Is This How it Feels When You Are About to Die?

I am called Alex Higenyi,  a senior six leader at Butalejja SS in Butalejja district. I am writing this letter from my sick bed here at Mulago National Referral Hospital. I am not sure how long I will be able to live to tell my story since every breath from my lungs is a bonus now. Here is my story;

I have lived for 24 years but the last month has been the most educative time in my life. Just two, or three months ago, I was dreaming of becoming the best Engineer in the country and perhaps the first in my family. I didn’t know God planned otherwise.

I was diagnosed with a heart problem back in 2019. Being one from a not so well to do family, I chose to let “God’s will be done”, often settling for local herbs to manage the occasional pain.

I went on with my studies well knowing I needed to concentrate if at all I was to become the Engineer I have always dreamed of being. But things a hot tough after my senior six exams. I was simply most of the time, often finding myself in and out of hospital until I was confined here for the last month. I have received a lot of love from different people. People I didn’t know exist. People I didn’t know cared about me. I am very grateful for the love indeed.

But I still feel hopeless. I have many times felt alone. I have felt the weight of being a burden to others especially when I have no hope of see g the light the following day.

I fear death. I don’t want to die but I have suddenly found myself being courted by the biggest fear of my life all the time.

I have heard death whisper in my ears, ” Come on lad, I will never leave you alone.” Hi bro, I am now all you have let’s chill!”

I have slept with death, I have eaten with death, I have played with death and I have finally gotten used to the feeling of belonging to death. I am worried.

I need someone out there to tell me I am not going to die. I want someone out there to tell me they are together with me in this. I need someone to pray for me and seek strength from God to withstand the pain and the loneliness.

Tomorrow, I will be going to the theatre to be operated on but I am scared. Many people have harvested life from theatres but I know my situation is quite complex. But I am trusting God to use the Doctors well. I only need someone to believe with me that I will come out alive. I don’t want to die.

Is this how it feels when you are about to die?

Alex Higenyi is a Senior Six leaver from the Butaleja district. Our reporter visited him at his hospital bed in Mulago Hospital and he wrote that message with his hands. He is currently in the ICU after a very complex operation. His family is, however, stuck with a bill that’s choking them. They are appealing for any assistance to pay the bill that currently stands at 19 million Ugx having managed to clear 4 million out of the required 23 million.

Mr Lyada Moses, former Bunyole West MP contestant who is spearheading a fundraising campaign for Higenyi says they have an additional cost of paying for the hospital bed which he says currently stands at over 7 million shillings for the one month and a half the patient has been in Mulago.

Butalejja Woman MP Florence Nebande has also tried to support the patient and extended 500,000 shillings towards the cause.

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