Natasha’s Story
History
Tumushabe Natasha is a nine year old girl who has suffered from certain complications since childhood.
She had a normal birth and four blissful months where she was cared for by both her mother and sister (Sheila).
At fourth months old, Natasha was left in the care of a family friend because her mother had to work to provide food for the family.
After eight months, Natasha became extremely ill and was rushed to Mulago Hospital where she went into a comma for a full year forcing her mother and sister to quit work and school respectively to take care of her.
Four months after the comma, the doctor advised them that, to keep Natasha’s situation from deteriorating, an extraction of water from her spine was inevitable. In fear and uncertainty, Natasha’s mother disappeared from the hospital but came back the following day and from that day, Natasha’s life was far from normal.
Two years later, Natasha was discharged though she could neither speak, crawl, talk nor walk.
Now ten years old, Natasha can only utter out her mother’s name and respond if anyone calls out her name.
She has a caretaker because her mother is working and the sister had to resume school.
Her mother is still traumatized and sometimes fails to speak or look at her because she has failed to fathom what is wrong with her normally born baby girl.
Physical State
Natasha has physical issues with her right leg and right hand.
Medical State
She expresses anger violently to the extent of physically inflicting pain on herself (especially by hitting her head on hard surfaces) with reason that she gets her way.
Inability to quickly master certain behaviors and still straggles to use the toilet and ends up dirtying herself in the process.
Hobbies
Natasha enjoys foods like posho (maize flour), beans, rice and sodas; she rejects any other food presented to her.
She loves playing alone and collecting plastics and likes to get her way.
Education
Her sister tried out a certain school that turned out to be for the deaf in Ntinda
and Natasha was rejected because she was not one.
Guardian’s Request
Natasha’s mother and sister wish to enroll her in a school that understands her situation and most preferably a boarding school setting.