Izifo Eziyimfihlakalo ZaseGuam

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EGUAM

WAYEKUSOLA lokhu kuxilonga. Nakuba kunjalo, amazwi kadokotela ayeshaqisa. “Konke ukuhlola kwethu kubonakala kuqinisekisa ukuthi uyihlo une-lytico ne-bodig.” Wayazi ukuthi zombili lezizifo azilapheki.

IGuam iyona ehlaselwe yilezizifo kakhulu emhlabeni, okuphinda i-United States izikhathi eziningi. Kodwa ziyini lezizifo ezesatshwayo ekugcineni ezizobulala uyise walona wesifazane? Zibangelwa yini? Futhi yini lona wesifazane angayenza ukuze isikhathi esisalele uyise sibekezeleleke?

Iyini I-lytico Ne-bodig?

Kokubili i-lytico ne-bodig izifo eziwohloza isimiso sokusebenza kwezinzwa zezicubu. Emkhakheni wezokwelapha i-lytico yaziwa ngokuthi i-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), noma isifo sikaLou Gehrig. Lapho umdlali we-baseball odumile weNew York Yankees uLou Gehrig ebulawa ilesisifo ngo-1941, sethiwa ngegama lakhe. Elithi lytico igama le-ALS elisetshenziswa kulendawo.

I-ALS ilimaza ama-motor neuron nezinzwa ezisemfunkulwini. Izicubu zezandla, imilenze, nomphimbo ziqala ukukhubazeka kancane kancane. Nokho, okwesikhashana, amandla okusebenza kwemizwa, kanye namandla okuzala nokukwazi ukulawula umchamo nendle, asebenza kahle. Empeleni, kunabantwana abaningana abaye bazalwa abantu abane-ALS. Omunye wesifazane wazala abantwana abayisithupha abaphile sáka phakathi neminyaka engu-14 ephethwe i-ALS ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe lapho eneminyaka engu-43 ubudala. Nokho, lapho i-ALS isiyimbi, izifo zemigudu yomchamo, i-pneumonia, noma ukuba nephika kuholela ekufeni. Ngokuvamile i-ALS ihlasela abantu abadala abaphakathi kweminyaka engu-35 nengu-60 ubudala. EGuam isisulu esincane kunazo zonke kwakungowesifazane oneminyaka engu-19 ubudala.

Elithi bodig igama elisetshenziswa kulendawo elichaza ukudleka kobuchopho. Njengoba kwezokwelapha ibizwa ngokuthi i-Parkinsonism-dementia (PD), ichazwa njengenhlanganisela yesifo sikaParkinson nesifo sika-Alzheimer. Kungase kuqale izimpawu zesifo sikaParkinson (ukuhamba kancane, ukuqina kwezicubu, imiqhabanyeko) noma ukushintsha kwengqondo (ukulahlekelwa inkumbulo, ukubaleka kwengqondo, ukushintsha kobuntu). Ngezinye izikhathi, izimpawu zalezizifo zombili zivela kanyekanye. Lapho lesisifo sesisibi, isiguli siba nezilonda ezibangelwa ukulala isikhathi eside, ukuhluleka ukubamba umchamo nendle, i-osteoporosis, ukuchachamba kwamathambo, nokuncipha kwamangqamuzana abomvu egazi futhi ekugcineni sibulawe izifo.

I-lytico ne-bodig kubhekwa njengezifo ezimbili. Nokho, ukucwaninga kuye kwaholela abanye ekukholelweni ukuthi kuyisifo esisodwa esinezimpawu ezihlukene.

