In a world where a woman tries to seize every opportunity of looking half-grown and snappy, imagine having to deal with the weight of a 60 kg leg.
Razia Beghum from Bangladesh started developing swellings on her leg after giving birth to her second child. The swellings greatly reduced her mobility. The bizarre looking swellings settled down with some primary treatments but resurfaced a few years later. She knew this was just the first stone in the course of an entire mountain falling upon her head in the subsequent days.
Landing Into The Hospital
Not very long ago, the woman’s leg started swelling like a balloon. To her nightmare, it quickly grew into a 60 kg mass. Having witnessed a 12 year old girl undergo a similar sequence of events, Razia’s husband brought her to the Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit at Dhaka Hospital recently.
How Microscopic Beings can Devour Macroscopic Lives
Although the doctors haven’t made a clear diagnosis yet, they suspect that the woman is suffering from Elephantiasis (based on clinical presentations of massive edema in the right leg and malaise).
Elephantiasis is a condition characterized by abnormal swelling in different parts of the body. The swelling is due to obstruction of the lymphatic channels by the micro-filariae of a parasite called Wucheria brancofti. The parasite enters the human body through a mosquito when it takes a blood meal. It then matures in the lymphatic system and causes obstruction of lymphatic channels, often in the lower extremities, that leads to edema and swelling.
Only The Strongest of Hearts can Endure Such a Burden
Having to bear a 60 kg leg is not for everyone. It makes even the most basic of tasks such as walking or urinating, extremely difficult.
“She cannot work or contribute to the family. Rather it takes at least three people to move her.”
Razia’s brother in law, Ana Mia.
As of now, Razia is bed-ridden at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Unfortunately, her condition remains undiagnosed (not confirmed through blood examinations and filarial dance sign). For this reason, she still seeks a definitive answer so as to employ various treatment options.
