 Good morning. Welcome to Health on Monday. My name is Joanne Mochache. You are watching the Y254 channel, specifically Y in the morning. And do remember if you want to talk to us, if you want to interact with us, you can do so. And if you want to ask any questions, and if you want to also share some of the things that you are going through specifically on the topic that we are going to be discussing, you can do so on our Facebook and Twitter. That is going to be have hashtag Health on Monday and hashtag Y in the morning on our Facebook and our Twitter that is Y254 underscore channel on Instagram. And remember that on YouTube you can find us as well. And do remember to subscribe. And right now we are going to be discussing a particular illness that we are calling ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis. I have just recently learned about this, but it is also affecting our youth. This is a youth channel and that's what we have discussed. We have decided to focus on this particular issue. And our guest today, his name is Joseph Ngigi. And he is undergoing this particular problem. And we'd like to get to know him. And we'd like to also get to know what his experiences have been on this particular issue. Karibusana, Mr. Ngigi. Thank you so much. We're glad to have you on our set. Yes. And so please explain to our viewers those who do not know what ulcerative colitis is. So ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune condition that results from an overactive immune system. So in the case of ulcerative colitis, the immune system attacks the colon. So instead of attacking disease causing microorganisms, it attacks the walls of the large intestines. So that's basically what ulcerative colitis is. It's a result of an overactive immune system where the immune system now attacks the colon, the walls of the colon. Yes. Okay. I see. So some of the symptoms are diarrhea. Diarrhea. And because that attacking on the walls of the colon results in inflammation, those inflammations will mostly have ulcers or sores. And those ulcers bleed. So most of the time you'll have diarrhea with bleeding. Yes. I see. And if I may ask, how long have you been experiencing this terrible problem? I've had this since 2016. 2016. It was officially diagnosed in 2017, May. Okay. So you've had it since 2016. And then you went to the doctors and then that's when they officially diagnosed it and said that this is what you have. Okay. The thing about ulcerative colitis is it mimics so many other conditions. Yes. Yes. So it takes really long to get the correct diagnosis. I see. Yeah. Because personally I was diagnosed I think about four times with different conditions. Okay. May I ask what are some of the conditions that they guide you? The first time I was told it was typhoid. Wow. And so I was on treatment for typhoid for about two to three weeks. Okay. But the symptoms kept growing worse. Okay. So the second time I went to the doctor, I said, no, it's not improving. So the second time I was told it's brucell. Wow. Then I was on medication for 48 days. 48 days? Yeah, 48 days with an injection every day. Then the third time I was told it was gastritis. And I was on medication for very long. And all this while my symptoms kept growing worse. Oh my goodness. So that's what was happening in 2016 until they finally found the real issue. And when they found the real issue, that means that there were some symptoms that you were experiencing. What are some of those symptoms you are going through that made them differentiate between the gastritis and all the other things and said that this is now definitely ulcerative colitis? What were the symptoms and what are the symptoms? The most outstanding symptom is diarrhea with blood. Diarrhea with blood? Yes. I see. You go for a bowel movement. Okay. And the whole thing is just blood. It's just blood. And because of that constant loss of blood. Yes. There is anemia associated with it. Because now you lose a lot of blood. You begin passing out in the morning, passing out during the day. You grow very weak. So there's a lot of fatigue. Your skin becomes very pale, very pale. Yeah. So those are some of the, the most outstanding symptoms I'd say is diarrhea with blood. That is probably, you're saying that that is most outstanding. That's one that's the hardest to deal with. Yes. Okay. Yes. Diarrhea with blood. I see. And it's like constant. And it's, we're talking about 15 to 20 bowel motions in a day. 15 to 20 bowel motions in a day. And after every bowel motion, one has to go and release themselves. I see. Okay. That's unfortunate. Yeah. I see. And probably about all that you're going through. And if we can continue, Taffadale, so that we can continue to raise awareness, because I know you're not alone. Sure. I know that the others who are watching and others who may not be watching, who might watch on our YouTube later on, who are going through this. Maybe we can discuss how you felt when you first found out that this is what you had. What was the first feeling that you had? Maybe your first emotion. First of all, I'd like to say because of the trickiness in diagnosing ulcerative colitis, it's very, very important if you have such symptoms to see a gastrointestinal specialist. Because that's the only way it can be diagnosed correctly and in good time. So for me, when it was first diagnosed and it was mentioned to me, I had, of course, I had read on the internet, I had tried searching my symptoms and I kind of had a clue what I was going through and what was ailing me. So when it was mentioned, it was not really a surprise, but it was a relief to me. Because the