My moms closest sister who happens to be her step sister(from the same dad)is having some health issues.Every other person in the family(except my mum) believes its a spiritual attack but i think not.
What To Do About My Aunt?

She has severe swelling on her left foot such that when u press your thumb unto the surface of the swelling,it sinks right in but swells back up after removing your thumb.

People in the family,including her educated children think its a spiritual attack because my aunt's daughter died sometimes last month and they believe evil doers are trying to wipe out the whole family.

She hasn't gone for any medical treatment whatsoever,hasn't even tested herself to see if its a thing that can actually be treated.My mum believes its a sort of liver or kidney malfunction but she has tried to no avail to talk to my aunt to seek medical treatment.

I love this my aunt very much as she has been extremely nice to me,everybody that has come across her has one nice thing or the other to say about her and i don't want her to die.i just need advice on what to do and how i can convince her to go to the hospital.Thanks for reading.

I think its sugar.
What do they call that too much sugar in the blood sickness.?

Diabetes?

Yes i had a friend with the same problem and now she has Diabetes. She was always on the fat side.
I remember her asking me once to press her leg.
The whole skin/flesh entered leaving a dent, that slowly came back to normal.
But it was a strange story 2 or 3 Dr's she went to for treatment died one way or the other.
That was i Nigeria,
In Germany they told her something about water retention.
but now she has Diabetes and even takes injections.

Now,the problem is,how do i get her to go see a doctor?

Hello! your story is very touching. What you have just described is called a pitting pedal oedema. It is a sign of very numerous illnesses. It could be cardiac(right ventricular failure), renal problems(kidneys), chronic liver disease and several more. She needs to see a doctor to examine her and  arrange appropriate investigations to find the cause and commence treatment. Most often, there is a treatable cause. I hope this helps.

It is so sad that in this day and age people let this crazy Mumbo Jumbo guide them. Spiritual attack :-)

It sounds to me that she has pitting Edema (Edema is an observable swelling from fluid accumulation in certain body tissues)

Pitting edema can be demonstrated by applying pressure to, for example, the skin of a swollen leg, by depressing the skin with a finger. If the pressing causes an indentation in the skin that persists for some time after the release of the pressure, the edema is referred to as pitting edema.

Edema is caused by either systemic diseases, that is, diseases that affect the various organ systems of the body, or by local conditions involving just the affected extremities. The most common systemic diseases that are associated with edema involve the heart, liver, and kidneys. In these diseases, edema occurs primarily because of the body's retention of too much salt (which is the chemical compound sodium chloride). The excess salt holds excess water in the tissue spaces, where the retained surplus of fluid is recognized as edema.


It can be as simple as a hormonal in-balance or varicose veins to Liver, Kidney or Heart problems.

So as you can see, there are many reasons why she could be experiencing this. The best thing is to take her to see a doctor. He will probably tell her to eat less salt and give her some diuretics (water tablets) to take in the first instance. These will help her pass the trapped fluid in her body when she urinates.

If she refuses to go to the doctor there is little you can do.

She can though help herself by :-

1. Cutting down on the amount of salt she eats
2. Eating natural fruits and vegetables that have a diuretic function like celery, onion, eggplant, asparagus and watermelon.
3. In addition, the herbs hawthorn, corn silk, and parsley are used as diuretics in natural medicine.
4. Physical Activity helps cleansing, it brings balance and relieves stress.
5. Raising her legs whilst resting.

I hope I have been some help and I hope she will get better soon.

Tell her that you have paid for her to see a doctor and that if she does not go you will lose your money!

Kind of blackmail, but it normally works :-)

Thanks mingiix,are you a doctor?

Reverend,that is a very clever suggestion but am a student and i cannot afford to pay the medical bills of my very rich Aunt.

@spike

I am sorry to hear about your situation. It sounds like DVT deep vein thrombosis or some other circulatory or cardio problem , the symptom u describe with the swelling could mean she has a clot and this is especially dangerous cause clot can travel to the heart and block circulation, this i say is a may be we all can do guess work here but my uncle had that and was found to have had dvt and if he had not sort medical help would have put his life at risk, his heart did however become enlarged due to this too. It might be nothing sinister like a heart defect but she needs checking.