Imfihlakalo Iyajula

Phakathi kwemibuzo eyinhloko esacwaningwa kunalena: (1) Kungani amaphesenti angu-98 ezisulu ze-ALS ne-PD aseziQhingini zaseMariana kungamaChamorro kuphela kuyilapho ambalwa asele kungabasePhilippines asebenesikhathi eside behlala eGuam? (2) Kungani ezinye izindawo okuwukuphela kwazo ezihlaselwe kakhulu yilesisifo zikwezinye izindawo ezisengxenyeni eyodwa yomhlaba? (3) Kungani izisulu eziningi zaseziQhingini zaseMariana zinakho kokubili i-ALS ne-PD, kuyilapho iziguli zakwezinye izindawo zinesifo esisodwa kulezi? (4) I-aluminum engaxutshiwe ingena kanjani esimisweni sezinzwa salezizisulu? (5) Kungani kutholakala i-zinc encane emangqamuzaneni obuchopho lapho kunesilinganiso esiphakeme khona se-aluminum? Ukuhlolwa kwendawo ezungezile ezindaweni ezihlaselwe kakhulu zasentshonalanga Pacific kwabonisa amazinga aphakeme e-aluminum, i-manganese, nensimbi kodwa kwatholakala amazinga aphansi e-calcium, i-magnesium, ne-zinc enhlabathini nasemanzini.

Ukuzama Ukusombulula Lemfihlakalo

Sekuyiminyaka eminingi abacwaningi baseGuam, eJapane, naseCanada bezama ukusombulula amaqiniso ngokuphathelene nalezizifo eziyimfihlakalo. Emibonweni eminingi ethuthukiswe yilamaqembu okucwaninga, kukhonjwa izici ezihlukene: isici esingavamile sofuzo, ukuhlaselwa igciwane kancane kancane, noshevu omncane wensimbi.

Esinye isazi sokuthakwa kwemithi siye saqinisekisa ukuthi ngisho namamiligremu amabili kuya kwamathathu e-aluminum emangqamuzaneni obuchopho angaphazamisa ukusebenza kobuchopho ngendlela efanele. Ngaphandle kwenhlabathi namanzi, kuye kwanezelwa izithako ze-aluminum eziningi empushini yokubhaka, enhlameni yamakhekhe, kufulawa osufakwe imvubelo, enhlameni eqandisiwe, izinto ezithile ezilwa nama-acid, iziqeda-phunga, nemithi yokwelapha ukuvuvuka kwemithambo yendunu. Okunezelayo futhi amaphepha okusonga izinto nezitsha zokupheka enziwe nge-aluminum, ngoba iyaxebuka, ikakhulukazi lapho ukudla okune-acid noma okune-alkali kuphekwe ngazo.

UDkt. Kwang-Ming Chen, isazi sokusebenza kwezinzwa nesikhulu kulezizifo ezingavamile, wathi: “Ukuhlola okunzulu okwenziwe i-National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke (NINCDS) eminyakeni engu-30 edlule akukayisombululi ngempela lemfihlakalo yokudlanga okukhulu ngokuphawulekayo nembangela yalezizifo ezibhubhisa ngempela nezingaqondakali zesimiso sezinzwa (central nervous system) ezihlasele isintu.” Nokho, wabonisa ukuthi ukubulawa ushevu wensimbi omncane kunegalelo elinamandla kunesici sofuzo esingavamile noma ukuhlaselwa igciwane kancane kancane. Ukucwaninga kusaqhubeka. Kuze kube yilapho ikhambi litholakala, umuntu angakwenza ukuzama ukubhekana nalezizinkinga futhi abe usizo olukhulu ngangokunokwenzeka kwabayizisulu.

Okumelwe Kulindelwe Nendlela Yokubhekana Nesimo

Nakuba yayithukile futhi idumele lapho izwa ngemiphumela yokuxilongwa, imikhaya okwaxoxwa nayo eGuam yathi yayikwamukela. Yayazi ukuthi akunakhambi.

Isisulu nomkhaya waso babhekana nokukhungatheka okukhulu nokuphelelwa ithemba. Lapho sibuzwa ukuthi yini eyayisibangela ukucindezeleka okukhulu, esinye isisulu se-PD sathi: “Ukuhluleka ukukhuluma ngokucacile futhi ngizulazule endlini kuyangikhungathekisa.” Ukushintsha kobuntu nokulahlekelwa inkumbulo kwenza kube nzima ngomkhaya ukubhekana nesimo. Izilonda ezibangelwa ukulala isikhathi eside nokuhluleka ukubamba umchamo nendle kwenza ukunakekela kube nzima kakhudlwana. Ngenxa yokuthi ophethwe i-ALS uphile kahle engqondweni, ngokuvamile unesimo sengqondo sokubambisana, kodwa uhluleka ngokuphelele lapho lesisifo sesisibi.

