We went to the house of Ms. Nguyen Thi Chinh (born in 1965) in Phuoc Truong Hamlet, Quoi An Commune, Vung Liem District in a quiet afternoon, only hearing the wind blowing through the trees and the quiet footsteps on the countryside.
In the middle of the vacant land, the makeshift house with so bo walls, covered with old corrugated iron sheets is the place where she and her husband live in pain - like a small, fragile nest temporarily suspended in the thunder and wind of life, struggling with rain, sunshine and accumulated deprivation.
Ms. Chinh said that in early 2017, she was diagnosed with fibroids, ovarian cysts and had to have her uterus removed. After that, she often had abdominal pain and went to many places for examination but the cause was not clearly determined.
At the end of 2024, doctors at Cho Ray Hospital diagnosed the cause of the abdominal pain as having not been completely removed before and prescribed further surgery in early January 2025.
The cost of treatment was up to 50 million VND - too much for her family. She only saved 15 million, which she had to borrow to cover the cost of surgery. Currently, there are nearly 20 million VND in unpaid debts.
Despite having health insurance, every time she returns to Cho Ray Hospital for a check-up, she still has to pay an additional nearly 1 million VND for drugs outside the list and more than 1 million VND for the vehicle per month. Unable to bear it, she switched to re-examination in the province to save money.
Her husband also has heart disease, but still tries to work as a construction worker, doing whatever he is hired to do. There were days when he was tired, he just quietly bought medicine to drink, not daring to quit because he was afraid of losing his work day.
"I can't bear to suffer, but the two children have to study, have to live for others," she said, her deep eyes appeared a strong belief.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy - President of the Women's Union of Quoi An commune said that Ms. Chinh and her husband have three children, and the two daughters have husbands who are also very poor.
Her son and her wife died early, leaving behind two orphaned grandchildren. She is the only support, raising the children to study. Currently, the couple is taking care of their two grandchildren. One is currently a 12th grade student, the other is a student at Vinh Long University of Technical Education.
"The local government has supported partly, helping her grandchild to receive subsidies, rice support and borrow capital from students," Ms. Thuy added.
Talking to Lao Dong, Mr. Nguyen Quang Khiem - Chairman of the People's Committee of Quoi An commune - said that the whole commune currently has 6 poor households and 43 near-poor households, of which Ms. Nguyen Thi Chinh's family is a poor family.
" Amidst poverty, illness and debt, Mrs. Chinh still quietly carries the whole family, still resiliently for her two young grandchildren. Her story made listeners feel sad. We hope to have the help of the community so that she can have more conditions to treat her disease and overcome this difficult period," Mr. Khiem added.
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