa izinhlungu kungase kungakukhuthazi ukusebenzisa amalunga aqaqambayo, kuholele ekuwenzeni aqine, ekudlekeni kwezicubu, futhi kamuva ekulahlekelweni ukusebenza kwamalunga. INANSAID neaspirin kusetshenziswa kakhulu ekuqedeni izinhlungu. Futhi odokotela bayakutusa ekunciphiseni ukuvuvukala kanye nokusha kwesikhumba. Abantu abaningi abahlushwa isifo samathambo kanye nodokotela kokubili bakucabangela njengokusebenzayo.
Nokho, ngenxa yezingozi ezingenzeka, yazi okuningi ngangokunokwenzeka ngokuphathelene nendlela ethile yokwelashwa ngaphambi kokuba uyiqalise. Thola ukuthi ziyini izingozi zayo. Xoxa nodokotela wakho ngakho.
Nakuba ukubanda ngokweqile kanye nomswakama kungasibangeli isifo samathambo, izici zesimo sezulu zibonakala zilithonya izinga lobuhlungu obuzwiwa yilabo abahlushwa yilesifo. Ngakho, ngabathile, ukuthuthela endaweni enesimo sezulu esifudumele, esomile kuye kwasiza. Kodwa uma ushintsho olunjalo lungenakwenzeka, kukhona ezinye izindlela ezingasetshenziswa.
UDkt. Frederic McDuffie, umholi kwezokucwaninga ngesifo samathambo esivuvukalisa futhi senze amalunga angasebenzi (rheumatoid arthritis), uphawula ukuthi “kungasiza futhi ukusebenzisa ukubanda nokushisa” ngokuqondile. Kokunye ukuhlola, iziguli zabeka isikhwama esineqhwa imizuzu engu-20 emalungeni asemadolweni akhathazwa irheumatoid arthritis. Zakwenza lokhu izikhathi ezintathu ngosuku amasonto amane, futhi zabika ukuthi zazinyakaza ngokwengeziwe ngaphandle kwezinhlungu futhi kwakhula ukuqina kwemisipha. Zabonisa ukunyakaza kalula okukhudlwana futhi zalala kangcono. Ngani? UMcDuffie uyachaza ukuthi “ukubanda kunciphisa ukudlulisela kwenzwa imibiko yezinhlungu.”
Ngeshwa, lokho okusebenza kahle komunye umuntu kungase kungasebenzi komunye. Abantu abaningi abahlushwa isifo samathambo bathola ukuthi ukuhlikihlwa nje okuthambile kuyasiza. UIsa walandisa: “Lapho izinhlungu zami zingikhathaza, ngicela umyeni wami ukuba ayihlikihle kakhulu leyondawo. Lokhu kubuhlungu, kodwa ngezinye izikhathi kuyaziqeda izinhlungu.”
Ukwelapha ngokushisa nakho kucatshangelwa njengokuzuzisayo. Abanye odokotela batusa ukusetshenziswa kwebhodlela elinamanzi ashisayo noma umgxusho oshisisayo (heating pad) ukuze kuqedwe izinhlungu. Isazi serheumatism uDkt. F. Dudley Hart siyachaza: “Ukushisa kuphumuza imisipha, kunciphise ukuqina kwayo futhi kudambise nezinhlungu.”
‘Yisebenzise Noma Ikulahlekele!’
“Enye yezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu . . . engakusiza esifweni sakho samathambo . . . ukuvivinya umzimba,’ kusho iArthritis Helpbook. Uthi ‘yebo, kodwa lokho kubuhlungu kakhulu.’ Yiqiniso, kodwa yiba nomgomo wokulinganisela.
Ukuhamba, ukubhukuda, kanye nokugibela ibhayisekili kuyizindlela ezithandwa kakhulu zokuvivinya umzimba okuvamile. Nokho, ukuze ukuvivinya kwakho umzimba kuphumelele ngempela, uzodinga isimiso esiklanyelwe uhlobo lwakho lwesifo samathambo. Xoxa ngalokhu nodokotela wakho noma udokotela owelapha ngokunyakazisa umzimba ukuze uqinisekise ukuthi ikuphi ukunyakaza okuzokusiza kangcono kakhulu.
