Woman takes care of her paralyzed mother-in-law and husband who is like an animal for 20 years

by iface003 on 2011-04-07 11:18:18

■ A Happy Family Struck by Disaster

Patients are most afraid of unhygienic conditions, so she would frequently change and wash her in-laws' clothes, always washing and airing their bedding, and the house's cleanliness was maintained daily. To keep the two elders in good spirits, she specially placed a color TV by their bed, allowing them to watch TV to alleviate boredom.

In the seventh year of her mother-in-law's illness, misfortune struck this family again — her father-in-law fell ill and became completely paralyzed, a vegetative state patient. Despite appearing frail, Jia Haique faced this reality with resilience. She understood that her husband was the only son in the family, and taking care of the elders was an inescapable responsibility for both her and her husband. She had to be strong and manage this unfortunate family as well as possible.

◆ In 2002, she was awarded the "Excellent Moral Family" title in Xingtai City and spoke at the conference.

In an ordinary farming household, both the father-in-law and mother-in-law successively fell ill and became bedridden. The young daughter-in-law, not yet 30 years old, resolutely abandoned her job to take care of the two elders at home. For 20 years, she cared for them. In over seven thousand days and nights, the clothes and bedding of her in-laws were always kept clean and dry, the elderly's rooms were swept spotlessly clean by her, and she painstakingly prepared delicious meals to supplement their nutrition. Her father-in-law became a fully paralyzed vegetative state patient due to illness, and every time she fed him, it was done spoon by spoon. To help the elder regain health, she overcame societal prejudices, unafraid of dirt and odor, cleaning and changing his clothes without complaint.

◆ In 1999, the Lao Cadres Bureau of Neiqiu County presented her with the "Filial Piety Role Model" plaque.

◆ In 2010, she was honored with the title of one of the "New Twenty-Four Filial Piety Models of China" and received a certificate and medal.

◆ In 2006, she was named "Good Daughter-in-Law" by the Women's Federation of Neiqiu County.

◆ In 2005, she received a banner from the Women's Federation Office of Xingtai City for "Promoting Family Virtues and Respecting Elders."

Day after day, year after year, she tended to the two patients. Starting each day before dawn, she cleaned, cooked, fed, washed clothes, changed bedding, and wiped bodies. Year after year, her children grew up in these difficult times; four of them, three already working, were all very filial. Now, both elders have passed away, and although her own health is not great, she feels much lighter in spirit.

Honors Achieved by Jia Haique

◆ In December 2004, she was named a "National Star of Filial Piety and Respect for the Elderly," receiving a medal from the Central Aging Committee and the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The two elders felt they were a burden on her. Once, her mother-in-law pulled her hand and said, "If there's no one else around, strangle me now. Everyone knows how filial you are; no one will suspect you. We really don't want to drag you down anymore." Hearing this, Jia Haique felt immense sorrow but patiently consoled her mother-in-law not to think such things. She willingly took care of the two elders, believing that their happiness was the children's blessing.

■ A Filial Daughter-in-Law Supports a Family with Love

To ensure the elders lay comfortably, pillows had to be placed in different positions, and only Jia Haique could place them in a way that made the elders feel most comfortable. This was not the hardest part; the hardest was wiping her father-in-law’s body and handling his excretions. Initially, he also found it inconvenient, but harsh realities forced them to abandon traditional taboos. What would normally be an unacceptable act for others became natural and ordinary through Jia Haique's love for her family.

Faced with praise and honors, Jia Haique said, "Every family has elders, everyone will grow old. Caring for elders is my duty. If they live to be a hundred, I am willing to serve them for a hundred years. At the same time, I must educate my children to carry forward the glorious tradition of respecting and caring for the elderly in our Chinese culture."

◆ In 2003, she was named a "Chinese Role Model for Respecting the Elderly" by the Women's Federation of Neiqiu County.

In terms of daily life, she was meticulous and considerate. Each meal was carefully planned based on the elders' preferences, and meals were always tailored to their tastes. Under poor conditions, she saved food from her own portions to supplement the elders' nutrition. Her father-in-law, unable to move, needed to be slowly fed spoon by spoon. A single meal required 60 spoonfuls, sitting up to eat, lying down to drink soup, neither too cold nor too hot, neither too thin nor too thick. Sometimes, he would laugh suddenly, spraying food everywhere. It took Jia Haique about an hour to feed each meal. After feeding a meal, the less than 90-pound Jia Haique would feel exhausted, sweaty, and her legs would ache.

◆ In 2008, she received a "Cultural Family Style: Filial Piety Comes First" mirror plaque from the Jin Dian Town Government of Neiqiu County.

As the saying goes, "There are no dutiful children by the bedside of a long-term sick person," but Jia Haique disproves this. She wrote an impressive chapter of filial piety with her 20 years of youth and sweat. The village's party secretary, Hao Jinda, said that Jia Haique is famous in several nearby villages. Everyone knows her stories of respecting her in-laws, setting a good example for local daughters-in-law. Influenced by her, there have been no cases of disrespecting in-laws in the area. Now that the elders have peacefully passed away and the children have grown up, she truly deserves a rest. The villagers speak of her with admiration and concern.

During the conversation, the reporter asked Jia Haique if she had ever felt resentment or injustice during these 20 years. Tears welled up in her eyes even before she could speak. "I am just an ordinary person with my own dreams, but fate led me through this life, leaving many regrets behind. However, I do not regret it. I believe taking care of elders is the responsibility of their children. No matter how much hardship we endure or how many tears we shed, ultimately letting the elders leave this world without regrets is what matters."

She is Jia Haique, known as a good daughter-in-law, from Jin Dian Village, Jin Dian Town, Neiqiu County.

◆ In 2004, she was awarded the "Advanced Individual in Spiritual Civilization Construction" by the People's Government of Neiqiu County.

Jia Haique's Lost Honors

Wiping away her tears, she told the reporter that in previous years, to make a living, her husband worked outside, returning to let her eat better when possible. She knew her husband cared for her, which satisfied her. In fact, human endurance is something one might not even know themselves. As the youngest child in her natal family, she had never done physical labor, but facing such circumstances in her marital home, she had no choice but to face them herself. Every time her parents visited her, they would cry, but she persevered. For 20 years, she did not go out shopping, did not visit relatives, and did not sleep a full night.

At the age of 24, Jia Haique married into the Zhou Qingguo family, living with her in-laws. The couple worked hard on their farmland, leading a harmonious life. The birth of their child brought even more joy to the family. But after a few good years, disaster struck this happy family. In 1986, her mother-in-law suffered from hemiplegia and was bedridden, requiring special care. To care for her mother-in-law, Jia Haique resolutely quit her job at the department store. She cared for her mother-in-law, looked after her children, and helped her husband manage the fields. Life went on toughly but hopefully.

■ 20 Years of Sweat Writing a Chapter of Filial Piety