Miracle Workers

(Baonghean) -“There were times when I felt like my life was at a dead end. Less than a month after my mother passed away, my husband suffered a stroke. My husband fell ill while I was in Hanoi taking care of his sister who was being treated for a serious illness. I had just lost my mother and had to face another painful truth: I would most likely lose my husband. I thought that only a miracle could save him. And that came thanks to the doctors and nurses at Nghe An General Hospital.”

A surgery at Nghe An General Hospital (Photo: Hoang Yen)

Those were the words of Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly in Block 5, Hong Son Ward (Vinh City) when talking about her husband's case after days of treatment at Nghe An General Hospital. In the story, Ms. Ly still could not hide her tears of emotion after so many incidents happened to her family.

The family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly and her husband, Mr. Tran Van Tuan, are freelance workers in Vinh City. Their life was peaceful, but then they had to face a series of unfortunate events. Her mother got sick and then suddenly passed away. It is true that everyone goes through "birth - aging - sickness - death" in life, but losing a mother is a great pain and emptiness. Less than a week after her mother passed away, Mr. Tran Van Tuan's sister fell seriously ill and needed immediate treatment. Her tears had not yet dried when she packed her bags and went to Hanoi to take her husband's place to take care of her. As soon as she arrived, she was shocked to receive the news: her husband suddenly suffered a stroke and collapsed. Who would have thought that, normally Mr. Tuan was so strong, so big, so cheerful, but after just a morning headache, he was reduced to a vague leaf. Ms. Ly returned from Hanoi and saw her husband, her heart was torn apart. Many disasters continuously fell on her small shoulders, causing her to collapse, no longer having enough faith in life.

At Nghe An General Hospital, Mr. Tuan was transferred from the emergency room to the intensive care unit at the Neurology Department. Doctors determined that patient Tran Van Tuan had a stroke and hemorrhage in the right hemisphere of the cerebellum. Seeing the doctors continuously examining, monitoring and consulting with Mr. Tuan, Ms. Ly and her family understood that their loved one was very seriously ill. According to doctors, there are many cases of patients with cerebral hemorrhage, but cases with hemorrhage and damage to the cerebellum have the highest risk of death.

Through CT Scanner, doctors found that Mr. Tran Van Tuan's bleeding area spread about 5 cm.². If there is no timely solution, the bleeding cannot be stopped, there is a high possibility that the bleeding area will compress the brain, causing the patient to completely lose consciousness, reflexes, fall into a deep coma and die. Following the progression of Mr. Tran Van Tuan's illness, even doctors and leading experts in neurology could not hide their stress and anxiety. Ms. Ly said that at that time, it seemed like all the pressure was on the doctors. Meanwhile, surgery using traditional surgical methods in the past was not effective and no one knew exactly what happened on the operating table. "Hearing the doctors say that out of 10, only 1 part would survive, the family prepared themselves mentally" - Ms. Ly recounted.

On the third day of treatment at the provincial hospital, Mr. Tuan's condition showed no signs of improvement, but the most important thing according to the doctors was that it did not get worse. That could be considered a ray of hope, a fragile thread for people to cling to. "While there is life, there is hope", patient Tran Van Tuan was transferred from the Neurology Department to the Intensive Care and Anti-Poison Department. The doctors focused on monitoring and consulting again. "Intervention is possible. It is possible to save" - ​​that is what Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly heard from Specialist I, Vu Ngoc Lan - Head of the Intensive Care and Anti-Poison Department, told her.

Doctor CKI Vu Ngoc Lan - Head of Intensive Care and Anti-convulsive Department, Nghe An General Hospital, examines a patient (Photo: Hoang Yen)

So we can hope for a miracle. However, for doctors, it is not easy, the fact that the patient suddenly ruptures the damaged cerebral blood vessels is a reality that needs to be taken into account. Before going to the operating table, patient Tran Van Tuan was actively treated to stabilize blood pressure, prevent blood clotting and increase resistance. Ms. Ly was explained and advised by the doctors: her husband will not undergo surgery using the usual brain surgery method but will be performed by drilling a small hole in the cerebellum at the bleeding site, from here the doctors will drain the blood clot and "clean" the damaged area. But all prognosis depends on many factors, one of which is the patient's will and determination, in addition to waiting for the whims of fate. Before Mr. Tran Van Tuan went to the operating table, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly said to her husband with tears in her eyes: "If you still love me, if you still want to see the children grow up, then be steadfast and overcome, never give up."

Seeing the emaciated body and staggering gait of Nguyen Thi Ly, no one could help but feel sorry. Thinking about her husband not having enough strength to fight and overcome his fate, she felt as if the sky and earth were collapsing. After more than 2 hours of surgery for Tuan, the doctor announced that the surgery was successful. The corridor of the operating room seemed to explode with the joyful cheers of nearly 30 of Tuan's relatives. Ly herself almost fainted. The surgery was successful, but the progression of the disease depends on active treatment and post-operative care.

Nghe An General Friendship Hospital is a pioneer in applying high technology to examination and treatment (Photo: Hoang Yen)

Ms. Ly said that she had been examined and treated at many hospitals, but this was the first time she felt the enthusiasm and dedication of the medical team. “To be honest, because I was worried about my husband, I asked this and that, bothered the doctors continuously, day and night, but they never scolded or spoke harshly. In the days after the surgery, the care staff and nurses directly fed the patients and they were also the ones who directly cleaned the patients, including cleaning their teeth and changing diapers. Until now, I still don't know what to say to thank you, the people who brought miracles to my family," Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly emotionally said.

After 2 weeks of treatment at Nghe An General Hospital, Mr. Tran Van Tuan was discharged. Now, just over 1 month since the day he suffered a serious illness, Mr. Tran Van Tuan can sit up, talk, and do his personal hygiene. Notably, he does not suffer from the after-effects like many other stroke patients. That is also a miracle. Regarding his case, Mr. Tuan only said: "I am very grateful."

Quoc Son