Benjamin
A call from the hospital – I got a call from a migrant worker
hospital , a mother of two . She is a Filipino migrant worker, and she suffers from leukemia. This is a call to request help with immigration-related affairs and medical insurance. Joan blinks his eyes at the clean room of the hospital he visited. According to the hospital staff, he is currently suffering from acute pneumonia and leukemia. What I found out during the visit was that Joan had been in Korea on an E-9-2 for less than 3 months, and she and her husband who work in the Philippines have a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old child. My parents were divorced, and I learned that my mother was an undocumented migrant worker in Taiwan.
Joan, who played the guitar well and sang well, was ordinary but lively. When she was in high school, she was so beautiful that she was chosen as the school queen. After meeting and marrying her shy husband, she lived a normal life as a housewife until she gave birth to daughter Andrea (5 years old) and son Ayron (2 years old). But the ordeal came when she gave birth to her son, Aaron.
When the baby was born, the amniotic fluid burst and the hospital wasn’t ready for the baby to come out, so the baby was pushed back into the womb. In the process, a problem occurred, and the child’s lungs became inflamed, and it is said that he was born almost dead. During only a month in the incubator, the child was saved, but it was not normal and the lower part of the body was paralyzed. Joan said that he felt sorry for Aaron, and that so was her husband. So, it is said that her husband went to Dubai as a migrant worker to pay for the child’s hospital expenses.
However, her husband, who was usually shy, could not adjust and returned home after six months. In the end, Joan did migrant labor to Korea. It was a difficult decision for both Joan and her husband, but he had to do more than that to pay for the child’s hospital bills. So Joan came to Korea on March 2, 2007, in early spring, when the cold weather was rampant. I got a job at a △ △ embroidery company located in Gyesan-dong, Incheon. Although the basic salary was 786,480 won and there was no allowance, Joan had to work for his son and the family he had left behind.
Everything was awkward and unfamiliar. But the more I worked, the more tired I became. In the body, heat is better. Blood came out of his lips. At first, I simply couldn’t adapt to the local environment, so I thought it would get better with time. He clenched his teeth and worked for his family.
But my body was getting sicker, and the more I worked, the more exhausted I got. The boss is full but busy, but his efficiency doesn’t go up, and he just complains about Joan who doesn’t do his job properly. The boss was dissatisfied with the fullness or frequent bottlenecks. When I fell down more often while working, my boss told me to go to a nearby hospital. So, at the hospital I went to, the examination result came out that it was tonsillitis due to fatigue and overwork. I thought it would be better if I rested for a day or two, but my body gradually stopped listening.
In the end, the president dismissed Joan, who had not been able to work properly for a month due to illness. Heaps of busy ironing jobs were piling up in full or two shifts, and when Joan couldn’t work, complaints poured in. It was brought in while paying the cost with difficulty under the Employment Permit System, but there were complaints about bringing the sick. After leaving the job, Joan had to find a job. I couldn’t rest even for a moment at the thought of my son who couldn’t walk.
After leaving the △ △ embroidery company, Joan got a job at an electronic company. However, the body, which had been torn from high fever, was no longer able to work. I thought I would be tired simply because the lymph glands were swollen, but as the day went on, my body became more and more exhausted. All of them were transferred to a tertiary medical institution from a nearby hospital they visited again. After transfer, the diagnosis was found to be leukemia. It was the moment when the cause of the high fever and exhaustion of the body over the past two months was finally confirmed.
Unable to afford hospital expenses – The
doctor in charge of migrant workers without human rights explains Joan’s condition. Leukemia is also a disease, but there is a hemorrhage in the retina, so the visual acuity of the eyes is remarkably low. On the other hand, the disease is also a disease, but I am worried about the cost of treatment I have to bear. Koreans often suffer from leukemia due to hospital bills. Even if you go to the Philippines, it is difficult right now, and even if you go, it is a case of going to die considering the medical level and economic situation.
