Manieuse Alcius

Patient of the Month — February 2019

Manieuse Alcius comes from a family of four girls and one boy. The youngest of the five, Manieuse is nearly 16 years old. Tragically, her father, with whom she was very close, died suddenly when she was a child of an unknown illness. A farmer with no formal education, the incident stands out as the most impactful of her young life.

Manieuse’s mother works as s shopkeeper and a farmer. Also not able to obtain formal academic schooling, her income is not robust enough to meet the needs of her children, particularly if one falls ill.

After the loss of Manieuse’s father, her husband, it became even more challenging. She ultimately married again, and Manieuese’s stepfather’s additional income has eased things for the family, though as for many Haitian communities, health care costs still remain stubbornly high. About three years ago, Manieuse began to develop signs and symptoms of type I diabetes – polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss, and more. During one of her more acute periods of these symptoms, a friend of her mother’s suggested bringing Manieuse to Hospital Saint-Nicolas (HSN) in Saint-Marc. It was here that Manieuse was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. Shortly after, HSN transferred her to Kay Mackenson for more comprehensive care. Since then, Manieuse has been under the care of KMC.

Currently in her 7th year fundamental, in order to continue her studies, Manieuse is obliged to lodge with a family friend closer to the city. Unfortunately, this arrangement creates other compromises, including not always having access to a consistently diabetic-appropriate diet. This is one of the ways KMC has been able to support Manieuse. In order to maintain her insulin dosing, we know that the quality and regularity of a diet sensitive to the needs of those living with diabetes, and because of this Manieuse’s relationship with our clinical staff and social worker remain essential – for both her physical, mental, and emotional health.

We’re thrilled to have Manieuse in the KMC family

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