Ngokuvamile kudingeka iphampu emuncayo ukuze kuhlanzwe umphimbo wogulayo one-ALS noma i-PD. Ukudla kumelwe kuthambe, futhi kumelwe kufakwe izipuni ezincane phakathi emphinjeni ukuze kuvinjelwe ukukhwingceka. Kudingeka umoya-mpilo lapho ukuphefumula kuba nzima.

I-Home Care Service Agency inikeza ukwelashwa okungokomzimba, ukulawulwa kwesifo, nokusekela ngokomzwelo. Phakathi kwezinye izinto ezidingekayo, i-Guam Lytico and Bodig Association ilungiselela izinsimbi zokusekela izitho zomzimba, imibhede nomatilasi abashintshashintshwayo, izihlalo zabakhubazekile, nesitsha sokuchitha amanzi. Kusukela ngo-1970, abaphethwe i-PD baye belashwa nge-L-dopa, ethambisa izicubu eziqinile futhi yenze ngcono ukuhamba kancane. Ngeshwa, awukho umuthi ophumelelayo wokwelapha abaphethwe i-dementia noma i-ALS.

Ukubambisana komkhaya kuye kwaba okuvelele lapho lezizifo zigadla. Omunye wesifazane owashonelwa uyise, udadewabo omdala, namanye amalungu ayisithupha omkhaya wakubo ngenxa ye-ALS noma i-PD watusa umkhaya wakubo, ethi: “Kwakukuhle ukubasiza bonke.” Futhi lapho ekhuluma ngezinkumbulo ezinhle ngosizo lomyeni kadadewabo owayegula, wathi: “Wayebonisa uthando olukhulu! Nsuku zonke wayebeka udadewethu esihlalweni sabakhubazekile amvakashise.”

Omunye wesifazane wakhetha ukuhlala engashadile isikhathi eside ukuze anakekele unina. Umkhaya wakubo wase ulahlekelwe amalungu amathathu ngenxa ye-ALS, futhi abanye baqala ukuba nezimpawu. Omunye wesifazane, owayekhubazeke ngokuphelele iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-24, wayenamadodakazi amathathu, futhi amabili ashiya isikole ukuze anakekele unina. Ayemphenduphendula embhedeni njalo emizuzwini engu-30 emini nasebusuku. Ngenxa yokunakekela okudingeka njalo, eminye imikhaya iye yakuthola kudingekile ukuyisa abagulayo ezibhedlela lapho izisebenzi eziqeqeshiwe zingabanakekela khona.

Imikhaya eye yabhekana ngokuphumelelayo ne-ALS ne-PD inikeza lokhu kusikisela: Yibani nothando kodwa niqine. Ningabonisi ukungabi nasineke noma nilindele okuningi ngokweqile kogulayo. Yibani nokholo kuNkulunkulu. Thandazani njalo. Hlelani izikhathi zokuphumuza amalungu omkhaya achitha isikhathi esiningi nogulayo. Shaywani umoya nogulayo ngezinye izikhathi futhi nimsize ukuba ahlanganyele emibuthanweni yendawo noma yokuzijabulisa. Ningabi namahloni ngokuba nogulayo emkhayeni. Futhi khuthazani abantwana, abazukulu, nabangane ukuba bavakashe, ngoba ngokuvamile izisulu ziba nesizungu.

Nakuba isayensi yezokwelapha ingakayitholi incazelo ecacile yalezizifo, kunethemba ngabagulayo nangemikhaya yabo. IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ngokushesha, ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu, zonke izifo, ubuhlungu, nokufa kuyoqedwa phakade. Esikhundleni sakho, kuyoba nokupheleliswa kwengqondo nomzimba, nethemba lokuphila phakade. Ngisho nabathandekayo abafile bayovuselwa ekuphileni emhlabeni. Sizani nifundele ogulayo othandekayo iZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli, ukuze afunde ngethemba elimangalisayo elingaphambili.—IHubo 37:11, 29; Isaya 33:24; 35:5-7; IzEnzo 24:15; IsAmbulo 21:3-5.

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

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