Poor wife struggles to cure her comatose husband

A poor woman in southern Tien Giang Province who is suffering from heart disease is calling for financial help to provide her comatose husband with continued medical care after being injured in a traffic accident.

Her husband, Nguyen Van Khanh, 40, is still under treatment at People 115 Hospital in HCM City after having a serious traffic accident on September 30.

He was hospitalised in critical condition with serious head trauma, plus injuries to his chin, chest and legs. He had surgery a few days ago but has yet to regain consciousness.

Luu Khanh Khuong, a doctor from the hospital, said, “Currently there is considerable congestion in his head and lungs. The situation may improve in the next three for four weeks, but there’s no clear date for his recovery. In the worst case, he may never recover consciousness and may have to live in coma.”

According to Khuong, treatment for Khanh costs around VND3 million (USD141.94) per day. This is a real burden for his family, especially for his ill wife.

The wife, Vo Thi Do, who has been living with heart disease for almost a decade. She has to use drugs daily, which is a considerable expense.

Do and her older sister have to share one vegetarian meal a day during the time she takes care of her husband at the hospital.

Married for over 10 years, the couple has just moved  into a rented house in HCM City. The husband works as an electrician who earns around VND3 million (USD141.94) per month while the wife earns around VND50,000 (USD2.36) per day from her tailoring. The sum is just enough for them to pay for their rented house and cover their daily living costs.

Since the husband has been hospitalised, the wife has borrowed money from their relatives and friends but now they're completely broke and no more help is forthcoming from anyone to pay for Khanh’s medical care.

“My husband's surgery cost VND12 million (USD567.8) but I amassed only VND10 million (USD473.17). Fortunately, a relative of another patient lent us the rest. I do hope that my husband recovers soon so we can work to pay our debt,” the wife said.

Now she doesn’t know where to get the money to provide her husband with continued medical care. It has cost them VND80 million (USD3,785) since the husband was hospitalised.

In order to help the family, donations should send to:

1. Code 1205: Vo Thi Do (wife of Nguyen Van Khanh): temporarily lives at 87/45B Ho Thi Ky, Ward 1, District 10, HCM City; Mobile: 0908. 209. 874

2. Compassionate Hearts Charity Fund – Dan tri Newspaper (Hanoi)