As May began, Daniel Kyambadde diligently continued to excel in his work as an accountant. The 40-year-old resides in Nammengo Kiteredde, Lugazi Municipality, in Buikwe District.
A confessed workaholic, Kyambadde admits that he has never taken a leave of absence from his job. His wife, Sylvia Mirembe, points out that he often brings work home with him, even after long days at the office.
“I never got enough rest. I was always present at the workplace and never went for medical check-ups, even though my job required me to sit from morning until evening,” he says.
Despite being diagnosed with high blood pressure, Kyambadde did not consider it a serious concern. Mirembe shares that at one point, he even stopped taking his hypertension medication.
“Many people advised him to stop taking the medication, suggesting that it was fine to take it for just a few months. Perhaps if he had not stopped, our lives would still be perfect,” she reflects.
On May 5 of this year, Kyambadde went to work as usual, though he was suffering from a painful tooth that he planned to have extracted during his lunch break.
“I walked out of my office at 1pm, leaving my mobile phone with a colleague. I expected to return to my desk within a few minutes. The dentist did not ask about any preexisting conditions before giving me a local anaesthetic,” he recalls.
Despite the numbing medication, Kyambadde felt discomfort as the dentist began to extract the tooth, which raised his concerns.
“The dentist was also surprised that I was in pain. She managed to extract a quarter of the tooth but then told me to come back in two weeks to finish the procedure. She wrote me a prescription for more painkillers,” he explains.
As he reached out to take the prescription, Kyambadde noticed that his fingers were unable to grasp it. After several attempts, he finally managed to pick up the paper.
‘I walked to the counter to withdraw money from my wallet to pay the cashier. Instead, I collapsed. Fortunately, I remained conscious and was able to whisper my mobile number. The cashier immediately called my colleagues, who rushed me to a clinic in Kiwatule, Kampala,’ he recalls.
Kyambadde credits his life to the quick actions of the cashier and his colleagues, who had to make critical decisions in a matter of seconds. The clinic referred him to a hospital in Kololo, where a computed tomography (CT) scan was performed.
‘The CT scan revealed that I had a blood clot in my brain. I was then referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital. In the ambulance, I kept worrying about the work on my desk. I attempted to ask my colleagues about a client I was supposed to meet that afternoon, but they told me to relax because I was not in good condition,’ Kyambadde explains.
A 2015 study published in The Lancet, titled “Long Working Hours and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Published and Unpublished Data for 603,838 Individuals,” found that employees who work long hours (55 hours or more a week) have a higher risk of stroke compared to those who work standard hours.
‘The association with coronary heart disease is weaker. These findings suggest that more attention should be paid to managing vascular risk factors in individuals who work long hours,’ the report states.
Researchers have discovered that sudden death from overwork is often caused by strokes, which may result from the continuous triggering of the stress response. Behavioural factors, such as physical inactivity, also connect long working hours to stroke risk. Evidence supports the idea that individuals who sit for extended periods at work face an increased risk of stroke.
The report explains, ‘Physical inactivity can increase the risk of stroke through various biological mechanisms, and heavy alcohol consumption, a risk factor for all types of stroke, might contribute to the issue, as employees working long hours tend to engage in riskier drinking behaviours than those working standard hours.’
Additionally, the researchers noted that although the evidence is inconsistent, individuals who work long hours may be more likely to ignore symptoms of illness and experience delays in seeking medical attention for acute cardiovascular events compared to those working regular hours.
As he breaks down in tears, Kyambadde shares how his brother, who lives abroad, returned to support him during his recovery and help cover his hospital bills.
‘As I lay in the hospital bed, my sister whispered in my ear that my brother was coming home. He was not going to abandon me. When my brother arrived at the hospital, I was discharged and taken back home to Lugazi,’ he recalls.
Once home, Mirembe and her brother-in-law discussed the next steps regarding Kyambadde’s treatment and rehabilitation. They decided to take him to the Stroke Rehabilitation Centre in Wampeewo, located on Gayaza Road.
‘After two days at home, I was taken to the Centre. There was nothing I could do for myself. When we entered the gates, my brother looked at the people struggling to walk in the compound and offered me words of encouragement, assuring me that I would walk again. However, I was not convinced,’ Kyambadde explains.
He confided to his wife that he felt useless and believed his life was over. After a few days, he realised it was depression that made him feel that way.
‘At first, he hated himself and thought his life was over. But we kept encouraging him. Every milestone he reached gave me hope to continue caring for him. I have always wanted to see him back on his feet,’ she says.
Although the doctors and physiotherapists at the Centre encouraged the patients, Kyambadde says the news that he had a blood clot on his brain plunged him into depression.
‘I had heard about people undergoing brain surgery, but few came out alive. I thought about many things, including death. It drove me almost to madness,’ he reflects.
However, the doctors’ encouraging words pierced through his depression, bringing a spark of hope that perhaps there was still a second chance for him.
‘I knew that stroke caused some people to lose their memory, and I wanted to prove that my brain was still functioning. Whenever someone visited me, I made sure to call out their name to show them they were dealing with a normal person. I took physiotherapy seriously because I wanted to get well and leave that place,’ he says.
Life now
By the time Kyambadde was discharged, he was able to walk short distances and had regained his sense of touch and feeling. Although he tires easily, he has made an effort to return to work.
“I can use a laptop for about three to four hours at a time. I do not want to push myself to work longer because I understand the consequences of extended hours. Currently, I am working on two projects, and in June, I was able to personally inspect one of them,” he explains.
However, when tasks become challenging, Kyambadde delegates them with specific instructions.
“My memory of my work is still intact, and my brain is functioning properly. However, when I am loading data on my mobile phone and get interrupted, instead of letting it frustrate me, I call my daughter to help. If I am working in Excel and face a challenge, I delegate it to someone else,” he notes.
Kyambadde emphasises that his current goal is to live a healthy life for his family, as he sees himself as the driving force behind them.