BITTERSWEET GRADUATION
CMU engineering grad perplexed by mysterious illness preventing internship at sea
Published:Saturday | November 19, 2022 | 12:09 AMSashana Small/Staff Reporter
What should have been a glorious moment for Romario Goulbourne as he celebrated achieving his bachelor's degree in marine engineering from the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) saw him torn between two worlds under a cloud of uncertainty.
The 25-year-old is currently battling a mysterious illness, which began afflicting him when he was almost at the end of his studies.
“In the final semester of my final year, I started to wake up in the morning and throw up. I had diarrhoea and I also felt weak. So I went to the doctor and did a lot of tests like blood tests – HIV, syphilis – and they didn't find anything,” he told The Gleaner minutes before his graduation ceremony on Thursday.
Goulbourne said that the symptoms worsened, and in January, he was admitted to hospital for three days.
He underwent another battery of tests, which included stomach endoscopy, and colonoscopy. But still his doctors have been left stumped.
His illness has prevented him from completing his internship, which is a critical part of his training.
“This issue is preventing me from continuing in my career path which is marine engineering. I am supposed to be an intern on a ship doing my sea time now so that I can get my marine engineering licence, but because I am sick, I am not able to manage the sea life right about now,” he told The Gleaner.
This, Goulbourne said, has added to his frustration, making him anxious and depressed.
“It affects me mentally, because you know when you work so hard, and your mother work so hard, and you want to go out there, you want to make your community proud and work hard to be someone successful in life so you can take care of your family, even your community,” he said.
The first-generation college student from Campbell Town in Kingston said he had to overcome poverty to be able to attend university, beginning his tertiary studies in 2018.
His mother is a janitor who does not earn much, but luckily, the former Camperdown High student was able to attain scholarships through the Campbell Town Community Association and the Ministry of Education.
To offset other costs, Goulbourne sold confectionaries on campus, and his relatives pitched in to help him with his medical expenses and supplemented what his CMU health card could cover.
Even while speaking with The Gleaner, Goulbourne admitted experiencing physical discomfort.
“I still feel sick, but I have to push on. I have to try to be strong,” he said.
Goulbourne said that he still has a clinic date in the public health system. However, he said the doctor has not recommended any other tests despite him always feeling unwell.
It is why he is considering going overseas or to a private doctor to get a second opinion. But he is aware that the salary he receives from working as a payroll assistant at the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job creation will not be able to fund it.
“If something is really wrong medically, I would really like to know how I can fix it so I can move on with my life, even if I'm not 100 per cent better, so I can chase my dream,” he said.
How you can help
Persons able to assist Romario Goulbourne can contact him at 876-470-6681.
GoFundMe link https://gofund.me/3cd00263
Banking information
Name On Account: Romario Goulbourne
Account Number: 2094273701
Name Of Bank: Jamaica National Bank
Branch Address: 32 1/2 Duke Street, Kingston
Account Type: Savings