thing about ulcerative colitis is with the right treatment, you can manage symptoms. So for me, when it was mentioned, and I began on treatment, I actually saw improvement on the very first day I began treatment. Yeah, I remember after the, because normally when you have very mild symptoms, they start you off on steroids. And the steroids work instantly. Only that you cannot be on them for long because of the side effects, but they work instantly. And I remember I got back my energy instantly. I felt like all together, all of a sudden I could even slash grass. I felt I had energy instantly. I felt like I had my life back instantly. I felt really nice. I had not felt that for a very, very long time. Because my life was dead bathroom. It was really hard to go about my normal day-to-day activities. Right. Because with 20 bowel motions, honestly, it's very hard to even concentrate. The embarrassment is just too much. You cannot even go out in public because you're always anxious. You don't know when the next bowel movement will hit. Yes, of course. So with the correct treatment, I think it gives one some sort of relief. Yeah. You're able now to live life like a normal person. Okay. I see. And you said that when you first found out in 2016, they gave you the steroids and it works immediately. Yeah. Is there a different treatment that you're using right now? Yeah. Now, apart from the steroids, you have to be on what they call maintenance therapy. Maintenance therapy. Yeah. Could you maybe explain what that is? Yeah, sure. So these are drugs that aim at controlling the inflammation in the intestines. And you are supposed to be on these medications for, I'd say, for life to prevent recurrence of this condition. And some of those include amino salicylates and the others we call immunomodulators. Because remember, we started by saying it's a condition that results from an overactive immune system. Yes. So mostly what the doctors will do, they'll try to bring down new immune system. Yeah, that controls ulcerative colitis. But there's also a problem with that. Because when you lower your immunity, that means you now become susceptible to other infections. Of course. I see. And so by lowering your immune system in order to help the ulcerative colitis, you're actually increasing the chances of you getting other diseases because now your immune system is lower. That is the greatest challenge with ulcerative colitis. So now you will control ulcerative colitis. But that leaves you open to all sorts of infections. Like I remember in 2017, after the diagnosis, I got the treatment and I was okay for about three months. And then after three months. On steroids. Yeah, I was on steroids and a couple of other maintenance therapy there. You also give you antibiotics to fight infections. They'll also give you, personally, what started on what we call mesacol. Mesacol. Yeah, it worked for only three months. And after three months, it stopped working. So as a result of that immunomodulation, by the end of 2017, I felt sick again. But this time it was not the ulcerative colitis. It was TB. Because my immune system was very low. It was very weak. Now the problem is, any time you have any other infection, it does not manifest immediately. What you will see are the symptoms of ulcerative colitis. So any other infection will trigger the ulcerative colitis. So if you had stopped bleeding, if you get another infection, you will not notice the symptoms for that infection. It will be the UC, it will be the ulcerative colitis. So you'll start bleeding again. You'll start having diarrhea and controllable diarrhea. You'll start having fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, fever, chills and all that. So by the end of 2017, I was down again, this time with TB. And so when you were undergoing the symptoms, you thought it was something else? No, it's very hard to tell it's something else. Because remember, you will just be seeing most of your ulcerative colitis symptoms. So when you're undergoing the symptoms, you thought, oh, this is just the ulcerative colitis acting up. Yeah. It's just acting up. We call it a flare-up. A flare-up. So then when you were having the flare-up, unfortunately what was truly happening is that you had contacted TB. Sure. Right. I see. And it took long to even diagnose the TB, because I had a cough and I assumed it's just a normal cough, maybe cold. And so they kept giving me serapses, trying to treat the cough. And I continued with my therapy with the ulcerative colitis. But I was not getting better. I lost a lot of blood. I was really pale. You could tell. I was very, very pale, my hands, my face. And everyone was wondering what's happening. What's wrong? And it was until now I couldn't do anything else. I had lost so much blood. My HB was at about four. What is your HB? HB is the hemoglobin level. Hemoglobin level. Normal levels start, I think, from around 13. Mine was at four. Normal level is 13. Yours was four. Yes. Wow. So when I went to see the doctor, because I was not improving, there was no change. I was taking medication, but it was not working. So the doctor decided to check my HB and they found out it was at four. That was an emergency. So they sent me straight to the emergency. I was admitted for blood transfusion. Right. So during the blood transfusion is when I explained that I've been having this cough and all these things. And they did a couple of tests and that's when it was discovered, oh, I actually contracted TB. So when we began treatment for TB, surprisingly, the ulcerative colitis symptoms went away immediately. And I started improving during that treatment