Lapho uzwa izinhlungu phakathi nezikhathi zokuvivinya umzimba, phumula kancane. Uma amalunga athintekile eshisa futhi eba bomvu, kufanele ukuyeke ngalesosikhathi ukuvivinya umzimba—kungenzeka kukhandla kakhulu. Khumbula, umgomo wakho kufanele ube ukukwazi ukunyakaza kunokuba kube ukuthola amandla. Ukunyakazisa amalunga ngokugcwele ngangokusemandleni okungenani kabili ngosuku kungaba usizo ekuqhubekeni ukwazi ukunyakaza ngokukhululekile.
Ukwelashwa Kuseduze?
“Ukwelashwa kwesifo samathambo ‘kuseduze kakhulu,’” kumemezela iDaily Post yaseLiverpool emuva ngoMay 28, 1980. Nokho, umbiko owalandela waphawula ukuthi “asikho isilinganiso sesikhathi esiqondile esibekiwe.”
Sekudlule iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-12, ukucwaninga kusaqhubeka. Ngerheumatoid arthritis, ukunaka manje kugxiliswe ekwenzeni imilaliso ezolawula amangqamuzana ofuzo “anephutha” okukholelwa ukuthi yiwona ayimbangela yayo. UProfesa Ravinder Maini weArthritis and Rheumatism Council unethemba lokuthi izotholakala “eminyakeni emihlanu kuya kweyishumi.”
Okwamanje, ukuze kubuyiselwe ukukwazi ukunyakaza futhi kuqedwe nokuhlushwa yilesifo, ezinye izisulu zesifo samathambo ziye zakhetha ukuhlinzwa kokufakelwa amanye amalunga. Ezinye zithola ukuthi izinhlobo ezithile zokudla ziyasiza. Ukutshopa, ukwelashwa ihomeopath, kanye nokwelapha ngokulungisa amathambo nemisipha konke kunabantu abakusekelayo abakulomkhakha.
Imibono ngokuphathelene nokwelashwa okufanele iyehluka kakhulu. Ochwepheshe bezokwelapha baye bachaza ezinye izinhlobo ngokuthi “ukwelapha okuyinkohliso” ngenxa nje yokuthi ukwelapha okunjalo kucatshangelwa njengokungagunyaziwe, hhayi ngoba kungasebenzi. Nakuba kunjalo, abantu abahlushwa isifo samathambo banikezwa ukwelashwa okuningi okungabazekayo ukufaneleka kwakho.
Okwamanje, uphiko lwezokwelapha alukayitholi indlela yokwelapha lesifo esikhubazayo. Ngakho-ke, kuhlakaniphile ukuhlolisisa zonke izici lapho ukhetha uhlobo oluthile lokwelapha. Lapho lokhu sekwenziwe, namathela kulokho okusebenza kangcono kakhulu kuwe.
Indlela Abanye Abangasiza Ngayo
Uma unesihlobo noma umngane onesifo samathambo, kuningi ongakwenza ukuze usize lowo abhekane nezinto angakwazi ukuzenza. Kanjani?
Nakuba ehlala yedwa, uPeggie uthola ukuthi izingane zakhe zimsekela kakhulu. Zithintana naye njalo ngezincwadi nangocingo. Noma nini lapho amadodakazi akhe ahlala phesheya, evakasha, asiza ngenjabulo ngokuhlobisa kanye nangeminye imisebenzi yasendlini leyo manje akuthola kunzima kakhulu ukuyenza. Umzukulu wakhe oyintombazane osanda kweva eshumini nambili uyafika njalo masonto onke ukuze anakekele imisebenzi enzima yokuhlanza indlu.
UmkaDavid manje unesithakazelo esikhulu ekumnakekeleni. Ngeziyalezo azithola kumhlengikazi womphakathi, uye wafunda ukuthi angamsiza kanjani ngokumgcina ehlanzekile. UDavid manje uzizwa ejabule ngokwengeziwe, futhi bobabili bayakwazi ukwenza izinto eziningi ndawonye.
