My name is Lebogang Mogale, I am 26 years old and originally from Limpopo. I am currently staying in Alberton, Gauteng, and have been bedridden since January this year.
Before January, I was healthy and working hard towards my qualification. I was supposed to graduate in June, but instead, I have spent months battling severe and unexplained health problems.
I became seriously ill during the first week of January. I developed a severe cough with yellow phlegm, struggled to breathe at night, experienced excessive heat while sleeping, and had acid coming out of my mouth. Since then, my health has changed completely.
I have experienced symptoms including severe body shocks, shaking, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, blood rushing to my head, adrenaline-like episodes, swelling of my tongue and throat, diarrhoea, nausea, painful veins and joints, a burning sensation throughout my body, dry eyes and severe digestive problems.
For about four months, I struggled to eat because of the swelling of my tongue. At times, I survived mainly on yoghurt, and sometimes I could not eat at all.
I am now mostly bedridden. When I try to stand or walk, I become extremely dizzy and feel as though I may faint. My heart starts racing, my legs feel as though blood is pooling in them, and I struggle to breathe properly. I also experience severe digestive problems, including bloating, nausea, acid reflux and diarrhoea. Food can feel as though it remains in my stomach for hours.
Since January, I have visited Thelle Mogoerane Hospital, Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, Steve Biko Academic Hospital and various clinics numerous times. Despite undergoing blood tests, I have repeatedly been sent home because the results were reportedly normal.
Some doctors have suggested anxiety or reflux, but I continue to experience debilitating physical symptoms.
One doctor raised the possibility of dysautonomia/POTS, a condition involving dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, which can affect heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and other bodily functions. I am also seeking assessment for conditions such as gastroparesis and MCAS, but I need qualified specialists to properly investigate and diagnose me.
I am urgently asking for help finding specialists in Gauteng who have experience with POTS/dysautonomia and related conditions, particularly a cardiologist/electrophysiologist, neurologist, gastroenterologist and allergist/immunologist.
If you are a specialist who may be able to assist Lebogang, or if you know a doctor or medical team in Gauteng with experience in these conditions, please reach out.
If you cannot assist medically, please share this post so that it can reach the right people.
Lebogang desperately wants to regain her health and continue with the life she had worked so hard to build.
Contact:
📞 068 872 6300
📞 065 872 6300
Lebogang Mogale — Alberton, Gauteng | Originally from Limpopo
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read, share and assist.
Allow me vent a little bit.
Guys, if any country wants us to apply and pay for a VISA to visit them, then it’s only fair for South Africa to demand the same of their citizens🤷🏽♀️ We want the West to respect us but we still pander to them at the expense of our nation’s dignity.
The assumption that requiring VISAs would somehow stop tourists from coming here is insulting, really. It implies that South Africa is not worth the inconvenience of applying for a visa. I mean, SA is a world-class destination - we have everything imaginable. We are no charity case; no one comes here because it’s convenient or visa-free, they come because they want to experience what we have to offer. The Western countries are not doing us any favour by visiting us, it’s a mutual exchange!
Assuming that visas would somehow stop them just shows an embarrassing lack of confidence in our value as a nation. But also, if we demand VISAs, it should be easy for them to get them, right? I mean, they should be able to prove they’re coming here to spend money🤷🏽♀️ If they’re denied entry for any reason, do we really want them here? Clearly they’re bad news! If they don’t have money, we’re allowing them to come here to do what exactly? If they can’t afford VISA application fees, then clearly they won’t help us with anything when they get here, so the “promoting Torusim” argument is an excuse for timid leadership.
At this stage, it feels like a permanent beggar-master arrangement. SAns must go through lengthy and demeaning processes to visit some countries - they have to present proof of finances, pre-book flights and hotels, and pay high “processing” fees. Regardless, we still go! But I really don’t understand how it makes sense to our leaders that the poor guy should pay the wealthy guy for him to DECIDE whether or not he can visit, but the wealthy guy pays nothing to visit the poor guy🤷🏽♀️
Remember, if the VISA is denied, you get no refund whatsoever. This may not be significant for 1% of our population, but the amount can actually be more than our national minimum wage. If you don’t book flexible flights and hotels, it’s a disaster. You lose, but they continue making money off you even after denying you entry….how crazy is that? Actually, why are we subjecting ourselves to this? This submissive colonial mentality is a betrayal of our value as a country and I really hope it reaches its expiry date soon.
