The "steel" will of the girl who returned from "death's door"

Face to face with death

At the age of 6, Huong Quynh suffered from complications of fever, Quynh's right hand lost its function, shrunk and became smaller than her left ear. However, Quynh was very intelligent. When she was old enough to go to school, because her right hand was disabled, Quynh practiced writing with her left hand. Quynh's handwriting was among the best in her class and her academic achievements were impressive. During her high school years, Quynh was entrusted with the responsibility of writing the class newspaper.

In 2005, after graduating from high school, Quynh passed the entrance exam to the Faculty of Business Accounting of Hanoi University of Industry with 23 points. After studying in Hanoi for a month, she felt tired and went to the doctor, who concluded that Quynh had kidney failure. When the disease was discovered, Quynh's family advised Quynh to drop out of school to get treatment, but Quynh refused. Loving her daughter, Quynh's mother transferred Quynh to study at Nghe An College of Economics. That year, Quynh had just turned twenty. She was a final year student with many beautiful dreams for the future, full of plans and aspirations... But ironically, at this time, Quynh's illness became more and more serious, Quynh was forced to undergo dialysis.

The beautiful young girl in her prime suddenly had her life tied to the hospital. Quynh had to undergo dialysis to sustain her life. The harsh reality before her eyes, Quynh fell into the depths of despair. Confusion, fear, and complete disorientation were Quynh's feelings at that time. Thinking back now, it still makes Quynh's back shiver.

Talking about the dark days she had experienced, Quynh's eyes filled with tears. 13 long years of fighting the disease, in the blink of an eye, it seemed like just yesterday. "There was a time when, following a relative's recommendation about a herbalist who treated the kidney with herbal medicine in Quang Ngai, Quynh and her mother packed up and went from Quy Hop to get treatment there. After 3 days of treatment, Quynh's body became resistant to the medicine, and she was then transferred to Hue Central Hospital for emergency treatment. But because her body was too weak to receive protein and water, Quynh pulled out the IV needle herself and wished to "go home to die". Quynh was taken to Vinh for emergency treatment in a deep coma, the doctors advised her family to take her home to prepare for her funeral, but "there's life, there's hope", her parents decided to take Quynh to Hanoi.

After 3 hours of emergency treatment, the doctors pulled Quynh back from the "doors of death". The despair grew bigger and bigger, after 3 months of treatment Quynh cried until her eyes blurred. Her lungs were infected with a green bacteria, for 3 months, Quynh had to sit and sleep, her eyes were numb and she couldn't sleep, her skin peeled off in patches. Her arms and legs had no feeling or strength, her mother had to do all her daily activities.

Nguyen Huong Quynh overcame the pain of illness with her will to live. Photo: PG

Doctor Tuyen, who directly treated Quynh, forced her mother not to serve her to awaken her survival instinct. Every day, Quynh toddled and struggled to serve herself... Directly treating her, Doctor Tuyen loved and respected Quynh, a young girl who had undergone dozens of surgeries on her hands, feet, groin, neck... but still endured the pain without a word of complaint. Pitying the family for spending tens of millions of dong each month to treat her child, Quynh was introduced to Vinh for treatment. The disease had become serious, so not long after returning to Vinh for treatment, Quynh and her mother packed up and returned to Hanoi in a state of constantly high blood pressure, resistant to all medications. Quynh was introduced to the Cardiovascular Hospital for special treatment of blood pressure. Shock and fear were Quynh's feelings when she had to witness with her own eyes a patient in the room passing away during treatment. Quynh had never seen life so fragile...

Faith and love conquer illness

The treatment lasted for many years, making the family increasingly exhausted, the parents had to return to the countryside to earn a living. Quynh stayed alone in the dialysis village. “My parents worked hard, struggled to earn a living, to earn money to treat their child, and also had to worry. Meanwhile, I was so useless. I just knew day by day, sinking into pain and collapsing. The days of living alone in the dialysis village, witnessing the scene of an old woman over 70 years old who was blind and had no relatives, begging every day to earn money for dialysis, helped me suddenly understand how precious life is. Living a useful, meaningful life, even if only living for one day, is worth living, so Quynh told herself, I have to live well…”- Quynh confided.

Quynh (far left) during a volunteer activity at Chieu Luu Kindergarten - Ky Son. Photo: NVCC

With an optimistic spirit, Quynh's health improved day by day. After 3 years of treatment in Hanoi, Quynh returned to Vinh for treatment. Three times a week, Quynh went from Quynh Hop to Vinh Transport Hospital for dialysis. At first, her parents took turns taking her there and helping her with everything, but gradually, Quynh struggled to earn a living and had money to do charity work.

After each dialysis session, Quynh goes to get goods and collects old belongings and clothes from friends in Vinh, brings them back to Quy Hop, sorts them and finds people in difficult circumstances to give them to.

Every day, selling, shipping and doing charity work “eats” up all of Quynh’s time. The young girl of the past is now so busy that she has no time to be sad and blame her cruel fate. “I feel very happy, the job I do generates income, I have money to do charity work, to help those who are more unfortunate than me, I can still live a useful life” - Quynh smiled optimistically.

Looking at Quynh with a constant smile on her lips, chatting happily, and an optimistic spirit, few people know that Quynh is suffering from severe kidney failure. It is her faith and love for life that has helped this little girl overcome her illness…