Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

Medical team of Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital prepared a special surprise for a couple on the day of their discharge. This was a day symbolizing their rebirth because they had recovered from Covid-19. Nurses helped Mrs. Wang to put on a white wedding veil and Mr. Wang a blue tie to celebrate their golden anniversary, 50th Wedding Anniversary. This couple was very touched.

Mr. and Mrs. Wang (under an alias) were infected with Covid-19 at the end of May, 2021. When their pneumonia worsen, they were transferred to Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital for treatment because it is designated to treat severe cases of Covid-19 patients.

Chinese and Western medical teams worked together to treat them. On July 7, they had recovered and ready to go home. Dr. Lin Shinnzong, Superintendent of Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital and the medical team quietly prepared a golden anniversary celebration for this couple. They had been married for 50 years. After their ordeal in overcoming Covid-19, the medical team sent best wishes to this couple for more golden years together.

Pandemic cases in Taiwan exploded in mid-May. Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital admitted 16 Covid-19 patients of which 10 were in severe stages. 13 patients had since been discharged.

Mr. and Mrs. Wang, Congratulation on your success in fight the pandemic. Best wishes for a happy Golden Anniversary!” In the afternoon of July 7th, Dr. Lin Shinnzong, Superintendent, Dr. Ho Tsungjung, Vice Superintendent, Dr. Wang Chihhsien, Director of Covid-19 Ward, and Ms. Zhong Huijun, Director of Nursing, lead the team to present a well wish gift and Jing Si Herbal Tea concentrated drinks to Mr. and Mrs. Wang. The medical team taking care of the couple prepared a small surprise for them on the day of their discharge. Nurses dressed Mrs. Wang in white wedding veil and Mr. Wang with a blue tie. Their discharge symbolizing their rebirth for surviving the Covid-19. So the medical team gave them a birthday and also a golden anniversary celebration. The couple was very touched.

Dr. Lin, Superintendent, indicated that since the first day this couple admitted into Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, they were treated with integrated Chinese and Western medicine. In addition to standard medication prescribed by Western medicine, Chinese medical team prescribed Jing Si Herbal Tea concentrated drinks and various Chinese medicine powder to boost their health for speedy recovery. From confirmed infection to full recovery, the couple had been through three wards and cared for by three medical teams. This was not a simple fight against the virus. On the day of their discharge, all three medical teams sent best wishes and hoped that after successfully overcoming the pain and suffering of Covid-19 infection, this couple would reborn and enjoy their golden years.

“Dear, I finally see you!”

Although Mr. and Mrs. Wang were a couple, they had to stay at two separate rooms in the beginning of their hospital stay. Luckily at the end of May, Taiwan Central Epidemic Command Center announced two Covid-19 patients could stay in the same room. After evaluation by Internal Medicine Intensive Care Unit and Infection Control Department of the hospital, a decision was made to allow Mr. and Mrs. Wang to move into the same room. When the head nurse gave them the notice, she could see the eyes of Mr. Wang became very bright and said OK immediately. Even though the head nurse talked to Mr. Wang through a door, his joy could be felt from outside the room.

On June 11th, they moved into the same room. Seeing his wife whom had been in quarantine and separated from him for a while, Mr. Wang were very touched. He said to her with tears in his eyes, “Dear, I finally see you!” After moving and with her husband’s encouragement and support, Mrs. Wang carried out doctor’s order more actively to lie down in prone position and to increase her rehabilitation activity.

The nurse caring for them found that after they stayed in the same room, their anxiety and worry about each other from being separated had decreased. Not only did they feel better, they were able to understand each other’s condition as doctor visited and talked to them together. Their son who lived oversea was able to have video call with them together. This had been brought relief to the entire family.

Prone Positioning

Mrs. Wang talked about her Covid-19 hospitalization experience and recalled that in the beginning, her husband was only coughing lightly. He thought he had a cold. After seeing an ear, nose, and throat doctor, he took some medicine. However, he finished the medicine with some residual fever. The doctor suggested for a screening. Then he found that he had Covid-19. She did not have any symptom in the beginning. Then, she developed a fever for six days. Her husband fainted twice after admitted to the hospital. Then, their pneumonia became worst and both of them had labored breathing. In the beginning of June, they were transferred to Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital for further treatment.

Mrs. Wang said that doctors suggested them to lie down in prone position but her body was stiff as an iron board. She was very uncomfortable and weak. When her family and friends called to send their love and care, she did not have the strength to pick up the call or look at their messages. Recalling her pain and suffering, she was grateful to doctors and nurses for their attentive care. Doctors paid close attention to their condition and asked them in detail questions about their response to treatment. Nurses took care of them with love and cleaned their excretion when they were very weak. They were very touched by the medical team. She said, “People say that we should be most grateful to our parents. Second to that, we are most grateful to Tzu Chi. Thanks to Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital for saving our life!”

Two rabbits under a big umbrella

Holding tightly to his wife’s hand, Mr. Wang recalled that upon finding his confirmation of Covid-19 infection, he was full of guilt and cried. He said, “It was me who infected my wife. It was my fault.” In fact, he had thought of giving up but he loved his family too much. Although he was afraid of blood to the point of fainting after seeing his own blood, he had held on and worked hard to recover. He listened to doctor’s order closely and actively carried out rehabilitation activities. When he was recovering nicely, he was even able to push a wheelchair with his wife on it and help her to go to toilet.

Mr. Wang cried as he recalled his journey in fighting the infection. Mrs. Wang looked at her husband and expressed her love. She said, “Dear, I did not blame you at all. Don’t worry. I am your wife and will always support you.” Mr. Wang also said that it was his wife’s support that kept him focused on the treatment.

In addition to the handmade thank you card to doctors, Mrs. Wang also handmade a thank you card to nurses with many flowers and hearts. She said, “These two rabbits represented me and my husband. The umbrella on the top is the medical team. A big umbrella over two rabbits symbolized how they protected us.”

The Hui-Shun Couple is ready for a new life

Dr. Ho Tsungjung, Vice Superintendent, gave them a box of Jing Si Tea concentrated drinks and flowers to congratulate them on starting a new life after overcoming Covid-19 and also to send them best wishes for their golden anniversary. To celebrate their love affair, Dr. Ho and a Chinese medicine doctor danced Cha-Cha with Mr. and Mrs. Wang. Dr. Wang Chihhsien, Director of Covid-19 Ward, presented them a letter of well wishes from Dharma Master Cheng Yen and a vegetarian information card. Mrs. Wang pointed out that she ate vegetarian meals for the entire hospital stay and found that vegetarian meals were delicious. This had opened her mind and shaken her stereotype of vegetarian food.

The medical team also gave them a cake and a card to wish them well. This coupled was nicknamed as Huishun Couple. Hui means will and Shun means smooth in Chinese. Best wishes to this “Will Smooth” couple for a new life after discharge. May their days be smooth, healthy and peaceful.

Article and photos by Chiang Chia-Yu
Translated by Chou Yuru