I have repeatedly travelled to over 60 countries and, yes, I’ve never been denied a VISA, but I recently wanted to host a young African girl whose story as an unemployed graduate touched my heart. Her flights and accommodation were covered, and I actually wrote a letter stating that I will host her for a month. However, her VISA was still denied because she didn’t have money in her own account. This made me angry because this prejudice is targeted specifically at Africans.
Why do we assume that those from Western countries are wealthier and more valuable? They may well be, yes, but what makes us certain without question? Why is the harsh scrutiny reserved for our African brothers and sisters? I’m not suggesting SA should be a free-for-all, but we must be consistent and not self-destructive. These colonial biases, even if unconscious, will continue to divide us and erode our values.
We must drop this submissive, inferiority attitude and command the respect we deserve. We are a valuable nation after all, not some charity case.
The venting session ends.
Allow me vent a little bit.
Guys, if any country wants us to apply and pay for a VISA to visit them, then it’s only fair for South Africa to demand the same of their citizens🤷🏽♀️ We want the West to respect us but we still pander to them at the expense of our nation’s dignity.
The assumption that requiring VISAs would somehow stop tourists from coming here is insulting, really. It implies that South Africa is not worth the inconvenience of applying for a visa. I mean, SA is a world-class destination - we have everything imaginable. We are no charity case; no one comes here because it’s convenient or visa-free, they come because they want to experience what we have to offer. The Western countries are not doing us any favour by visiting us, it’s a mutual exchange!
Assuming that visas would somehow stop them just shows an embarrassing lack of confidence in our value as a nation. But also, if we demand VISAs, it should be easy for them to get them, right? I mean, they should be able to prove they’re coming here to spend money🤷🏽♀️ If they’re denied entry for any reason, do we really want them here? Clearly they’re bad news! If they don’t have money, we’re allowing them to come here to do what exactly? If they can’t afford VISA application fees, then clearly they won’t help us with anything when they get here, so the “promoting Torusim” argument is an excuse for timid leadership.
At this stage, it feels like a permanent beggar-master arrangement. SAns must go through lengthy and demeaning processes to visit some countries - they have to present proof of finances, pre-book flights and hotels, and pay high “processing” fees. Regardless, we still go! But I really don’t understand how it makes sense to our leaders that the poor guy should pay the wealthy guy for him to DECIDE whether or not he can visit, but the wealthy guy pays nothing to visit the poor guy🤷🏽♀️
Remember, if the VISA is denied, you get no refund whatsoever. This may not be significant for 1% of our population, but the amount can actually be more than our national minimum wage. If you don’t book flexible flights and hotels, it’s a disaster. You lose, but they continue making money off you even after denying you entry….how crazy is that? Actually, why are we subjecting ourselves to this? This submissive colonial mentality is a betrayal of our value as a country and I really hope it reaches its expiry date soon.
I have repeatedly travelled to over 60 countries and, yes, I’ve never been denied a VISA, but I recently wanted to host a young African girl whose story as an unemployed graduate touched my heart. Her flights and accommodation were covered, and I actually wrote a letter stating that I will host her for a month. However, her VISA was still denied because she didn’t have money in her own account. This made me angry because this prejudice is targeted specifically at Africans.
Why do we assume that those from Western countries are wealthier and more valuable? They may well be, yes, but what makes us certain without question? Why is the harsh scrutiny reserved for our African brothers and sisters? I’m not suggesting SA should be a free-for-all, but we must be consistent and not self-destructive. These colonial biases, even if unconscious, will continue to divide us and erode our values.
We must drop this submissive, inferiority attitude and command the respect we deserve. We are a valuable nation after all, not some charity case.
The venting session ends.
Do you have a strategy, or just wishful thinking?
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Use my blueprint for success.
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And if this post was of value to you, reposting it would help tremendously! :)
@AneleTee True. VIP is for comfort and convenience. A separate entrance for it is needed though. I wasn’t happy ngalokungena ngatsi sitinkhomo tiya edip😩
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