<p><img src="/nairobi/PublishingImages/Ann%20Nyambura%20body.jpg" alt="" style="margin: 5px;"/> </p><p>A single moment at work changed everything for Ann Nyambura Mwangi. What began as an ordinary day quickly became a fight for her hand, her independence, and her future.</p><p>Ann, a 30-year-old carpenter and mother of four girls from Kariobangi South, Nairobi, was cutting timber on January 19 when a sudden workplace accident left her with a severe hand injury. Several of her fingers were badly injured, and one finger, initially missing, was later found near her workstation. It was carefully placed on ice and transported with her from Limuru to Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi.
</p><p>Weak, frightened, and in intense pain, Ann was rushed to the hospital by taxi. Upon arrival, the emergency team responded immediately. They focused first on stabilizing her, relieving her pain, administering a tetanus injection, cleaning the wound, and preparing her for the urgent care she needed.
</p><p>What Ann remembers most from those first moments was the speed and compassion of the response.
</p><p>“They didn&#39;t even ask for payment first,&quot; she recalls. “They immediately started treating me.&quot;
</p><p>Ann&#39;s decision to go to Aga Khan University Hospital was shaped by an earlier experience. She had once witnessed the care given to a friend&#39;s child who was undergoing treatment for eye cancer at the hospital. That experience left a lasting impression on her, and when she found herself in a medical emergency, she felt confident that she was in the right place.
</p><p>Still, the experience was emotionally overwhelming. Ann feared the possibility of permanent loss and worried about what life would look like if she could no longer use her hand as she once did. During those uncertain moments, the doctor attending to her encouraged her to keep praying and reassured her that there was still hope if the blood vessels in her fingers were viable. For Ann, that reassurance became a turning point.
</p><p>After surgery, the road to recovery was long and demanding. For a time, she could not do even the simplest tasks on her own. Bathing, washing dishes, and managing household chores became difficult, a painful reality for a mother who was used to being independent and caring for her family.
</p><p>Today, Ann celebrates the small but meaningful milestones that show how far she has come.
</p><p>“I can bathe myself again,&quot; she says with relief. “I can even do the dishes.&quot;
</p><p>As a single mother, Ann has also leaned on the strength of her family. Her eldest daughter, who is in Grade 10, has played a major role in helping at home. She has cared for her younger siblings and supported the household while Ann focuses on healing.</p><p>Ann continues to attend physiotherapy sessions at Aga Khan University Hospital, often accompanied by her daughter. Together, they move through the hospital with quiet strength — a mother determined to recover, and a daughter standing firmly by her side.
</p><p>Her rehabilitation includes regular physiotherapy and home exercises to rebuild strength and mobility in her hand. She stretches her fingers using a rubber band and squeezes a small ball to improve grip strength and keep her fingers active. Although she has not yet returned to work, Ann is steadily regaining function, confidence, and independence.
</p><p>Looking back, she is deeply grateful for the care she received during one of the most critical moments of her life and for the progress she continues to make each day.</p><p>“As long as my fingers are still part of me, I am thankful,&quot; she says.
</p><p>Ann&#39;s journey is one of courage, resilience, and hope — a reminder that healing is not only measured in medical progress, but also in the everyday victories that help a person reclaim their life.
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