period. Treatment for TB. Yes. By the end of the six months, I was doing really well. I had gained weight. After the transfusion, I had my energy back. My skin had changed. So really, the problem normally is getting the correct diagnosis, because these ulcerative colitis treatments will come with all these infections. I see. I see. Okay. And once you had contacted the TB and you said they were able to give you medication, which eventually got rid of that, and that now you are free of that. At the moment, when you are experiencing symptoms of ulcerative colitis, I don't like to ask people their age, but when it comes to ages, do you think or from your experience, do older people or the younger people experience you see? I had you referred to it as you see. And for the benefit of the show, we're going to continue referring to ulcerative colitis as you see. And so when you first found out you had it, you see, do you think that older people and younger people maybe experiences quite differently or the symptoms completely the same? The thing about you see is that it manifests in the younger generation more than the older people. Wow. Yeah. So ages between 15 to 35, that's where most of the diagnosis is done. Wow. As compared to the older generations. Right. So it's mostly diagnosed between 15 to 35, which is what we call the youth group. Yes. And this being a youth channel, I'm glad that you brought that up, because a lot of the people that are watching right now are within that age group 15 to 35 or 18 to 35. And so a lot of them that are watching I'm sure are quite interested. And do remember if you do have anything that you'd like to reach out to us, even some questions that you have for Mr. Joseph Gege, do do so on our on our social media handles. That is hashtag health on Monday, hashtag one in the morning. And that is going to be on our Facebook and our Twitter. That is Y254 channel, Instagram Y254 underscore channel and going right back. If I can just ask when it comes to affecting your daily activities, how has it been like? Do you find are you in university right now? I'm currently working. You're currently working? Yeah. It was it said that it was diagnosed immediately started working. Okay. Like a month into my job, that's when it was diagnosed. Right. Right. Okay. And so how has how has it affected your work and your workplace? Has it, by the way, and it could have had no effect at all. And do feel free to say so. But if it has had any effect, what has it had? What kind of effect has it had? I'd say it has had a pretty negative effect on my work. But I'm really grateful for my workplace because with time they have understood the condition and they have learned to accommodate me. But say because of the, the blood loss and the issue of fatigue, it becomes really hard to operate in the mornings. When you wake up, it's normally really, really hard. There's a lot of fatigue. So getting out of bed is normally quite a challenge. And sometimes you will even pass out in the bathroom on your taking your shower or wake up and can't even have breakfast. You're just throwing up. So mornings are normally really bad, but it gets better during the day as the day progresses. So there's that negative impact I'd say because of the energy levels mostly. And there's also absentees because you have to keep seeing the doctor. They're just days you can't get out of the house. So you have to work from home. Of course. Of course. All right. And if I may ask, now that we've talked about the effect when you're at work, what about when it comes to family? I know it's a bit of a personal question, but sometimes when it comes to health issues, we come to learn that it not only affects us, it also affects those around us, especially the people that we love and the people that love us. How has that been for your family, if I may ask? My family has been very, very supportive. I must say that. That's great. So they really support me. What I like about my family is that everyone is willing to learn more about you, see what is this thing. So how do we help? So they go out of their way to do their own research and they have learned over time how to deal with me, how to support me. So I'm really grateful, but I know it can be quite a challenge because it's a very hard condition to understand. Sometimes when you're especially on steroids, steroids are basically hormones and they sometimes affect the way you think, the way you do things, the way you react. So sometimes you will be very moody, you don't want to talk to anyone, and I'd say my family has learned to deal with that a lot, so they know how to deal with me, and I'm quite sure it's not the same for everyone. Sometimes people don't understand, sometimes people will not understand why you're spending so much time in the bathroom, they will not understand. Why are you so moody? Exactly. What gives you the right to be moody? Why can't you control your moodiness? Exactly. They will not understand why all of a sudden you don't have energy. Sometimes someone will think you're lazy, sometimes, yeah, sometimes people think you're very choosy with the food you eat, you know? And that's not the case at all. Because diet is also something else that is quite major in terms of management of UC, because you don't want to eat something that will irritate your colon, so you have to be very, very choosy with diet. And that is an area I think most people don't understand. We will touch on diet in just a little bit once we're done with talking about support from family, because I noticed something really wonderful. I noticed that your sister was the one that escorted you here, and it