4 father and son with autoimmune hemolytic disease

(Baonghean) - The family of Mr. Ngo Duc Thang (53 years old), a veteran in hamlet 4 Hung Thinh, Dien Nguyen commune, Dien Chau district, has 4 children, of which the eldest daughter born in 1988 is married, and the remaining 3 sons, 2 twins born in 1990 and the youngest born in 1994.

Life seemed peaceful for a family of war veterans, but unfortunately in 1994, Mr. Ngo Duc Thang suddenly had symptoms of yellow eyes and skin, accompanied by headaches and declining health.

Mr. Thang went to a hospital in Hanoi for testing and the doctor said that this was a strange and very rare disease, and could only be treated with blood transfusions and medication. Then, in 1999, Mr. Thang's eldest son also had yellow eyes and skin, and the family had to take him to Hanoi for a check-up.

All assets, savings and loans of tens of millions of dong were used to treat the disease, but after 3 months of treatment, the doctor said that this was an autoimmune hemolytic disease, so the only treatment was blood filtration and blood transfusion, not surgery or intervention.

Local authorities visited Mr. Ngo Duc Thang's family.

After a long period of treatment, the disease seemed to have improved, but only a few months after being discharged from the hospital, both father and son developed symptoms of jaundice, headaches, etc. Then, in 2009, both of Mr. Thang's remaining sons developed the above symptoms, so the whole family had to go to the doctor and get treatment.

Before Tet Binh Than 2016, the whole family of 4 including Mr. Thang's father and sons were seriously ill and had to go to the hospital. The eldest son was in Hanoi hospital, the 3 father and sons, one was in the provincial hospital, the other was in the district hospital.

Mrs. Thuan, Mr. Thang's wife, said: "Given the difficult circumstances of the family, the doctors and nurses of the Provincial Hospital donated several million VND to support the family. The local government and neighbors also came to visit, encourage and share the difficulties with the family. Since the illness was diagnosed, the family has spent hundreds of millions of VND on treatment but the illness has not improved. In the house, except for makeshift beds, there are no chairs, tables or anything of value."

The irony is that all 4 father and son have autoimmune hemolytic disease and many other symptoms in their bodies, one has a larger than normal spleen, the other has kidney stones and gallstones but cannot be treated with surgery, only by blood transfusion and filtration, each treatment costs about 4 - 5 million VND.

Mr. Dam Xuan Chinh - Vice Chairman of Dien Nguyen Commune People's Committee said: Mr. Thang's case is a particularly difficult situation of the commune due to illness. Local authorities and neighbors often encourage and visit, however, due to the family's very difficult circumstances, we really hope to have help and sharing from organizations, levels, sectors...

Phuong Ha