Joan is silent from start to finish. Whether he is aware of this fact or whether he has not yet deceived the fact that he has leukemia remains silent. Perhaps it is difficult to accept the present reality. Countless thoughts must be running through your head, tangled like a thread, with your child and husband you left behind in the Philippines, and your plans for the future.
Joan, lying on the bed, refuses to make eye contact, perhaps because the visitor is unfamiliar. Despite the fact that he came from the Human Rights Center, he is silent. It seems that they are not yet mentally ready to accept leukemia. After a little awkward time and asking questions, it’s hard to believe that 25-year-old Joan is the mother of two children. Joan is too young for that. Are you facing life and death at a young age?
Medical insurance cards that were lost due to the company’s resignation measures were re-subscribed to local medical insurance to receive insurance benefits. fortunately it is Without it, it is difficult to afford the hospital bills that are rising day by day.
The next day, I called Joan’s company. I called to ask if I could at least get help for hospital bills, but it seems more difficult than Joan lying on the bed. I would give it even if it was only ten thousand won, but I hear through the handset that I can’t afford it. I’m so embarrassed that I feel like I just called. Whether this is the reality of most small businesses in Korea that accept migrant workers today, or whether they have the money or time to take care of the details of migrant workers, hang up the phone and thoughts come flooding in.
Many migrant workers who entered the EPS system often face difficult situations for various reasons. Industrial accidents and related nonpayment of wages, moving to the workplace, and assault on the workplace have their own system and can be resolved in any way. However, in the case of acute leukemia as in Joan’s case, there is no countermeasure. It’s like the individual has to take care of all the issues. As a result, hospitals are worried about hospital costs, so the hospital consults with the city’s migrant worker support department, but as there is no support system or plan related to it, they eventually come to the Human Rights Center. Hospitals, cities and provinces, and businesses often pass each other on. In the end, because there is no system in place, they come to Korea as migrant workers and become lost. There is only labor and capital, but no human beings and human rights.
Time to fight loneliness – Since the
disease is a blood tumor for my beloved son, various blood tests are essential. Joan’s forearm is all bruised with needles. Every blood test, Joan shudders. The rain that signals the rainy season is pouring down in the hospital room that I visited just in time. Joan just sits on the bed and watches the rain outside the hospital room. What do you think? I’ve been wondering for a while, but I think maybe I’m just harvesting complicated thoughts. Thinking back to high school, or remembering his own guitar playing, he hums Freddie Aguila’s ‘The Wife’.
Anak
Freddie Aguila
Nu’ng isilang ka sa mundong ito
Laking tuwa ng magulang mo
At ang kamay nila,ang iyong ilaw
At ang nanay at tatay mo’y
‘Di malaman ang gagawin
Minamasdan pati pagtulog mo.
When you were born into this world
mom and dad made me dream that I saw
will cost our dreams come true
yieotji answer to our prayers,
the At SA gabi’y napupuyat
to ANG iyong nanay
Sa Gatas ng Mo pagtimpla
the At SA Umaga nama’y kalong
ka ng iyong amang
Tuwang-tuwa sa iyo.
You’re too valuable for us kids reckons
you laugh every time banggeut we were delighted
every time you cry
, we danda not leave you
Ngayon Ka ng malaki NA
Nais mo’y maging Malaya
‘Di man Sila payag
walang magagawa
Ikaw AY-nga biglang nagbago
Naging matigas ang iyong ulo
At ang payo nila’y sinuway mo.
Son, you
don’t know that
we can go any way For the love we can give
you I swear to God that to take care of you till the end
I would
die for you if we had to.
Di mo man lang inisip na
Ang kanilang ginagawa’y
para sa iyo
‘Pagkat ang nais
mo’y masunod ang layaw mo
“Di mo sila pinapansin. The
seasons have changed many times and
many years have already
passed.
now you’re suddenly abandoned it raised
Nagdaan PA to ANG MGA araw
the At landas to ANG mo’y naligaw
Ikaw AY nalulong SA
masamang bisyo
the At the Mong nilapitan to ANG UNA
Ang iyong inang lumuluha
At ang tanong “Anak,
ba’t ka nagkaganyan?”
