Highland doctor and the journey of sowing 'seeds of kindness'
(Baonghean.vn) - Without fanfare or noise, over the years, Dr. Thai Van Suu (born in 1961) has been quietly on his journey to sow seeds of kindness. During 31 years of dedicated treatment for patients, he has also quietly shared with many people in difficult and unfortunate lives to spread love for life.
Live with a warm heart
When we met Dr. Thai Van Suu in Ky Tan (Tan Ky) - where he lives, this land was also receiving the first cold spells of winter. He quickly folded the warm cotton blanket he had just bought to bring to a couple in difficult circumstances, living nearly 3 km from his house.
Doctor Suu said that the couple was nearly 50 years old, the wife was often sick. More than a week ago, the wife had to be rushed to the provincial hospital. When he returned, he and a few neighbors came to visit and saw that the whole family only had a thin blanket, not enough to withstand the cold winter. Therefore, on the way back, he immediately went to buy a warm cotton blanket, even though the money in his pocket at that time was only 1.2 million VND, but it was okay to spend that money on people in need.
Although he is sparing in talking about himself, over the years, Dr. Thai Van Suu has quietly done such good deeds to help others, even though his circumstances are not well off. Just recently, he traveled more than 35 km to personally hand over a wheelchair to a poor patient bought with his own pension money...
According to Ms. Hong, when Dr. Suu was participating in the Buon Xao Festival in Tien Ky commune, a woman grabbed his hand, tears in her eyes. After a moment of surprise, he heard the woman mention the story and realized that it was Ms. Vi Thi Toi - the biological mother of the 12-year-old girl he had successfully treated.
It was late 1992, on a cold winter night, while on duty atDepartment of Surgery of Tan Ky General Hospital (now Tan Ky District Medical Center), Doctor Suu heard the cries for help from many people. Running out to receive the patient, he saw a pale little girl lying on a stretcher, one leg amputated, being given first aid by relatives with tangled rubber bands.
The girl, named Vi Thi Dong, from Chieng village, Tien Ky commune, was attacked by a wild boar and had her leg bitten off while she was in the forest collecting firewood. The village is more than 35 km away from the hospital, so her relatives had to carry her for more than half a day to get to the hospital; because of panic, no one remembered to bring the severed leg to be stitched together.
Realizing that the child was on the brink of life and death due to excessive blood loss and exhaustion, Dr. Suu and his colleagues immediately decided on an emergency plan and treatment for the wound. After more than 15 days of fighting with death, the child gradually recovered and was discharged from the hospital. However, the child lost his left leg from the thigh down.
And then, after more than 30 years of meeting again, the little girl from that day is now a middle-aged woman. However, her life is very difficult when she has to depend on her old and weak parents, her family is a long-time poor household in Chieng village.
So, even though for many years, the woman's greatest wish was to have a wheelchair to move around and do daily activities by herself, but she was helpless. When she heard about that story, after returning home, Dr. Suu immediately bought his old patient a really good wheelchair. When he brought the wheelchair to the family, seeing Dong could move skillfully on the wheelchair by herself, the doctor felt relieved and left.
Doctor Suu's quiet journey of doing good deeds is continued through the story of Ms. Cao Thi My (born in 1985) - a nurse at Tan Ky District Medical Center. She said: “I was born in Dong Van, in a poor family. More than 10 years ago, on my way home from work, I was unfortunately involved in a traffic accident that resulted in a broken femur and two shin bones, and I had to be transferred to a central hospital for treatment. With two young children and an unstable income, our house was dilapidated and on the verge of collapse. Faced with many difficulties, my husband and I felt extremely desperate. At that time, Dr. Suu not only fulfilled his role as the center's union chairman but also became a friend and brother who wholeheartedly supported and helped us both materially and spiritually to overcome difficulties. In 2012, the doctor proposed to the District Labor Federation and called for support from the staff and workers at the center to build a warm house for the family.”
After that warm companionship, Ms. My's family gradually stabilized their lives and confidently raised their children to grow up and mature.
Dedicated to life and work
These days, on the road leading to Tan Tien hamlet, Ky Tan commune, the row of more than 20 coconut trees that Dr. Thai Van Suu personally planted for the hamlet is growing greener and greener. Not only is he respected at his workplace, but also in the hamlet where he lives, he also receives much precious affection from the people when he is always enthusiastic in the construction of the new countryside. He is one of 6 people from the hamlet who traveled all the way to Vinh Linh (Quang Tri) to find people who used to live and become brothers with the people of Ky Tan for 5 years (1967-1972). Since then, the two hometowns have been connected to share the joys and sorrows, and support each other in the current life.
Not only fulfilling his village duties, after retirement, Dr. Suu continued to enthusiastically support the emergency work and patient treatment at Tan Ky District Medical Center. What is valuable is that he is the one who devotedly guides many technicians here to have solid expertise and professionalism.
It can be said,anesthesiologistis one of the quiet but considered stressful jobs in the medical industry. An anesthesiologist will need to simultaneously ensure anesthesia equipment, vital signs, maintain infusions, blood and blood products... continuously for hours. Therefore, for young people, they need to be accompanied and Dr. Suu does not hesitate to share his experience, helping them to quickly mature in their careers.
After being sincerely welcomed by Doctor Thai Van Suu, technicians such as Thai Khac Hoan (born in 1984), Nguyen Van Thao (born in 1987) or Hoang Thi Lieu (born in 1985) ... have been steadfast in their expertise and profession to confidently do their jobs well. Every time they reap achievements in their work, they are always silently grateful and make constant efforts to continue with Doctor Suu on the journey of dedication to the health of the people.
Having gone through extremely difficult times myself, I understand the value of love. A teacher once told me that a doctor's job is not only to treat physical illnesses, but also to heal mental wounds. Small actions such as words of encouragement and care when they are in trouble or unhappiness are the medicine to soothe pain and loss, to make life warmer. And I have tried to live up to my teacher's teachings, to repay life!
