Man who fell into a vegetative state three years ago to save a child has basically regained consciousness
Wife: Seeing him getting better, all tiredness is gone
Recently, a video of a vegetative man responding to his son's call and interacting with his son went viral.
The protagonist in the video is Zhao Jinqian, a brave hero from Henan Province.
In 2019, he climbed to the roof of a 6-meter-high abandoned factory building to save a 3-year-old child, but fell from the roof and was injured into a vegetative state.
For the past three years, his wife Song Mei has never left. Now, Zhao Jinqian has regained consciousness. When his son calls his father, he can respond to his son's call and hold his wife's hand and kiss him.
On November 2, a reporter from Beijing Youth Daily had a dialogue with Song Mei.
She said that when she was taking care of her husband for one year and eight months, she found someone covering her with a quilt one night, and turned her head to find that it was her husband Zhao Jinqian.
"No matter how tired I am, seeing that he has improved, all my tiredness is gone."
Injured: Toddler rescued from abandoned factory roof
Beiqing Daily: Please tell us about your husband's saving lives.
Song Mei: At about 8:00 am on October 13, 2019, Zhao Jin came to deliver me my youngest son Momo.
As soon as I looked up, I saw a child of about 3 years old on the roof of an abandoned factory building more than 6 meters high. One of the child's feet was stuck in the hole and could not be pulled out, and there was a danger of falling at any time.
When I looked up again, Zhao Jinqian had already put Momo on the ground and climbed onto the roof.
Because he is a high-altitude operator, he is more familiar with the high-altitude environment and has a strong sense of safety.
He never thought that when he returned, the child was struggling in his arms, and the roof collapsed because it couldn't bear the load for a while.
The onlookers pried open the windows of the factory building, and a few people jumped in first. Soon, the children were handed out by them.
They said that the child had his head covered at the time and was well protected.
When I entered the factory, I found that I was lying on a wooden board on the ground before I entered. There were iron blocks, wooden boards, and iron nails scattered around. The ground was covered in blood. The hair on the back of his head was cut off.
Rescue: After the operation, the doctor said that he would not live for three months
Beiqing Daily: What was the situation during the rescue?
Did the follow-up treatment go well?
Song Mei: After getting into the ambulance, the doctor told me to keep calling him and not let him sleep.
He was holding me tightly with both hands, his forehead was sweating constantly, the blue cloth under his body was completely soaked with sweat and changed its color, and it was still dripping.
After he came out of the hospital after the CT scan, he suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed me hard and asked if the rescued child was okay. As soon as I finished saying "it's okay", his hands were released and both hands drooped down. .
After that, it was an 8-hour long operation. I signed a critical illness notice in the middle of it. I held Momo and waited outside the operating room all night.
After the operation, the doctor diagnosed him as a severe open head injury, most of the brain died, brain stem and ventricle damage, lung damage, and multiple fractures of the ribs and cervical vertebrae.
He was then admitted to the ICU ward.
I took my son to guard outside the ward for three days and three nights.
I think the days in the ICU are not the most difficult, but the continuous rehabilitation and treatment are the most difficult.
We need to roll him over every two hours, give him water every hour and a half, take his temperature, and keep an eye on the EKG and the ventilator.
Due to postoperative complications, he has been having a high fever since the operation. We put an ice blanket under him, and as long as I am there, I will rub his body with warm water to cool him down for half an hour.
Dilemma: Strangers help rekindle courage
Beiqing Daily: During the treatment of your husband, have you ever encountered a particularly difficult time, and have you thought about giving up?
Song Mei: After his vital signs were basically stable, I took Momo and his medical records everywhere to seek medical treatment.
I still remember one time I went to a foreign country to seek medical treatment. After seeing the doctor, all the money in my pocket was used up, and it was dark.
Unfamiliar with the place, I didn't know where to go, so I cried all night under a bridge hole.
The next morning, a cleaning aunt woke me up. After learning about the situation in our house, she took out 300 yuan to let me go home as a travel fee.
At that time, I thought that even a stranger would help me like this, why can't I continue to persist?
Beiqing Daily: How did you persevere after that?
Song Mei: Because I have to recover during the day, I take my child to set up a street stall between 11:30 noon and 2:30 pm, selling degreaser and down jackets.
In addition, I have been engaged in painting education for more than 20 years. After returning home at night, I will paint portraits and Chinese paintings for others. On Saturdays and Sundays, I will go outside to do part-time work such as waterproofing and cleaning. Anyway, I will do it as long as I can earn money.
I take less than 3 hours of rest every day, but the money I earn in this way is only enough to cover a small part of the cost of pre-treatment treatment. of.
After saving people, Jinqian won honorary titles such as "Henan Province is a hero for righteousness" and "National example of righteousness and courage", and also won a bonus, which also provided great support for Jinqian's treatment, and my two children's tuition fees are related. Departments are also exempted.
Treatment: regaining consciousness two years after injury
Beiqing Daily: When did your husband improve?
Song Mei: One year and eight months after the accident, he developed micro-consciousness and was able to perform simple autonomous movements.
One night, after I gave him some simple care, I lay beside him and fell asleep. Suddenly, I found someone covering me with a quilt. At first I thought it was my son, but I turned my head and found it was him!
I was so excited that I woke up my son and told him that Dad woke up!
Two years after the accident, he regained consciousness and was able to understand simple commands and give feedback.
Every progress he makes makes me feel boundless strength and hope.
Beiqing Daily: Your case has attracted the attention and concern of many people, and some people have reached out to help. What do you think of this?
Song Mei: It may be difficult for one person to save one person, but it is not a problem for a group of people to save one person.
Now we owe too much to the society and the country. I now hope that if one day my husband can return to the family and recover to be able to take care of himself, I will work hard to make money and help more people in need.
Text/Reporter Dai Youqing, intern Ji Chenyuan
Beijing Youth Daily