In 2010 Xiao Ye was the first Little Red Scarf patient to need surgery in Beijing, due to his complicated heart condition. At that time, he was 4 years old and couldn't walk on his own. The doctors said he wouldn't live into adulthood without surgery, and even that was a risk.
With LRS support, Xiao Ye underwent a successful operation. We continue to follow up with his family as Xiao Ye grows up and loves to run. Now 10 years old, Xiao Ye has been feeling tired recently. A checkup showed that his aortic valve has not healed properly and he will need another surgery in Beijing. Track his chronological journey and progress with us. Little Red Scarf is in Lanzhou, Gansu and Yunnan province and provides financial support and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, they provide families with post-operative care and help the children sustain a healthy lifestyle.
1. Little Red Scarf June Surgery Plans Summary: 8 congenital heart disease patients applied for aid from LRS in June. After verifying, among the 8 patients: Approved: 5 (5 children, 0 mothers), among which 0 are in the main hospital, 5 are in Lanzhou First, and 0 are in Yun First Entering hospital: 5 (5 children, 0 mothers), among which 0 are in the main hospital, 5 are in Lanzhou First, and 0 are in Yun First Among other patients: Exiting hospital: 7 (6 children, 1 mother), among which 0 are in the main hospital, 7 are in Lanzhou First, and 0 are in Yun First Reexaminations: 3 (2 children, 1 mother) 2. Up to now Little Red Scarf: Number of patients in the hospital—2 (2 children, 0 mothers); Up to June 30th, 2015, total number supported in 2015: 25 (19 Gansu congenital heart disease children, 3 congenital heart disease mothers, 3 Yunan congenital heart disease children) Total number supported: 1064 (997 children, 59 mothers, 8 from Yunan) 3. This month, we finished the support fund paying process for 7 patients (LY-351 Tingting, LY-352 Wenhan, LY-353 Yumei, LY-354 Chengxiang, LY-355 Tongtong, MQ-59 Yonghua, O117 Hanxiang) 4. This month, we sent out 6 packages of nutriments (LY-351 Tingting, LY-352 Wenhan, LY-353 Yumei, LY-354 Chengxiang, LY-355 Tongtong, MQ-59 Yonghua) Original article written by Yunyun Jie, translated and edited by Allison Zhang Little Red Scarf is in Lanzhou, Gansu and Yunnan province and provides financial support and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, they provide families with post-operative care and help the children sustain a healthy lifestyle. On August 25, I saw Yan Yan the first time in her hospital room. She was getting oxygen. Her skin was white, with very delicate features, her black hair was combed nicely into two braids with bangs neatly falling on her forehead. She looks like a cute and quite little girl. Her mom was taking of care her at the hospital alone. When her mother saw me, she immediately expressed her gratitude towards Little Red Scarf. Then she started telling her difficulties as we are her family. She said Yan Yan is not able to get off the bed by herself but hospital has already discharged her. Her medications were also reduced since yesterday. She was worried about Yan Yan will not recover fully. I was trying to comfort her by saying there should be no problems to worry since the doctor felt she is ready to go home, she will gradually recover as long as she follows doctor's instruction. After investigating Yan Yan's situation, I asked the mother to fill out some information. The mother said she does not know how to write, so I have to help her to do the paperwork. However, I was not able to complete it because of Yu Chung Jia 's teacher came to deliver some information and Yu Zai who lives on his own but haven't signed the hospital discharge paper yet came on the appointed time as well. When I was about the resume my writing, Yan yan's brother who works in Kunming came to visit his sister. He was very careful preparing fruit for her sister to eat. Little Red Scarf is in Lanzhou, Gansu and Yunnan province and provides financial support and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, they provide families with post-operative care and help the children sustain a healthy lifestyle. Zheng Mei lives in Dayao county, Yunnan province. The family has 4, her parents are peasants and she has an older brother who is in Grade 8. They have 4 mu of mountain fields. The main income comes from tobacco which is about 10000RMB per year. Living costs were sustained by 10000RMB of loan which would be paid from tobacco in the end of the year. They raised a few chickens which were used to supply nutrition to the family. During 2012-2013, her father was diagnosed thrombocytopenia which spent over 50000RMB. He had to do regular examinations in hospital. Her brother boarded at school and needs. The family owed about 40000RMB debts when the new house was rebuilt. Sometimes, Zheng Mei would told her parents she was dizzy, but they did not take it seriously. In the end of December of 2014, her father saw her nose was bleeding when she was eating sugar canes. Her parents took her to check in county hospital. According to the diagnose results, the doctor suggested them to do further check in Kunming. Little Red Scarf is in Lanzhou, Gansu and Yunnan province and provides financial support and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, they provide families with post-operative care and help the children sustain a healthy lifestyle.
