The Younger Twin Who Has Cerebral Palsy
4/26/2011
Peninsula City News 6/29 by Intern Journalist Xiaoqiang Wang
November 29th, 2008, in a town called “Yinzhu” in Jiaonan City, Shuqin Zhang
gave birth to a lovely pair of twin boys. The birth of the twins made this
ordinary family full of joy. 6 months later, however, the younger brother was
diagnosed with pediatric cerebral palsy. The family was struck by this big
disaster. Shuqin told the journalist about their tragedy.
Her husband (who works as a truck driver) worked even harder. She took care of
the boys at home. As a first-time mom, her heart was filled with happiness.
However, when the boys turned 3 months old, Shuqin found out that her younger
son Peng Wang had no strength in his body and couldn’t do the same poses as his
brother. Afterwards Shuqin took her younger son to see doctors at a local
hospital in Jiaonan, but his situation never became better.
In May 2009, Shuqin and her husband took their son to the Pediatric Hospital in
Qingdao City. Under the advice of his doctor, Peng did an MRI and was diagnosed
with cerebral palsy. Shuqin was told that the treatments require Peng to stay at
the hospital and go though occupational therapy. The cost would be huge. Shuqin
said that the whole family’s living expense depends on a meager income from her
husband. The diagnosis made them helpless.
Shuqin’s husand took a loan to buy a truck when he first started his job. Since
their sons were born, her husband worked long hours to pay back the money on the
truck and also to create a better environment for their sons. Now one year after
their son was diagnosed, the medical expenses have made their life even harder.
Shuqin said that they owed $20,000 yuan and could no longer afford to take their
little boy to the hospital.
The journalist asked, “Where is the father?” Shuqin couldn’t help crying. Seeing
the older son grew up healthily but her younger son’s condition never improved.
She often had arguments with her husband. She said she never knew that her
husband was carrying a huge load on his shoulder. Now her husband drove a truck
and didn’t want to come back. He didn’t want to answer her phone calls. Shuqin
said she regretted that she wasn’t very thoughtful for her husband and wished
her husband to come back home soon because this home needed him.
Because of their money situation, since last May when her son was diagnosed,
they could only do basic occupational therapy at home. One year later, her son’s
condition didn’t improve. Without any help, she hoped the public could help her
find a hospital. Shuqin said that if her son could receive timely treatments,
she would give back the money no matter how much it would be.
Updated News:
10/6/2011: Peng’s high fever has not subsided.
From “I love all poor babies”:
Peng’s high fever hasn’t gone down. His temperature went from 102 to 105. His
mom is out of money and can’t get in touch with his dad. (He didn’t even leave a
phone number to Peng’s mom.) Peng is in serious danger now. Please help this
child…
9/9/2011: The child’s condition
From “I love all poor babies”:
PPeng’s grandmother had things to take care of so she went home for a week and
took Peng with her. When they came back, he couldn’t stand up nor raise up his
head like before. For a child with cerebral palsy, the most damaging thing to do
is to abruptly stop treatments. Once stopped, it takes a long time to return to
what a child could accomplish before.
7/12/2011: Treatments will last 1.5 year.
After a period of treatments, Peng Wang had significant progress. Because he had
a relatively serious cerebral palsy, the doctor plans that the treatments will
last about 1.5 years. They still need about $7,500 yuan ($1,171 USD),
considering how the donation went.
4/26/2011: Peng still lacks money for treatments.
WWith the help of volunteers, Peng started occupational therapy at Jingen
Hospital in October 2010. They planned on treating him for a year. They need
about $2,500 yuan each month ($390 USD).
4/13/2011: Peng can eat by himself now.
From “I love all poor babies”:
It takes a long time to treat cerebral palsy. The good thing is that Peng’s mom
sees him progress—he can raise his head and put his hand into his mouth—that
means he can eat things by himself now. So she said she would persist on helping
him.
3/23/2011: Peng’s orthopedic shoes are ready.
From “blueruby11”:
Peng has been well recently. He has made a little progress. He can raise his
head for a while. His orthopedic shoes were made already. The $800 yuan pair
didn’t fit him so they exchanged to make a new pair, which cost $1,000 yuan. His
mom put in the additional money after she received her wage. She said she wanted
to take a picture and put it up online to thank the mom who donated the
orthopedic shoes.
12/13/2010: Persistence!
From “blueruby11”:
Peng’s mom’s text message: Peng is still coughing but he can begin occupational
therapy. Peng’s mom works so hard! She’s busy between working odd jobs and the
hospital, taking care of Peng and her mother-in-law. Without her husband’s
support, I hope she can hang in there!
11/17/2010: There’s good results from occupational therapy.
From “blueruby11”:
Recently I talked with Peng’s mom on the phone. Peng has more awareness about
raising his head and speaking more words. His doctor said that if he had done OT
sooner, he would have been able to sit already. Peng’s mom said she wanted to
“bite down her teeth” and hang in there because if she didn’t care about him
anymore, he would be laying on the bed his whole life. She said as long as Peng
could sit up and eat by himself, she would be very satisfied.
His mom said that Peng’s OT is 3 sessions a day, including brain circulation,
massage and leg movements. Peng’s mom said that she would come after work to
massage for her kid.