TheBanyanTree: Transition 13

[Pat M]

 Transition 13

       In December I wrote about Zhang Kang, a boy with congenital heart
disease whose parents couldn't afford the heart operation he'd needed since
birth. He was about to turn fourteen and had been sick his entire life.

       An American charity called Agape funds open heart surgeries for poor
children in China, to a maximum of 15,000 rmb. (See
www.china-mission.org)  They
usually choose simple cases that have a minimal risk of loss of life. Zhang
Kang's case was complex and the price was high—28,000 rmb (about $4,000).  For
the surgery to proceed, the family needed to make up the balance of 13,000
rmb.
       I'd debated over whether or not to send out an appeal for donations;
I'd never done anything like that and I felt awkward and embarrassed, but a
little voice inside said, "Do it anyway. Maybe you can help save a life."
       It was close to Christmas so I sent my story to my family, friends,
and an online writers' group I belong to with a wish that Zhang Kang could
have the surgery he needed to save his life and allow him to be just like
other kids—to be able to run and play, and to attend school.
       Most charity organizations take a percentage of donations for
administrative costs. After corresponding with Ron Brown, the person in
charge of Agape's heart surgery program, I was able to offer would-be donors
my assurances that 100% of the funds they sent would be used to pay for
Zhang Kang's parents' portion of surgery costs. I'd hand-deliver the cash to
the hospital myself and have photos taken of me making the payment.
      After sending out "My Christmas Wish", I heard from a few people who
offered to send money to help Zhang Kang. I was thrilled and hoped to raise
$300 or $400 (2000 – 3000 rmb) to pay toward the surgery.

       Meanwhile, I had health concerns of my own. I've always enjoyed
excellent health, but a few days before leaving for China in July, I'd
experienced a strange buzzing sensation in my right foot (as if a vibrating
cell phone was held against it). I'd chosen to ignore it. A few weeks later
in Yangshuo, China, I'd had more symptoms and had ignored them, too. Now
there were new symptoms and their frequency was increasing.

       At the time, I was trying to make up my mind whether to continue
teaching in Lintong when my contract finished. Except for being cold all the
time, life was pretty good. I'd adapted well to China and had become very
attached to Amy, Zhangho and some of my students, but my long-term goal had
always been to find a warm location where I could teach for six months of
the year (during Canada's coldest months) on a long-term basis.

I had been considering teaching in Sanya on Hainan Island. Sanya is China's
most southern city and is a tropical island similar to Hawaii that boasts of
having China's cleanest air.  It has beautiful white sand beaches, palm
trees and wonderful tropical fruit; it also has malaria. Recently I'd read
that the malaria risk is found in the rural regions of the province, not in
the cities such as Sanya so I booked a one-way flight to Sanya leaving on
January 29th (my contract ended January 27th) for a holiday and a
'look-see'.

My symptoms worsened. My arms and legs sometimes went numb during the
daytime as well as at night. At times it seemed as if my hands wouldn't
cooperate with what my brain was telling them to do (but only for a few
seconds), and I wasn't sure if this was a new symptom or a response to the
incessant cold. Terror that I had a serious disease gripped me. My symptoms
pointed toward MS.
Finally, the first week of January, I shared my fears. "I'm worried I have
something serious," I told my family. "I might have to come home. I'm too
afraid to go to a doctor here."

****

-- 
If you don't use Picasa, China photos can be viewed at
http://picasaweb.google.com/home?tab=mq

If you use Picasa, you must access the albums individually:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Ms.Pat.Martin/January2008To

http://picasaweb.google.com/Ms.Pat.Martin/China3ZhangKangSStory

http://picasaweb.google.com/Ms.Pat.Martin/China2

http://picasaweb.google.com/Ms.Pat.Martin/China

http://picasaweb.google.com/Ms.Pat.Martin/WangYani