Ngaphambi kokuba uIsa afe wathi: “Izinto eziningi abanye abantu abazenzayo, mina angikwazi ukuzenzela zona.” Khona-ke, yeka ukuthi wayekujabulela kanjani ukunakekela kothando komyeni wakhe, owayemgeza, amgqokise, futhi aze amlungise ngisho nezinwele!
Abantu abahlushwa isifo samathambo ngokuvamile bayakwazisa noma ikuphi ukuzimela isifo sabo esisabavumela ukuba babenakho. Izihlobo nabangane kufanele bakugweme ukungakunaki lokhu. NgokukaDkt. Hart, okudingeka kakhulu “uzwela olunosizo kanye nokuqinisekiswa.” Khona-ke, menzele okuthile angenakukwazi ukuzenzela khona lowo onalesifo. Ukuvakasha okufushane, amazwi akhuthazayo, kanye nokusiza ngemisebenzi yasekhaya kanye nokumyela esitolo kubangela ukwazisa okukhulu kakhulu.
Hlakulela Ukuba Nombono Omuhle
Ungase uthi, ‘uma unesifo esinjengesifo samathambo, lokho kulula ukukusho kunokukwenza.’ Yiqiniso, kodwa okuningi kuxhomeke kulokho wena, izihlobo zakho, kanye nabangane bakho enikucabangelayo ngesikhathi esizayo.
Cabanga ngoPeggie noIsa. UIsa wathi: “Sengiyekile ukukhathazeka ngokukhubazeka kwami.” Kunalokho, yena noPeggie bafuna amathuba okusiza abanye. UPeggie usebenzisa isikhathi esithile enza ukuhambela okukhuthazayo komakhelwane bakhe. UIsa, ngosizo lwabantwana bakhe nabazukulu, wahlanganyela isikhathi esigcwele etshela abanye ngezithembiso ezibikezelwa eBhayibhelini. UPeggie ungomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, njengoba kwakunjalo nangoIsa.
Yebo, uPeggie noIsa bathola induduzo enkulu esithembisweni esizogcwaliseka ngokushesha sokuthi “akekho ohlala ezweni lethu oyophinde akhononde ngokuthi uyagula.” (Isaya 33:24, Today’s English Version) Ngabantu abahlushwa isifo samathambo, yeka ukuthi lolo kuyoba usuku olujabulisa kanjani!
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 14]
Irheumatism Noma Isifo Samathambo?
Sonke siba nayo iminjunju nezinhlungu ngezikhathi ezithile. Singase nje sikuphebeze ngokuthi “kuqalisa irheumatism.” Ngokwezokwelapha, irheumatism iyincazelo evamile yezimo ezibuhlungu ezingu-200 noma ngaphezulu, nakuba zicishe zibe ingxenye kuphela ezingena ngaphansi kohlu lwesifo samathambo. Izinhlobo ezine ezivamile zesifo samathambo yilezi:
Iosteoarthritis (isifo samathambo esiwohlozayo) siphatha ikakhulu abantu asebekhulile futhi sibonakala ngokuwohloka koqwanga olusemalungeni, ukukhula kwethambo ezihlokweni zelunga, kanye nokuba nezinguquko kusynovial, noma olwelwesini lwelunga olwakha uketshezi. “Lapho siba neminyaka engu-65 ubudala, amaphesenti angu-80 ethu angalindela ukuba nezinguquko zeosteoarthritis elungeni elilodwa noma engeziwe; isigamu sesine sethu siyohlushwa ngokwesilinganiso esithile izinhlungu kanye nokukhubazeka okubangelwa yizo.”—New Scientist.
Irheumatoid arthritis ngokuvamile ibonakala ngokushisa kwamalunga amaningana kanye nolwelwesi lwawo olwakha uketshezi kanye nokuwohloka kwemisipha, noma ukudleka kwemisipha nethambo okuzungeze ilunga. Ngezinye izikhathi, lokhu kungabangelwa ukulimala. “Ingaqala kunoma ibuphi ubudala kodwa ivame kakhulu kwabesifazane kunakwabesilisa ngesilinganiso sabangu–3:1.”—Nursing Mirror.
