Kupirira Nthenda ya Alzheimer
SALLY anafotokoza kuti: “Mwamuna wanga Alfie, anali kapitawo pamgodi wagolidi ku South Africa. Zinandidabwitsa pamene anandiuza kuti ankafuna kupuma pantchito. Anali wazaka 56 basi ndipo anali mwamuna wochenjera, wazintchito. Kenako ndinamva ndi anzake ogwira nawo ntchito kuti Alfie anali atayamba kulephera kuganiza bwino. Kaŵirikaŵiri anzake ankangobisa zolakwazo.
“Ndiyeno atapuma pantchito, tinagula hotela. Popeza kuti Alfie anali waluso, tinaganiza kuti azidzatanganidwa kukonza malowo. Koma m’malo mwake, nthaŵi zonse ankalemba ntchito mmisiri wina.
“Chaka chomwecho tinatenga mdzukulu wathu wamkazi wazaka zitatu nkupita naye patchuti kudoko la Durban. Mtsikanayo ankakonda kuseŵera pa trampoline, (kudumphadumpha pachikopa chofeŵa chokhala ndi masipiring’i ngati a bedi) yomwe inali kutsidya lamsewu moyang’anizana ndi nyumba imene tinkakhala. Tsiku lina madzulo, nthaŵi ngati 4:30 p.m., Alfie anamtenga mtsikanayo kukadumphadumpha pa trampoline atandiuza kuti pomakwana mphindi 30 akakhala atabwerako. Pamene inkakwana 7:00 p.m., anali asanabwerekobe. Ndinaimbira foni apolisi, koma ananena kuti samafunafuna munthu wosoŵa mpaka patatha maola 24 chisoŵere munthuyo. Usiku umenewo ndinkaganiza kuti ndichita misala, chifukwa ndinkaganiza kuti anali ataphedwa basi. Tsiku linalo chakumasana, ndinamva kugogoda pachitseko, anali Alfie atanyamula mdzukulu wathuyo m’manja.
Ndinawafunsa: “‘Munali kuti?’
Anayankha kuti: “‘Usandipsere mtima iyayi, sindidziŵa.’
Mdzukuluyo anati: “‘Agogo, tinasochera.’
“Tangoganizani, munthu kusochera ali patsidya lina lamsewu! Ngakhale pano sindikudziŵabe kuti anagona kuti usiku umenewo. Komabe, bwenzi langa lina linawapeza nkuwatsogolera kunyumba.”
Zitachitika zimenezo, Sally anapita ndi Alfie kwa dokotala waubongo, ndiye anapezadi kuti Alfie anali atasokonekera mutu. Mmene zinalilimo, Alfie anali ndi nthenda ya Alzheimer (AD), yomwe pakali pano ilibe mankhwala enieni.a Magazini ya ku Britain yotchedwa New Scientist inati AD ndiyo “nthenda yachinayi yakupha kwambiri m’maiko otukuka, limodzi ndi nthenda yamtima, kansa ndi stroko.” Yafikira pakutchedwa kuti “nthenda yaikulu yosatha ya muukalamba.” Komabe nthenda ya AD ingamgwire munthu ngakhale asanafike pauchikulire, monga mmene zinachitikira Alfie.
Poti m’maiko olemera tsopano muli anthu ambiri amene akukhala ndi moyo wautali, chiŵerengero cha anthu amene akuganiziridwa kuti angadwale nthenda imeneyo yosokoneza ubongo chikuopsa. Malinga ndi mmene ena anafufuzira, pakati pa 1980 ndi 2000, ku Britain mwina angawonjezeke ndi 14 peresenti, ku United States mwina angawonjezeke ndi 33 peresenti, ndipo ku Canada angawonjezeke ndi 64 peresenti. Mu 1990 programu ina ya pa TV ya ku Australia inati: “Pakali pano zikukhala ngati kuti mu Australia tsopano muli anthu okwana 100,000 omwe ali nayo nthenda imeneyi ya Alzheimer. Koma chakumapeto kwa zaka za zana lino, adzakwana 200,000.” Pomadzafika chaka cha 2000, anthu amene adzadwala nthenda ya AD mwina angadzakwane mamiliyoni 100.
Kodi Nthenda ya Alzheimer Nchiyani?
