A woman who was shot in her head by bandits left many in awe as she walked out of Tophill Hospital in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County after being discharged, 15 months after she was admitted.
The woman, 42-year old Ann Kamama, was shot at her home in Milimani village, Laikipia West constituency on December 23, 2018 by suspected cattle rustlers.
The bullet entered through the left side of her head, and penetrated her skull just above the ear and exited, causing brain damage and destroying part of her skull.
Doctors revealed that they had to remove part of her brain that was affected by the bullet. In fifteen months, Kamama underwent three different surgeries and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
“The area of the brain affected by the impact of the bullet is now closed, but it may need further surgeries for her to regain her full functions. Our resident neurosurgeon will be able to do the surgery.
"She has now regained 80 per cent of her speech abilities,” Dr Gregory Kimutai told reporters at the hospital when Kamama was discharged on Friday, March 27.
Kamama's friends and relatives who had gathered voiced their joy as they praised God and thanked the doctors for taking care of her.
At the moment, Kamama can walk and talk albeit with some difficulty.
Kimutai stated that she had an 85% chance of being able to walk normally again.
Kamama had revealed that the last thing she remembered was hearing some sort of commotion in the cow shed in her compound.
With blood flowing from her skull, some of those who saw her immediately after the shooting including her husband, children and neighbours thought she was dead.
The husband, Peter Muthee, revealed that the family lost its only cow in the bandit attack even as he disclosed how his wife's treatment had left his family struggling financially.
“I was the one cooking for the children and washing their clothes. We held a fundraiser and only raised Sh200,000, which was not enough to secure her discharge from the hospital,” revealed Muthee who works as a security guard at Milimani Day Secondary School in Laikipia.
Kamama was taken to Nyahururu Hospital and, later, Nakuru Level Five Hospital. Doctors at Nakuru Level Five referred her to Tophill Hospital in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county which has doctors specializing in neurosurgery.
By December 2019, her bill had shot up to Ksh3.5 million but the hospital waived Ksh2 million, leaving a bill of Ksh1.5 million.
Her neighbours in Laikipia, among other well-wishers, rallied together to help her settle the remaining amount.
