We went to the small house of Ms. Tran Kim Phuong (born in 1959) in Tan Quoi Hamlet, Quoi An Commune. The old house has changed color over the years, standing still in the sunlight, carrying the same tired look as the fate of the people inside.
Entering the house, the smell of herbal medicine was hazy in the humid air. On the old bed, Mrs. Phuong lay thucked, almost motionless. The end-stage bone marrow cancer had eroded her body, leaving only bone- covering skin.
Her every breath was heavy and interrupted. Her eyes were deep and blurred due to prolonged pain. Every time she turned around, her face wrinkled, her thin hands trembling tightly at the edge of the bed as if trying to hold on to her fragile life.
Sitting next to his wife's bed, Mr. Nguyen Van Thang (born in 1957) could not hide his fatigue. Mr. Thang said that six years ago, tragedy began to hit his family. At that time, although life was not abundant, there was still a 2,000 m2 garden for the couple to diligently work.
At that time, Mrs. Phuong was still healthy, and the couple worked illegally early in the morning. Then the disease came, sweeping everything away, pushing the family into a state of turmoil, with no way out.
To have money for treatment, spending nearly 10 million VND per month, Mr. Thang was forced to mortgage garden land. When he was no longer able to manage, he had to sell the only piece of land to save his wife's life.
For more than a year, the family has been completely exhausted and no longer able to receive inpatient treatment. Ms. Phuong had to return home, take herbal medicine in moderation, and have a regular check-up once a month at the hospital.
"Each time I travel with medicine, I have about 5 million VND. I am old, weak, no longer have a stable job, that amount of money is too big a burden", Mr. Thang added.
As he told the story, he quietly wiped away his tears. The interrupted voice, the pain seemed to choke up in the chest. Seeing his wife exhausted every day, he could only endure.
"Many nights, I saw her in pain and struggle, I could only hold her hand and cry, watch my wife breathe inclinally, her heart was cramped, helpless from the disease, just praying for more time, to be able to treat her," Mr. Thang said while crying.
Mrs. Tam Hanh, a long-time neighbor of the family, sadly shared that before, Mrs. Phuong and her husband had to work very hard. Since she became ill, her family has clearly declined, and her life has become increasingly difficult.
According to Ms. Hanh, the image of Mr. Thang mistakenly begging for each bowl of porridge and each medicine for his wife made anyone who witnessed it feel heartbroken.
"The children of the grandparents have gone out alone, their lives are precarious, they work for hire, and their income is low, so they cannot support their mother with medicine during the difficult time," Ms. Hanh added.
Mr. Luu Quoc Anh - Head of the People's Committee of Tan Quoi Hamlet - said that Ms. Phuong's situation is extremely difficult. Although the locality has tried to support, the resources at the commune level are still very limited.
"We hope that benefactors will pay attention and share so that the family can overcome this difficult period," said Mr. Quoc Anh.
Leaving the small house, the image of Mr. Thang holding his wife's dry hand tightly still haunted her. In the midst of their hardships, they can only rely on kindness to light up a little hope in the end.
Please send any help to LD25095 to the Golden Heart Charity Fund - 51 Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. Account number (STK) 113000000758 at Vietinbank Hoan Kiem Branch, Hanoi; Contact number: 0021000303088 - at Vietcombank Hanoi Branch; Contact number: 12410001122556 - at BIDV Hoan Kiem Branch.
Or contact directly Mr. Nguyen Van Thang (Ms. Phuong's husband), Tan Quoi Hamlet, Quoi An Commune, Vinh Long Province. Or by phone number: 0964703572
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