In recent days, looking at the stream of people rushing back and forth to their hometowns, many parents of "hairless" children could only silently wipe away their tears and hold their children's hands tightly on the hospital bed...
On the last day of the old year, about to enter the new year of Giap Thin 2024, inside the corridor of the Oncology - Hematology Department of Children's Hospital 2 (HCMC), the laughter and bustle of normal days suddenly became less because many people were hurriedly preparing their children's belongings to get on the bus to go home to celebrate Tet.
But there are also many fathers and mothers with sad eyes because this year they will have to celebrate Tet with their children in the hospital.
The Tet atmosphere permeates the corridors and corners of the children's hospital rooms at the Oncology Department of Children's Hospital 2. This is where about 150 children with serious illnesses and cancer are treated.
On the morning of the 30th of Tet, many people were packing their belongings and preparing their luggage to take their children to their hometowns to celebrate Tet after finishing their medical treatment.
Besides, there are also many cases that are forced to stay in the hospital for treatment because they are in the stage of receiving medication and chemotherapy.
Lying and writhing in pain on hospital bed number 63 due to the pain caused by the terrible blood cancer, little Ho Duc Kiet (3 years old, from Dak Lak ) called out: "Mom, mom... I'm in pain, I'm in pain", as soon as he finished speaking, Kiet threw up all the porridge that his mother had just fed him.
"Every time I take medicine, my baby is in so much pain. Due to the effects of the medicine, he often vomits and can't eat much. I feel sorry for him but don't know what else to do," said Le Thi Thanh Hai, Kiet's mother, choking with emotion.
Ms. Hai said that because her child had only been hospitalized for 2 weeks and was in the process of taking the first dose of medication, the doctor required her to stay in the hospital for at least 2 months to get the medication. So this year, she and her child had to celebrate Tet in the hospital.
Head nurse Ho Thi Kim Hang, Department of Oncology - Hematology, Children's Hospital 2, said that for newly admitted cases who are on their first prescription, they must stay at least 2 months for continuous treatment, then rest for about 1 week to take the second prescription.
"The children who are on medication this time are forced to stay and cannot return home for Tet. I feel sorry for them, but there is nothing else I can do," said nurse Kim Hang.
Ms. Hai shared that during the days she stayed at the hospital to celebrate Tet, she did not know if there was any food sold outside, and her child could not eat outside, so she had to buy instant noodles and instant porridge in advance for her child and mother to eat together during the Tet holidays.
"In previous years, my child had everything at home, but now he is sick. There is not even a decent meal for him. He has to eat porridge and instant noodles to get through Tet. I feel so sorry for him," Ms. Hai cried.
Lying a few hospital beds away are Tran Thanh Tung and his son (from Binh Dinh). Tung's son has been receiving treatment at the Oncology Department for nearly a month now, but is currently on prescription medication so he cannot return home for Tet.
Mr. Tung said that at the hospital, he had to buy food outside, but during Tet, many shops were closed, so he didn't know if he could buy food for his children, so he also stocked up on instant noodles to eat temporarily.
"Yesterday, some benefactors came to give instant porridge to the children, so I also went down to ask for some to have ready. The children also can't eat much outside, so this Tet they will probably only eat instant porridge. I'm not familiar with the roads here, and I don't have much money, so I can't buy anything for the children," Tung shared.
To help his child feel less sad, he hung his teddy bear and some of his toys on the bedside table so that he could have a bit of Tet atmosphere.
"It's the 30th of Tet, but I still don't know if I can go home or not. I still have to wait for the doctor to examine my child again. If the doctor lets me go home, I don't know if there will be a bus to go home. This Tet is very sad," said Gia Khang's father.
Before New Year's Eve, many people still go to receive packaged porridge from donors to bring home for their children to eat during Tet at the Oncology Department of Children's Hospital 2.
Many relatives of the sick children were also present, celebrating Tet at the hospital with their children.
According to head nurse Ho Thi Kim Hang, Oncology Department, Children's Hospital 2, on normal days, the entire Department has about 150 children being treated here. In addition to cases where their health is guaranteed and they can go home for a short time, there are currently about 80 children who have to stay at the Department for treatment during Tet and cannot go home during this time.
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