But what made you so different
You seem to want to leave us
Say your heart out loud
what we did to you
At ang iyong mga mata’y biglang
lumuha ng di mo napapansin
Pagsisisi at sa isip
mo’y nalaman mong
Ikaw’y nagkamali.
Pagsisisi at sa isip
mo’y nalaman mong
Ikaw’y nagkamali.
Pagsisisi at sa isip
mo’y nalaman mong
Ikaw’y nagkamali.
Then you suddenly bad way
‘re but his entering
son’re Putting is now wondering
what you mean what to say
You’re so lonely
‘re not a four yeopen friends
Putting son’re now shedding tears of regret
we relieve your loneliness ferment
Wherever you need to go,
we are always waiting for you with the door open.
Outside the window, the rain is pouring down endlessly. Perhaps Joan is thinking of her son, Aaron, who has been paralyzed since birth. A song flows low in the silence. Joan’s low voice resounds in the hospital room quietly. As he said, I want to give everything, but my mother’s heart is broken because she cannot give. It must be raining in Joan’s heart.
In the pouring rain, a Philippine embassy employee comes to invite Joan’s parents, and the attending physician informs him of Joan’s treatment schedule. The survival rate during the first treatment period (4-6 weeks) is 80%, and after the second treatment period (4-6 weeks), it may be good or bad depending on the treatment result. The problem is that Joan’s body and mind have weakened immune systems, but the cost of treatment is also high. In some cases, platelet donors have to stand in line, followed by a bone marrow transplant. Like the rain falling outside the window, expectations for the future and the course are endless. But hope cannot be given up.
Joan’s hopes and preparations for parting – the long way home
If there is any hope for Joan, it is to watch her daughter and son until they go to college. If only life could be extended until then. When my son was born, his amniotic fluid broke in advance, and he was in the incubator for two months. At that time, Joan prayed earnestly to ‘lend my life on my son’s behalf.’ Now, he smiles, saying that his situation is the opposite of that back then. Maybe Joan doesn’t know if he’s thinking of a quiet breakup. The eyes are progressing closer to blindness, and the blood tumor will gradually exhaust Joan’s whole body and make it difficult. It will destroy his whole body like a fluttering tongue. The crossroads between life and death are just a short distance away.
But life is not easy to give up. When will you return to the Philippines? No one knows whether it will return to death, or whether it will give up everything and return, or whether it will return to life. Joan also had sleepless nights for the first few days, and now seems to be looking back at herself calmly. I’m happy. Rather, he seems to accept all the facts calmly and calmly. It’s hard to fathom his feelings because he doesn’t show his feelings, but he’ll probably stop for a moment somewhere on the way home and take a breath. at the watershed of life.
The midsummer rain falls silently on the leaves. It’s quiet. Perhaps all the sorrows in the world seem to dwell in a low place like the falling rain. I wonder if the time I spent with Joan for a few days was just a dream come true. In the lowest and lowest place in the world, I think for a moment that maybe I am a lost and invisible soldier who fights a great demon. Then, suddenly, every time I go through a life like Asura, where I live now, I somehow feel empowered. May my battle, my death, and my life be the least of the genie. Stay strong, Joan!
Behind the scenes
Joan’s illness is still there. Joan is still battling a blood tumor in the clean room. My body fell with a lot of muscle, and my whole body was exhausted. Even if you are mentally strong, chemotherapy will drop your body into hell regardless of your will. The body is in full blown, but what of the mind, the soul must be lost even more.
What makes Joan even more difficult is his loneliness. It’s been less than three months since I came to Korea, so I don’t have any friends or colleagues who can keep the hospital room. I don’t know if the fight against loneliness is also exhausting Joan.
Recently, people around Joan who heard about Joan are getting help. One of the nice things is that there is talk of bringing Airon, his son, who is physically disabled from the Philippines, to Korea to treat him with Joan. It’s nice and thankful for Joan. But it is also difficult. Visa problems, costs to come to Korea, medical expenses, etc. are a mountain beyond the mountain. But, someone said. It makes you do what you need to do.