Ngakhale kuti akufufuzafufuza kuti aone ngati pali zifukwa zingapo zimene zimachititsa nthenda ya AD, chochititsa chenicheni sichinadziŵikebe. Komabe, zimene zikudziŵika nzakuti nthenda ya AD imawononga pang’onopang’ono maselo a ubongo, kotero kuti mbali zina za ubongo zimaonda kumene. Mbali zimene zimawonongeka kwambiri nzimene zimagwira ntchito yokumbukira ndi kuganiza. Maselo a ubongo amene amapangitsa munthu kukondwa kapena kumva chisoni ndiwo amawonongeka msanga nthendayo itangoyamba, ndiye zimapangitsa umunthu wamunthuyo kusintha. Mbali zina za ubongo zimatsala kwa nthaŵi yaitali osawonongeka—mbali zopangitsa munthu kuona ndi kumva kukhudza ngakhalenso mitsempha yonyamula uthenga kuchokera ku ubongo. Magazini yakuti Scientific American inafotokoza kuti, “kusintha kumeneku kumampangitsa munthu kukhala womvetsa chisoni, chifukwa munthuyo amangoyenda, amangolankhula, ndi kudya koma samazindikira zinthu.”
Nthaŵi zambiri nthendayo imakhala zaka 5 mpaka zaka 10—koma nthaŵi zina imakhala zaka zoposa 20. Pamene nthendayo ikukula, wodwalayo naye amamka akulephera kuchita zinthu. Potsirizira, angalephere ngakhale kuzindikira anansi ake. Ikafika poipitsitsa, odwalawo nthaŵi zambiri amangogona pabedi ndipo samathanso kulankhula kapena kudya okha. Komabe, odwala ena amafa pazifukwa zina nthendayo isanafike poipitsitsa.
Ngakhale kuti wodwala nthenda ya AD samamva ululu m’thupi, imamchititsa kudandaula kwambiri. Nchifukwa chake ena amalephera kuvomereza vuto lawo, namayembekezera kuti vutolo litha.b Komabe, zili bwino kwambiri kuti munthu apirire nthenda imeneyi ndi kuphunzira kuchepetsa ululu wamtima. Bert, yemwe mkazi wake wazaka 63 ali ndi nthenda ya AD, anati: “Ndikulakalaka ndikanadziŵa kale mmene wodwalayo amachitira akamaiŵalaiŵala zinthu.” Inde, zingakhaledi bwino ngati apabanja angadziŵe mmene nthenda ya AD imakhalira ndi kudziŵanso njira zochitira nayo. Taonerani limodzi ndi Galamukani! pofufuza mfundo zimenezi limodzi ndi zinanso zambiri m’nkhani ziŵiri zotsatira.
[Mawu a M’munsi]
a Nthenda ya Alzheimer anaitcha dzinalo chifukwa cha Alois Alzheimer wa ku Germany, poti ndiye anali dokotala woyamba kuifotokoza nthendayo mu 1906 atapima wodwala wina yemwe anali ndi nthenda yosokoneza ubongo. Ena amaganiza kuti pa anthu odwala nthenda yosokoneza ubongo, oposa 60% nthenda yawo imakhala AD, ndipo 10% ya odwalawo amakhala azaka zoposa 65. Nthenda ina yosokoneza ubongo, (multi-infarct dementia), imayambika pamene magazi atsekerezedwa mumtsempha, imeneyo imachititsidwa ndi stroko yaing’ono, yomwe imawononga ubongo.
b Chenjezo: Musafulumire kuganiza kuti munthu ali ndi nthenda ya AD, koma muyenera kukapimidwa bwinobwino kuchipatala. Kuyambira 10% mpaka 20% ya anthu odwala nthenda yowononga ubongo, nthenda yawo njochiritsika. Buku lakuti How to Care for Aging Parents ponena za mmene matenda a AD angadziŵidwire, linati: “Alzheimer ingadziŵidwe motsimikizika kokha mwa kupenda ubongo, komanso madokotala angapeze matenda ena ndiyeno angadzazindikire Alzheimer mwa kusaŵerengera enawo.”
[Mawu Otsindika patsamba 12]
Pomadzafika chaka cha 2000, anthu amene adzadwala nthenda ya Alzheimer mwina angadzakwane mamiliyoni 100