At the end of the day nobody here can tell you what she has myself included but with the few pointers you have here from people who have had some sort of experience, i'd say please get to speak to your aunt one on one and tell her you would hate to loose her over something that could be treated ,tell her how much you love her and the family but she should not take such a risk with her life.And if it is some thing she believes is diabolic in nature then she should trust that her faith would guide the doctors in treating her. Its a shame some times we are our own worst enemy. Unfortunately people do believe these things and you cant change that now, but you need to speak to her, dont know your relationship so goodluck

All the best

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The most painful part of this experience is yesterday,my cousin(my aunts daughter)called my mum to come and drive them to a certain part of Lagos to see a Christian preacher.On getting there my mum said all sorts of people were there including people who had some sort of cancer or the other.She said this preacher was a stark illiterate and she felt he was just out to milk sick people.He asked for a fee of 80,000 and was paid on the spot.My aunt was asked to stay for 2 weeks for deliverance but my mum said the living conditions of the place is pathetic.
I am really confused and i want to get her to leave that place but if my mum cant convince her,what can i possibly do?

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migiix,just one of her legs is swollen.

very interest topic.

i don't think she has Deep vein thrombosis since you claim she's had it for a while.

It's most likely she has edema and that could be as a result of several systemic diseases.

It could be her lymphatic system is blocked especially in the left leg.

Does she have symptoms of hypertension, feelings of breathlessness, rapid heart rate? Those could be symptoms of right ventricular failure or kidney failure.
Diabetes is also a probable symptom too. She can test her blood glucose levels too. Not likely to be chronic liver failure as she would have had other severe symptoms besides the swollen foot.

Bottom line is your aunt needs immediate medical attention. the earlier her condition is detected the better for her. however my hunches point to her kidneys and heart.

it sounds to me like lymph disease (elephantitis). It is caused by a special mosquito bite. she should consult a doctor as soon as possible. the earlier is usually the better.

You have to outsmart her in her suicidal belief in voodoo/miracles. Suggest to your mum to hire a "preacher" with claims of deliverance for her. Preacher should suggest that in addition to his remedy, your aunt will have to see a specialist. She is likely to heed to the instruction.

Im, Thinking, Your aunt should go to a doctor.

I don't think she only needs a doctor o

She needs serious prayers



I send mine

MAY GOD IN HIS OWN INFINITE MERCIES GRANT HER HEALINGS FROM ABOVE

AMEN

Don't worry, God is in control

You have to be strong for your Aunt, if you dont want to loose her.

You have to Bundle her to the hospital in any way possible (either by getting her children and other able bodied men to force her to the hopsital)
What the naira land members have suggested medically is what i think is wrong with her, but the major problem is getting her there. SO FORCE HER.

Dont paint the picture bright for her, tell her that if she doesnt get medical attention she might then get ready to die (and i bet you nobody wants to die, yet).

As for the pastors ( fake) just dont waste your money. because they might treat?? her and after a while, when it may get worse, they will run away. then its may be too late.

Sorry, i may be sounding too pessimistic but my mum had a medical issue and didnt want to see the doctor. we had to bundle her there and after the operation, she is thanking God for giving us the will to apply force on her.
she is even better now .

so pls dont relent, the earlier the better,

Ok,i went to see my aunt today.I went on my knees and begged her to go to the hospital.She left that pastor's cave this morning(the place is truly pathetic and so many innocent people believe in him) and my cousin-in -law has taken her to the hospital.The problem though is that she claims to have initially gone to a hospital in Abuja(where she lives) and the doctor said nothing was wrong with her.Today,i insisted and begged for her to seek a second opinion and do series of tests,i'm holding my breath,waiting for the results.

Why don't you get a doctor to see her at home?

awwwhh girl, what happend to the shakin bum bum

U changed it with Ken huh

@ spikedcylinder
Have you seen that you are my sis? And every other person here relates to you, mean (bro $ sis) in answering your question. You remember you asked me if Justin was my inlaw.

If you believe that GOD ALMIGHTY still works. Please take your aunt to THE LORD'S CHOSEN CHARISMATIC REVIVAL at Ijesha bus/stop in Lagos. With GOD doctors reports are crab.

@ Rhodalyn
Thanks but the one up there nko. Wish you good luck with Ken.

@ Lioness
Because she is a good listener.

@ Spike

Pls let us know what the Doctors say is wrong with her. Now that she has finally gone to the hospital, I pray that there would be a cure for the illness. Not to worry, we'll continue wishing her well and praying for her.

@ Lioness
Please don't cry ok.

Idekeson:

You have to outsmart her in her suicidal belief in voodoo/miracles. Suggest to your mum to hire a "preacher" with claims of deliverance for her. Preacher should suggest that in addition to his remedy, your aunt will have to see a specialist. She is likely to heed to the instruction.

I agree,
Let her know that you believe it is a spiritual attack and then tell her that sometimes sicknesses should be solved with prayer and the advise of a doctor as well.

Thanks for that suggestion mmomi but i dont believe in spiritual attacks and all those kind of superstitions.
I havent heard from my aunt yet but i'll be sure to let you know the results.