The life-and-death battle in the recovery room
Without afternoons of wandering around or carefree laughter like many children of the same age, Nguyen Ha Nhu Ngoc's childhood (born in 2018, residing in Phan Lam village, Pham Ngu Lao commune, Hung Yen province) was associated with hospitals, medicine and sudden convulsions.
Right from the early years of her life, she had to fight against many serious diseases at the same time such as epilepsy, brain atrophy, ventricular dilation, and slow mental and motor development.
Currently, Nhu Ngoc is being treated at the Department of Intensive Care Medicine, 4th floor, room 403, National Children's Hospital. After contracting the RSV virus, causing pneumonia and respiratory failure, her condition has worsened.
She had to be completely ventilated, fell into a deep coma, lost consciousness, had a bad prognosis and needed intensive and prolonged treatment. Doctors said that this was an extremely dangerous stage, her life was held by each medical intervention and each artificial breathing.
In the resuscitation room, Nhu Ngoc lay motionless amidst intricate cords, breathing support machines operating non-stop. Her small body was nestled in the dense space of disinfectant odors and the sound of monitors resounding regularly, as if reminding her that her life at this time was extremely fragile. Just a small fluctuation could make the situation worse.
I have tried very hard, I will not give up..." - Nhu Ngoc's relative choked up and said in tears when standing next to the hospital bed. For the family, every weak breath of her at this time is a miracle, a small ray of hope to continue waiting for a miracle to happen.
The life-and-death battle of the 7-year-old girl is still going on every hour, every minute, in the resuscitation room where the boundary between life and death becomes more fragile than ever.
The exhausted family and the father's plea for help
Nhu Ngoc's father is Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha (born in 1988). When his daughter was only 2 years old, his mother left, leaving two young children for him to raise alone. Without a stable job, and with weak health, Mr. Ha often had stomach bleeding and had to be hospitalized for emergency treatment many times.
For the past 5 years, due to his daughter frequently having epilepsy and having to be hospitalized, Mr. Ha was forced to quit his job to take care of his child. All the burden of making a living, medicine, and hospital fees fell on the shoulders of his already exhausted father. Nhu Ngoc's older brother, Nguyen Duc Gia Bao (born in 2012), currently has to stay at home to be looked after by his stepmother.
According to Mr. Ha, on average, each month, the cost of medicine and travel for examination for his child is more than 3 million VND. When Nhu Ngoc contracted RSV, many types of drugs had to be used outside the health insurance list, causing treatment costs to increase while the family was completely exhausted.
About a month ago, Nhu Ngoc had a severe seizure, seemingly unable to survive. Villagers collected 8 million VND to help Mr. Ha take his child to Hanoi for emergency treatment. But that meager amount of money quickly diminished amidst the long days of treatment.
Sitting next to his daughter's hospital bed, Mr. Nguyen Duc Ha choked up and shared: "I know my child is very seriously ill, the chance of survival is not high. But as a father, I cannot let go. I only hope for more help from philanthropists so that my child has the opportunity to be treated to the end, even if only a glimmer of hope.
Nhu Ngoc's family currently has no place to rely on. In the middle of a terminal hospital, the poor father only knows to beg for the cooperation of the community, hoping that his young daughter will have the opportunity to live and stay with her father and brother longer.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Nguyen Duc Hieu - Head of Phan Lam village, Pham Ngu Lao commune - confirmed: "Mr. Ha's family is a poor household in the commune, in very difficult circumstances. Mr. Ha himself is weak, has no stable job, and has to raise two children alone, including Nhu Ngoc who suffers from a serious illness. The village and local authorities have repeatedly mobilized, supported, and called for help, but the resources are limited.
Please send any help to LD26020 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.