Iankylosing spondylitis (noma isifo samathambo omgogodla) “ithinta umgogodla ikakhulu ibangele ukuqina komgogodla noma ukuba neqolo ‘elimise okwensimbi yokuhlokoza umlilo’. . . . okuvame kakhulu kwabesilisa.”—101 Questions and Answers About Arthritis.
Igout iwuhlobo oluzuzwa ngofuzo lwesifo samathambo esiphawulwa ngokuba neuric acid (ihyperuricemia) eningi kakhulu egazini ephumela ekuhlaselweni isifo samathambo esibi kakhulu ngokuvamile esihilela ilunga elilodwa, bese kulandela ukukhululeka ngokuphelele kuso. “Amadoda athinteka izikhathi ezingu-20 ngaphezu kwabesifazane.”—Nursing Mirror.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 15]
UKUDLA KWABANTU ABANESIFO SAMATHAMBO?
Lezingcaphuno ezilandelayo ezithathwe ezincwadini nasemibikweni yezindaba zibonisa ukungavumelani okukhulu okuphakathi kochwepheshe. Ngakho-ke ukwahlulela kanye nokuzinqumela komuntu ngamunye kubalulekile.
“Okubalulekile yilokho ongakudli. . . . Ungakudli lokhu: Inyama noma injani, kuhlanganise nomhluzi wayo; izithelo zanoma yiluphi uhlobo; imikhiqizo yobisi . . . ; izikhupha zeqanda; uvinika, noma yinoma yiluphi uhlobo lweacid; uphepha . . . wanoma yiluphi uhlobo; izinongo ezibabayo; ushokoledi; amantongomane agazingiwe; iziphuzo ezinealcohol, ikakhulu iwayini; iziphuzo ezingonamanedi . . . ; yonke imilutha, izinto ezivimbela ukubola, amakhemikhali, ikakhulukazi imonosodium glutamate.”—New Hope for the Arthritic, 1976.
“Ukudla okungcono kakhulu esimweni somuntu onesifo samathambo ukudla okunempilo okuhlanganisa izakhi ezibalulekile—amaprotheni, amacarbohydrate, amafutha, amavithamini kanye nokusansimbi—okudliwa njalo, ngezikhawu ezihlukaniswe kahle. Izithelo ezingaphekiwe, imifino enamaqabunga, kanye nokusanhlamvu okugqakazekile kufanele kuhlanganiswe uma kuzwana nomzimba wakho.”—Arthritis—Relief Beyond Drugs, 1981.
“Kuyiqiniso ukuthi akuvamile ukuba isifo samathambo singezwani nokudla okuthile kodwa kuyenzeka ngezikhathi ezithile ukuba sizwele kufulawa kakolo (igluten) noma imikhiqizo yobisi (ushizi) noma ezinye izinto. Uma ungabaza kungakuhle ukugcina irekhodi lokudla ukuze uphawule ukuthi yini oyidlile ngezinsuku okuqubuka ngazo isifo samathambo noma esiba sibi ngazo.”—101 Questions and Answers About Arthritis, 1983.
“Ukudla Okukhethekile Kwesifo Samathambo. Khohlwa. Akukho. Abukho ubufakazi obungokwesayensi bokuthi isifo samathambo singelashwa noma senziwe sibe sibi kakhulu ngokudla amavithamini athile, amaminerali, amaprotheni, amafutha, noma amacarbohydrate. Uma iziguli zinquma ukuqalisa ukudla iyoghurt, ukudla okungenawo amakhemikhali, amanzi emifino, ukudla okunealkaline, noma ukudla okuneacid, ngokunokwenzeka ngeke kuzilimaze.”—The Arthritis Book, 1984.
“Abacwaningi baye bathola ukuthi ukudla inhlanzi kanye nenyama engenamafutha, kanye nezakhi ezenziwe ngamafutha enhlanzi, kunciphisa ukuqina kanye nezinhlungu emalungeni okubangelwa irheumatoid arthritis.”—The Sunday Times, London, 1985.
Izikhulu zivumelana entweni eyodwa: Gwema ukuba nesisindo eseqile, okumane nje kwenze izinkinga zamalunga zibe zimbi kakhulu, ikakhulukazi ezinqulwini, emadolweni, nasemaqakaleni.