was really lovely of her, I think, because even when I was trying to get in touch with you, trying to get to know more about the problem that you're going through, it was hard that I spoke to you first. And I could hear the, I don't know, her voice is quite, you would never tell that she has a brother that is going through something like this. Yeah, she's quite chirpy, quite energetic. And I think you're quite lucky to have that kind of support. You have mentioned that there are family members in other families sometimes who don't understand such things, and they might ask, how come us, we have to eat this, and you, how come you're being so choosy with your diet? Can we talk more about that diet? Diet, yes. Yes, so as I said, ulcerative colitis is inflammation of the colon, and those inflammations have ulcers on them or sores, and sometimes they bleed. Yes. So you don't want to eat something that is going to be rough on your collar or really hard to digest. So diet really should be, I wouldn't say there is a standard diet for you. See what works for someone else might not work for me. What I tolerate, someone else might not tolerate because it also depends on the severity of the condition. But the bottom line is everyone must strive towards eating soft food. So keep it as soft as possible, but at the same time very healthy. Because you must also remember to include all the food groups, vitamins, proteins, all those things, minerals, starch, carbs. Yeah, without forgetting either of them, but now it must be consumed in a form that is very soft and very easy to digest. I see. I see. All right. And we don't have too much time. Maybe right now we can, now that we've kind of understood what you see ulcerative colitis is and we've kind of understood the impacts it has on work and family and the impact that work and family has on people that are going through it, maybe we can talk a little bit about the initiative that you started. I'm quite proud about the man that we've had on set today because he has started a wonderful initiative and I think it's one of its kind in Kenya. I don't think there's another. I did try to do, I did try to research, I couldn't find another. So you are founder and CEO. Yes. Can we please talk about the whole initiative that you have started for UC? Yeah. So after the diagnosis, I went, as I said, I went and tried to check around, see was there a group, was there someone going through the same thing around here? And sadly I couldn't find. So I decided with all this struggle that I've gone through trying to get someone who can at least shed more light on this condition, why don't I start something. So I decided to start a hope for alternative colitis Kenya and I'm really thankful to God that it has grown and it has helped me raise awareness. So I use that platform to share this UC thing, to share the symptoms, to share with people what this thing is and to basically make people understand why sometimes I behave the way I do. And that has really helped me because now no one judges me. I've had people get to learn about UC, to understand what UC is and it has turned out to be a very successful venture. People are supporting me, people are reaching out to me. Wow. And surprisingly people have started reaching out saying, hey, I'm also going through this thing. I also have UC. I have UC. What worked for you? How are you managing it? You see? And that really to me is something I'm really grateful about and I'm so proud about. That is amazing. And I think you're on the right path and I do think that I don't like preaching. But yes, I do believe that sometimes when things do get hard in life and sometimes we ask ourselves, why is it me? Why have you chosen me to go through what I'm going through? Sometimes I do believe that there is a reason and you could be the mantle that people need to hang on to. You just never know and here you are. You started hope for ulcerative colitis and here you have people reaching out to you and maybe this could be your purpose. Maybe this is exactly what God meant for you and this is something I strongly believe in. And so sometimes I don't necessarily shun the hard things in life. I don't stop them like, okay, that was hard and that's messed up. But I know there's a reason why I'm going through it. And I do hope that that's what you feel. And is there any projects that are coming up that we need to raise awareness for? Majorly currently what I'm doing is raising funds. I'm scheduled to go for treatment to India. So majorly that has been what we've been up to currently. But in future we look to have more projects for creating awareness. Treatment in India? Yes. Okay. Yeah, so we are basically raising funds for that. Okay. And before we do close down the show, I'd like for you to let people know that is your camera in which way they can get those funds to you or to the organization or to the initiative through social media or through a phone number. Please do let them know. So for if you have any contributions, our M.P.S.A. number is 0725-451-900. We are on Facebook as Hope for Alcerative Collitis Kenya. If you log into Facebook and go direct to that page, you'll find more information concerning fundraiser, you'll find a pay bill number, and you can support us in whichever way. Could you repeat the website please? Yes. The Facebook page is Hope for Alcerative Collitis Kenya. Hope for Alcerative Collitis Kenya. Capital U, Capital K. And that's where they will find all the information. You will find all the information. You can also reach out to us, chat with us, we'll be glad to respond to you. Okay. Is there any other way they can reach out apart from that Facebook page? Apart from the Facebook page. So we are on all the social media channels. You can find us on Instagram, you can find us on Twitter. We also have a website, Hope for Alcerative Collitis Kenya. You can also find us there. And I've also said our M.P.S.A. line is 0725-451-900. Please repeat the number. 