Story, Joan
writed by Kim, Charles
I received a phone call from GIL HOSPITAL telling me about one Philippine woman (Filipina) with LEUKEMIA. They asked me to visit the woman due to communication problem, insurance card problem and sponsor.
I went to the hospital at once and there I meet TIMPUG JOAN JULIO. A 25 years old woman with 2 children : a 2yrs. old son and a 5 yrs. old daughter.
She arrived in Korea 3 months ago “Employment Permit System” (EPS) but worked only for 1 month because 2 months she had cold and swollen tonsillitis.
That was only Joan’s own diagnosis! Joan thought that was just a simple/ordinary cold with swollen tonsillitis so she just went to a small hospital and drugstore. She also experienced 3 weeks very high fever so she now decided to go to GIL HOSPITAL and the doctor’s findings were Acute Pneumonia and Acute Leukemia.
She is very young and her life living status/situation is very difficult and that’s the reason why she’s here in Korea working for a living. But why she has this terrible illness? She has no medical insurance so I have to pay 4 months insurance and renew her medical insurance now.
Even I encounter very big problem, I always hope and wish to come up with the best result.
I tried to gather informations from other Filipinos about this case (what if this happen in Philippines?) and they said “Patients like that in Philippines only survive for 3 months and die.” Maybe they can not support/afford the hospital bill that’s why they discharge the patient and would rather choose to stay at home and that’s the reason why they only survived for 3 months.
Last night, I went to GIL HOSPITAL in Asepsis room (room for patients with leukemia) and talked to Joan.
She said – “I can not believe this because before I came here, I also undergo on medical examinations and found out NO PROBLEM.”
Maybe Korean doctors’ findings were wrong! Later on she now accepted the situation that sooner she will die and said “Pastor, I can not die now.” “I want to live until my children reach/finish college!” “May I live until that time Pastor?
” The 5 yrs. old daughter is very intelligent and was accelerated now to Grade 1. Joan talked to her daughter on the phone and her daughter said on the phone “Mommy are you sick? Are you crying Mom?” Upon hearing that conversation, I silently cried! I can not hide, tears coming out from my eyes.
Joan (the patient) said “Pastor, my 2 yrs. old son is a very special child because when I give birth; the water and the baby already came out BUT the hospital is not yet ready so they put back my baby inside my womb . The baby was infected and that causes him to stay 1 month incubator in the hospital.
At that time I pray to God “May I borrow my baby’s life and I promise to be a very good, great and responsible person/mother to them so please God grant me.” God answered my prayers and my baby was discharged from the hospital.”
Now, I can not keep my promise to God because I have Acute Leukemia and Acute Pneumonia.
I am dying and then she cried out! I can not stay longer together with her so I left her HOPE message and I went back to the church.
I can not sleep because when I go to bed my mind was still on the patient.
Today, I give Joan our “Life Liner” English News Paper but she said “Pastor, I can not see; I can not read! What’s wrong with my eyes?” Hurriedly I brought her to the opthamology and the doctor check her eyes for 1 hour and said “3 weeks with very high fever made her retina bleed that’s why she can not see or read anymore.”
Now, Joan wants to call anybody BUT she can not call because she can not see, she can not check the name list on her phone book.
Oh Lord! Please you help this pitiful woman. Pls.
Oh Lord answer her prayer just like the way you answer the life of her son.
Now I pray to you Lord Oh God the life of this pitiful woman for her mission and for her children. Pls. allow her to borrow her life, pls. allow her to live/survive.
Joan has a lot of hospital bill in GIL HOSPITAL and someone help her with the billings and we only paid half of her hospital billings.
We transferred Joan to a bigger hospital and now she is in AJU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER.
I hope and pray that this hospital is a start of a new life for Joan.
I also hope and pray for God’s grace and blessings for a new start of a new life for Joan