While on my usual hospital visit, I encountered Baolan in the corridor, where he was going back and forth. Seeing her thin little frame I began to chat with her. Through our conversation I learned about her situation – Baolan is under the guardianship of her uncle, and came to the hospital in Lanzhou to have surgeru. However, her uncle was only able to borrow $10,000 for the cost of the hospital stay, so the surgery costs have not been completely covered. Baolan’s family has three people. They life in Gansu Yellow River Stone Forest, which has become a tourist area in recent years. Baolan’s father was born deaf and is mentally slower. Her mother was small and sickly from the time she was young. However, the family did not know she was suffering from congenital heart disease until she gave birth to Baolan. On April 1st this year, 4th-grade Baolan went to school as usual. But, because she did not complete her work, a teacher picked up a broom and hit her. As a result of the beating, Baolan’s abdomen and leg had multiple soft tissue injuries. She also had a subcutaneous hematoma. Over a month after she had been admitted to the hospital, they discovered that Baolan also suffers from congenital heart disease. Baolan’s medicine costs are covered by the teacher, and Baolan began to cry when she saw the teacher today. Although the beating took place more than three months ago, Baolan’s legs are still bruised. Little Red Scarf is in Lanzhou, Gansu province and provides financial support and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, they provide families with post-operative care and help the children sustain a healthy lifestyle. Yumei is a lovely 3-year-old girl. She lives in a remote village in Longdong of Gansu province. Thanks to other parents’ introduction, she found us. When we first met her on May 11, we were scared by her skin color. Her face showed purple and her lips showed dark with red eyes and blue toes and fingers. The family could not afford medical examinations, so she had never been checked in a good hospital. With a series of checks, the doctors said the child needs to be hospitalized for further checks. After another week’s check and treatment, we were looking forward to hear the news that she could be treated by operation. Unfortunately, she got chicken pox on May 17 and got high fever. Her father had to take care of her all the time. We would bring her a lollipop when we visited her in the hospital. The candy made her to stay a moment’s quiet. We worried her skin even more with chicken pox. She was transferred to infectious disease department. After the treatment, she was getting better. The doctor said she had to stay in infectious disease department for 7 days before she was transferred to cardiac surgery department. On May 28, she could be transferred to cardiac surgery department. Her chicken pox disappeared and there were some scars in the face. With further checks and consultations, the doctor told the child’s father that her situation is serious, which needed 2 risky surgeries. The costs would be high. Her father still insisted on doing surgery, for he knew the surgery was the only hope for her daughter. On June 11, it was the surgery day. For the whole month we had been expecting the surgery nervously. It was not a common surgery. After 7 hours’ hard working, the surgery was done at 15:00. The situation was not optimistic. At 19:00, the doctor decided to another surgery which could be very risky. When the doctor told the risks that the girl had to be faced, the father could not help weeping. Little Red Scarf is in Lanzhou, Gansu and Yunnan province and provides financial support and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, they provide families with post-operative care and help the children sustain a healthy lifestyle. The first time I saw Tingting was in a doctor’s office. Dr. Zhang was asking a group of people, “Does anyone have low-income medical insurance? If you do, you can apply for government serious illness relief funds. If you don’t, we have …” Before Dr. Zhang could finish, someone next to him responded, “Yes, we have low-income medical insurance.” Following the sound of that person’s voice, I noticed a little girl looking around in the crowd and an old person next to her because, in this crowd, they are the most conspicuous. The elderly wore an old-fashioned, self-made Chinese tunic suit (the type where the buyer selects the fabric and brings it to a tailor to make). A tunic suit has anything but disappeared in the cities. Although sometimes some senior citizens from rural areas would don the suit, youth nowadays never dress like that. The little girl has a head of messy hair and bright red cheeks. The next time I saw Tingting was on the next day, when Dr. Zhang called me, telling me that a little girl who came yesterday. Her father did not understand what the doctor said. Their low-income insurance cannot be used. Dr. Zhang asked me to drop by the heart surgery department if I have time. The little girl’s family condition is very special, so she should fit Little Red Scarf’s support criteria. So I went to the hospital ward to find Tingting’s father. I told him I am Ms. Yun from Little Red Scarf. I pointed to a Little Red Scarf poster that happened to be hanging on the wall. I told him that the doctor told me to come find you. Tingting’s father continued to stare at me expressionlessly. I repeated that I am Ms. Yun from Little Red Scarf and asked him to go with me to the doctor’s office. To some patients’ relatives in the hospital (especially those who have never been far from their hometown and those who are illiterate), if you are not wearing a white robe, they will not respond to you no matter whom you say you are. But if you can accurate tell them their child’s physician’s name and tell them that the doctor is looking for them, they will for sure go with you. One Surgery Done, One More to Go
Li Yong is a 14-year-old boy with complex congenital heart disease. He underwent the first of a two-part surgery in mid-December. The second part is planned for this September. Difficult Family Situation Li Yong's grandfather passed away this year, and medical and funeral expenses exceeded $6,000. Li Yong's grandmother has lung cancer, and the treatments cost several hundred dollars per month. Little Red Scarf is in Lanzhou, Gansu province and provides financial support and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, they provide families with post-operative care and help the children sustain a healthy lifestyle. Ruirui lives in a small village of Gansu province. The whole family of 8 makes living from a few acres of fields. Her eldest sister got married and his brother married in 2008, who had to take the burden of the family. The family owed about 20,000yuan of debts. Her brother is the only labor worker of the family. Her father were not able to do any manual work since he fell down from a building roof. Her mother has poor eyesight and back problem, so she can do nothing manual. Her brother hurt very seriously when fell down from a construction site. Her cranial nerves got serious hurt. Ruirui’s elder sister raised her. Speaking of Ruirui, her sister could not help weeping. When Ruirui was adopted when she was 9 months. She was so skinny and the family itself was in desperate situation, but they still gave the best to the baby. Due to some congenital illnesses, she had not been able to walk until 4 years old. She went to grade 1 when she was 8 and grade 6 in 19. |
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