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Don’t waste your mental illness
A Deng and a very relaxed, relieved dad
I visited A Deng yesterday. He has completed 8 sessions of ECT and doctors feel treatment has been successful. His “Ah Ba” as you can see from the picture is relieved and rested and all smiles. Though he feels that Ah Deng still speaks very haltingly, he is much better in every other aspect. Both would like to return to their home in LMZK as soon as possible.
Yesterday I asked A Deng what he’d been doing during his free time in the hospital. He talked about reading the book. But not in Lisu because he can articulate the words but not understand the meaning. He understands it better in Chinese.
His younger brother, on the other hand, who’d come to Kmg to help take care of A Deng, has not been doing so well. He spent most of his time drinking, and then trying to pick fights. His dad had no choice but to send him home.
Thank you so much for remembering this family all these months. A Deng himself is aware that many of been lifting him up. He thanks all of you too.
Da Gong
Today my tender-hearted nine year old friend told me that some 60 men and women from our village left home to find work in far off provinces. He said his class mates, whose parents have gone, must be feeling sad and lonely. Another of our wise and capable 10 year friend has had her mother leave them 2 years before, then her step-mother recently (as a result of being rejected by her husband), and now her own father just today.
These days, there are more children ‘orphaned’ by parents going off to find work in hopes of making loads of money, than death or divorce or desertion.
What do we do?
Updates on Li Si Cai
For those who have been praying for Ah Deng, a heartfelt thanks. Ah Deng has had 2 ECT (electro-convulsive therapy) treatments so far. He’s better. Starting to speak and eat, although doctors have noted that the improvements (he suffers from catatonic schizophrenia) are not as great as they expected. So they have slated him for 8 more ECT sessions.
If anyone wonders if ECT today is like anything portrayed on One Flew Over the CUckoo’s Nest, well, it’s not quite the same. For one, much more is done today to ensure that the patient is comfortable and not in pain. As you lift him up please also remember his father who cares for him all round the clock. We pray too that they will lift Him up in the hospital, so that patients and doctors alike may see the love and devotion of Ah Deng and his family and know our Father in heaven.