Woman regrets disobeying God - Seeking help to pay for hernia surgery

When she was 19, Simone Williams made a promise to God but reneged on it, and now believes that one of her physical ailments is a direct result of her disobedience.

"I was running to catch a political party that was going on campaign, and I fell down the steps ... when I get up mi feel normal ... about two days later mi start feel pain," said Williams. "When mi go to the clinic, mi do some test and it shows that I have an infection in my spinal cord. Mi never get any clear diagnosis, but that is how I walk from that time. I used to feel a lot of pain back then."

With tears streaming down her face, the Duhaney Park, Kingston 20 resident said she feels like God is teaching her a lesson.

"I was supposed to get baptised when I was 19, but I didn't. God warned me, but I was stubborn," said Williams. "I almost drowned and a lifeguard saved me, and I told God that I was going to give my life to Him, but I didn't at the time. I keep on a play stubborn and wanted to go to party, and by the time I am 21, I fall and get disabled."

Williams told THE WEEKEND STAR that she used to feel embarrassed about her situation in the early stage of her disability, but according to her, those days are buried in the past.

"I used to feel a way, because back in the days people in my community use to call mi 'oney', but I tell them to stop because I don't have one foot or have a broken foot. They stop calling me that now. I am now married, but recently I saw a friend and she say how mi married and mi foot stay suh. But mi just lift up my head and talk to God. I used to cry about it, but I don't feel any way any more," said Williams.

But Williams, who is a mother of three, has a more immediate issue. She is seeking the public's assistance to come up with the $210,702 that she needs to finance a surgery to remove an umbilical hernia, which is causing her great pain. This type of hernia occurs when part of the intestine bulges through the opening in the abdominal muscles near the navel.

"There are times when I feel a lot of pain, so I really want to have it removed," said the 36-year-old Williams.

She said that in January, she began having severe pain in her abdomen. Initially, she thought it was the side effect from a C-section that she had done previously. With the pain steadily increasing in intensity, she did a medical check-up, which revealed the hernia.

Williams is struggling to come up with money she needs to have the surgery done at the at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

"I am asking for any help I can get, so I can do the operation in July and just get back to myself. I am supposed to do it July, but I don't have the money. I have a small stall that I operate from my gate, but I don't make enough to get the surgery done. Please help, I am grateful for every little thing," pleaded Williams.