In the world of medicine and healthcare, we often hear stories of hope, struggle, and success. But the story of the family of Khun Kulporn Khwan and Khun Jiranchai Thanpetchawat that we will meet today is a clear example of the power of family love and the dedication of medical personnel who helped one family regain happiness once again.
The Beginning of the Bond
Originally, our family has always used the services of Phyathai 3 Hospital because it is a reliable hospital and close to home. We entrusted our health care here. Even during pregnancy, we received prenatal care from Dr. Chanchai Laoprasitporn who was very kind and took good care of me throughout the pregnancy until delivery.
After delivery, we continued to come for health check-ups and entrusted the care of Nong Pluem to the doctors and nurses here as well, including vaccinations and health check-ups. Nong Pluem became very close to the nurses and doctors here, making his visits to the hospital feel like playtime. He was not afraid of the hospital, which made us feel at ease because usually many children are afraid of hospitals, but Nong Pluem was not like that.
An Unexpected Crisis That the Family Struggled to Handle
The most painful story our family had to face was when Nong Pluem was 3 years old and seriously ill. The incident started when the family went to the beach. After returning, he became lethargic and slept all day. At first, we thought he was just tired, so we let him rest. During that time, he could still eat and bathe but did not play. After 2-3 days, his father decided to bring him to the hospital because he noticed something was wrong and wanted the doctor to check him.
We admitted him in the morning with Dr. Ladda Laksanabunsong. Later that evening, the doctor called to inform us that Nong Pluem’s condition was not good and he needed to be admitted to the ICU due to seizures. At that time, he was only 3 years old, very young, and unable to explain where he was hurting. When he was admitted to the ICU, I was very worried. The doctor tried to conduct thorough examinations, including a lumbar puncture that day. However, the test results were normal. The doctor did not give up and continued to examine everything carefully to find the cause while closely monitoring Nong Pluem’s condition.
Full Support – Mobilizing a Team of Specialist Doctors
The dedication of the medical team was not limited to the hospital. Dr. Ladda tried very hard to help and contacted a specialist friend to assist with the case. The doctor’s friend was very kind and flew from Chiang Mai to help that day. I am truly grateful. The diagnostic process was very thorough, but the cause of Nong Pluem’s symptoms could not be found. It might have been caused by dust or pets, but we do not have pets. The only guess was that it might have been from our recent trip.
Treatment Filled with Hope
Nong Pluem’s condition was quite severe, with continuous seizures. He was in a coma-like state, waking up only to have seizures again. However, the medical team never gave up. They closely monitored his condition while encouraging me to stay strong and fight. The situation was very bad at that time, both for Nong Pluem’s health and my mental health, but we kept fighting. His treatment involved many medications, including three anti-seizure drugs to stabilize his condition. Physical therapy was also done alongside, and we tried to talk and play with him constantly to help improve his condition.
Care and Support Like Family
Although the treatment was carried out fully, the family faced financial challenges. “At that time, the expenses were very high, and we could hardly bear the burden. So, we consulted with the doctor about transferring to a public hospital. The doctor understood and helped arrange the transfer and entrusted the care of Nong Pluem to the public hospital. I was very relieved because some medical matters were difficult for me to understand.
During the two months Nong Pluem stayed at the public hospital, Dr. Ladda continued to help even though he was no longer her patient. She still monitored his condition as if he were family, acted as a consultant for me, coordinated with the doctors at the public hospital, explained things to help me understand, and gave me hope and strength to keep fighting.
I must say that during that time, I was very worried because we saw other children with similar illnesses pass away. But we still had hope and did everything the doctors recommended until Nong Pluem recovered and his condition gradually improved. However, we had to accept that everything did not return to 100%. Pluem’s brain development slowed down, and after recovery, he had to continue developmental training for speech and walking.
An Unbreakable Bond
After Nong Pluem’s condition improved, the family continued to use the services at Phyathai 3 Hospital. Nong Pluem himself still remembers the doctors and nurses. Every time we visit the hospital, whether to visit other patients or for family health check-ups, Nong Pluem comes along and always stops to see Dr. Ladda and the nurses.
I remember after Nong Pluem’s condition improved and he returned here, the nurses were very happy to see him, some even teared up. The doctor waited for Nong Pluem to come see her, and he smiled as he walked to the doctor, even though his walking was still not very good. It made us feel that this place is like family. Everyone loves our child, cares about him, and wants him to be healthy just as we do.
Today, more than 20 years later, Nong Pluem has graduated and received his degree. What Nong Pluem asked for was to take graduation photos with the doctors and nurses. He wants everyone to be proud and thanks them for taking such good care of him all along.
