The pitiful situation of a woman raising a husband with cancer and a son with leukoencephalitis

We were at Mrs. Thuy’s house when she had just brought her son back from the hospital. In front of her house, many relatives and neighbors came to visit. Everyone sympathized and worried about her family’s difficult situation.

In her family, there are currently 3 people, 2 of whom are seriously ill. She alone has to shoulder two responsibilities: taking care of her husband in the hospital, then returning home to take care of her children, her youngest son is in high school...

Her husband, Mr. Tran Dinh Tung (55 years old), has been suffering from esophageal cancer for 3 years now. He is currently in the final stage, his health is exhausted, he is just skin and bones. According to Ms. Thuy, at the end of 2021, while working in the South, Mr. Tung felt sick and weak, so he went to the doctor and discovered that he was seriously ill.

Over the years, his family has taken him to many places for examination and treatment: Cho Ray Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City), Provincial General Hospital, Nghe An Oncology Hospital... A year ago, after esophageal surgery, he was bedridden, unable to walk, had to be fed through a plastic tube, and all his daily activities were taken care of by family members, mainly Mrs. Thuy.

While working as a construction worker in the South, upon hearing the news that his father was seriously ill and unlikely to survive, Mr. Tran Dinh Tiep (31 years old) - Mrs. Thuy's eldest son got on the bus to return home.

After helping his mother plant rice, he felt unbearable back pain, so he had to go to the hospital for a check-up: "My back is in so much pain, I can't stand it anymore, Mom."

It seemed that things were already difficult and extreme, but unexpectedly, disaster continued to befall her family when her son was diagnosed with leukoencephalopathy.

Mrs. Thuy recalled: That day, about 15 days ago, Mr. Tung was seriously ill, so she had to take him to Nghe An Oncology Hospital for treatment. Tiep also complained of pain and asked to go to Vinh to be examined at Cua Dong General Hospital. That day, Tiep was still able to walk.

While taking care of her husband in the hospital, Mrs. Thuy heard the doctor say that her son was seriously ill and needed someone to come immediately, and her limbs went weak.

According to the hospital's diagnosis, Mr. Tiep suffered from two diseases at the same time: leukoencephalopathy and herniated disc. From a healthy young man, Mr. Tiep's health gradually became weak, his limbs were cramped, he could not walk, his mouth trembled, he had difficulty speaking and chewing, and he had to eat thin porridge every day.

“The doctor said that there is currently no specific treatment for leukoencephalopathy in Vietnam, only symptomatic treatment, preventing the progression of the disease to prevent paralysis. If the family can afford to take the patient abroad, then maybe…” - Mrs. Thuy sadly said.

It was already difficult to get treatment in the country, how could she take her child abroad? Her husband had terminal cancer, her son had leukoencephalopathy, two people in the family were seriously ill at the same time, she had to take her husband home to take care of him, and then take her child to the hospital, making her family extremely poor.

The family farmed 3 sao of rice fields, barely enough to eat, and had to sell all the cattle and buffaloes to get money for her husband's medical treatment. The burden of the family fell heavily on the poor woman's thin shoulders. She almost collapsed, but for the sake of her husband and children, she had to brace herself to fight.

While helping Mr. Tiep move onto the folding chair in front of the house, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh - a neighbor shared: Mrs. Thuy's family situation is very difficult, her husband has cancer, and her child has leukoencephalopathy.

A farming family clinging to a few fields, one member of the family is seriously ill and has to go to the hospital, is already in dire straits, but with two people like Mrs. Thuy's family, it is truly dire. The village spirit, the relatives in the self-governing group, and the neighborhood can only help a little, mainly to encourage the spirit.

On the afternoon of June 26, while taking care of her seriously ill son at home, holding the phone and hearing a call from a relative from Nghe An Oncology Hospital informing her that Mr. Tung's cancer had metastasized to his lungs, and he was continuously vomiting blood, Ms. Thuy sighed in pain.

Over the years, she has tried to treat and care for her husband with the spirit of “while there is life, there is hope”, “live day by day”, but now she is probably “powerless”. Looking at her son lying motionless in front of the house, Mrs. Thuy’s tears rolled down her cheeks, feeling sorry for her husband and son but not knowing what to do.

Talking about Mrs. Thuy's family situation, Mr. Pham Viet Tung - Secretary of the Youth Union of Dong Van commune (Thanh Chuong) shared: Mrs. Thuy's family is poor and in extremely difficult circumstances. Now both her husband and children are seriously ill, making the family situation even more dire. Her family's situation really needs the attention of the community.

In order to share the difficulties with her family, local youth are also calling on union members, young people, and philanthropists to join hands in donating and helping her family in times of trouble.

Please send any help to Ms. Duong Thi Thuy, Tien Quanh hamlet, Dong Van commune, Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province. Tel: 0365.987.334. Account number 3615205544500. Agribank. Or Communications Department - Nghe An Newspaper, No. 378, Le Nin Street, Vinh City, Nghe An. Tel: 02388.600.006