0725-451-900. All right. Okay. I'd like to thank you so much for coming on set. And maybe you could say something to anyone that is undergoing this problem, because I do know that when it comes to issues, sometimes it does help to hear that someone else is going through it and how they're managing it. You could take maybe 30 seconds to do so, and then we can have our last few questions and then we can close down the interview. So for anyone going through this, I'd like to say it gets better. The thing is, don't keep quiet with your issues. Step out, talk about them. If you see the area that lasts more than a few days, please get checked and get checked by a gastrointestinal specialist. It will help if you diagnosed early in good time. Okay. Thank you for that. And lastly and finally, I have seen that once again your sister did come with you, and I can't bring her on set right now, but are there ways in which family is helping you continue with this initiative that you have created? Are there parts in which they're taking place? Yeah. I'd say family is really supporting me in terms of finances. The thing about ulcerative colitis is that it's also very expensive to manage, because with the medication and with the diet, it's a very expensive venture. So family really supports me in that area, finances together for my medical bills, finances together for my diet, finances to make it for my appointments and all that. So really family has really stood by me. I see. And I'm really, really grateful for that. Right. And speaking of finances, lastly and finally, you did say something about going to India for treatment. If I may ask, I know we can never know the outcome of the treatment, but what are we hoping for during this treatment? What are we hoping to achieve from this treatment? As I said, UC affects the colon, and sadly there's no treatment for UC, so it's something you manage. But there's a high success rate of recovery if you get the colon removed, either partially or totally. So they can do what we call the partial colactomy, they remove part of the colon that is affected. If it's the entire colon, they remove the entire colon. Right. And then they replace that with an artificial sort of rectum. Right. Right. And I did see, I'm trying to find, because I could have sworn that there was information about the amount in which your colon has been affected, but for some reason I can't come across it. It's a three-quarter. Three-quarters, yes. Three-quarters. And you said they can't be treated, but it can be managed. Yes. I do wish you well. I do wish you well, Mr. Ngigi. I do wish you well. And when it comes to the Hope for Alternative Kenya initiative, do you remember that you can reach out to Mr. Joseph Ngigi on the social media handles that he has shared, and do you remember that there is hope when it comes to authoritative colitis, what we're calling UC, there is never, ever, ever, ever, ever any sad ending. And do you remember, just because you can't get treated, it doesn't mean you can't manage it. And life can be just as fun. Am I right or wrong? You're right. I'm right. Right. Oh, again, just to finish on a light note, because I feel like right now we're talking about something very serious. And you know, it's morning time, and we don't want to put our views in such a somber mood. Maybe I can ask, what are some of the things you enjoy doing on your past times? Just to get to know Mr. Joseph on a personal level. Sure. I love music. You love music. So... Listening or playing, or both? I listen to music so much, but I also play piano. Okay. Yeah, so I serve in church. Right. As a band lead. Okay. And I also do my own projects on piano, and playing with bands here and there. Yes. So music is part of me. I also enjoy cooking. Something I adopted after this, you see diagnosis. So I like to prepare my own food, and that actually acts as therapy for me. Cooking is therapy for you. Wow. So you do feel like, oh my goodness, that's interesting. Cooking and music. And apart from that, I am a techie. So... You're a techie. What is that? Oh, a techie. I say, oh, you like technology. Yeah, so I really like technology. So I also do hardware. And electronics. So I program for hardware. Okay. I see. We have gotten to know exactly what you see is about. And we have gotten to know a little bit about what Mr. Joseph Ngeki does. And he loves to play the piano, and he is a band leader when it comes to church. And that's what we're getting in a nutshell from him. And if you'd like to continue to get to know Mr. Ngeki, you can do so through the social media handles that he had shared. If you have any questions for him or for us, you can do so. Make sure you hashtag health on Monday, hashtag why in the morning, and do ask whatever you can about UC. And if you do have anyone, a loved one, or even yourself that are suffering from UC, you are a certified artist, please know that you're not alone. And that Mr. Ngeki is here with his initiative, meant to help you guys champion through this thing. You can hold hands together and you can go through this thing together. Please remember that you can reach out to me on enjoy underscore Machache on Twitter alone. And my name is Joy Machache. It has been health on Monday. Coming up next is youth in politics with Hilda Wadibi. Please stay tuned in.