Wang Jianwen told the reporter that every morning, he likes to chat with his wife on the bed. The content is very simple, just a few words, but they bring him immense happiness and more confidence to stick with his wife for life.
On the afternoon of November 11, the winter sunshine slanted warmly on their bodies. Wang Shiling lay in a wheelchair against the wall, her eyes half-closed, while her husband, Wang Jianwen, gently massaged her.
Under Wang Jianwen's meticulous care, Wang Shiling not only learned to eat steamed buns and make gestures, but she could also read books and occasionally hum a song by herself. When the reporter asked Wang Jianwen how old he was, Wang Shiling, sitting in the wheelchair, immediately used her hands to signal and mumbled "46." Seeing her talking and gesturing, Wang Jianwen smiled happily.
Upon hearing this news, the tall and strong Wang Jianwen felt as if he had been struck by lightning, unable to cry. On the hospital's recommendation, Wang Jianwen took his wife home. Before the accident, Wang Jianwen and Wang Shiling had two children, living a "man farming, woman weaving" life. Although economically they were not affluent, the family was harmonious, the couple respected each other, and they lived happily ever after.
Eighteen years ago, Wang Shiling, the wife of Wang Jianwen from Donggao Village in Jier Street, Sishui County, became a vegetable due to a car accident. For the following 6500 days and nights, Wang Jianwen did not sleep a full night, always guarding his wife's side, massaging, chatting, feeding, and turning her over...
Since his wife loved cleanliness, Wang Jianwen washed her hands, face, and feet every day. Every so often, he would give her a bath. Especially in summer, when mosquitoes bit her, he would drive them away at any time, and because her back got hot and uncomfortable, he had to turn her over continuously.
"How old are you?" Wang Jianwen gently asked his 46-year-old wife.
"Concluded..." Wang Shiling answered.
The family's happy life changed due to a car accident.
However, all the hard work did not go to waste. Now, his wife can talk, though not clearly, her arms can move, and even when eating, she can hold the steamed bun herself. Sometimes she even asks to read! Speaking of this, Wang Jianwen showed a faint smile of relief.
◎ Central Tip ◎
Let's rewind to 18 years ago, on July 21, 1992, around two in the afternoon, when Wang Shiling was passing by National Highway 327 near Shaoye Village, Miaoguan Town, Sishui County, she was hit head-on by a truck and fell into a pool of blood. Wang Shiling was sent to the hospital, where doctors worked hard to save her, and the family took good care of her, but Wang Shiling remained unconscious, unaware of eating, drinking, or going to the bathroom. The hospital gave a diagnosis: Wang Shiling had become a vegetable.
In these 18 years, anything could become numb. When Wang Jianwen recalled taking care of his wife, although there was some bitterness on his face, there was no excessive sorrow. He said, "Taking care of my wife isn't as simple as feeding her every day. Except for being able to speak, everything else has to be done by me." His wife had incontinence, requiring multiple changes daily, and at two o'clock every night, he had to get up and change her diaper. Her limbs cramped every half hour, requiring a half-hour massage to stabilize.
Wang Jianwen said that this one phrase "husband," he waited 18 years for. In these 18 years, Wang Jianwen transformed from a young man into an aged villager with a weathered face; this one phrase "husband" encompassed 18 years of toil and hardship. After 18 years of perseverance, finally, as another winter began, the dawn of happiness arrived. As the saying goes, "Winter has come, will spring be far behind?"
"I am Jianwen!" Wang Jianwen replied.
Now, after Wang Jianwen's meticulous care, his wife can make gestures and even say some words. "As long as my wife is alive, the family can still be called a family," Wang Jianwen told the reporter like this.
Report/Photos by our reporter Huang Guanghua, Correspondent Bao Qingmiao
As long as she has a breath, he will continue to take care of her.
This one phrase "husband," he waited 18 years for.
Suddenly, he heard his wife ask, "Who are you?"
Wang Shiling opened her eyes, squinting, looked for a moment, and then smiled, nodding and saying, "Husband."
"28." Wang Shiling answered.
"As long as she is alive, this family is still a family."
These words reached Wang Jianwen's ears, but he didn't put them in his heart, firmly believing that time reveals true character, and taking care of his wife was his duty. Thus, Wang Jianwen used his manly shoulders to shoulder the responsibilities of the family, one end being the young children, the other being the equally "crying out for nourishment" wife.
Wang Jianwen held onto this belief: "As long as she is alive, this family is still a family." On the 40th morning after returning home, Wang Jianwen was pleasantly surprised to find that Wang Shiling could open her eyes, and sometimes she could say a few unclear words. "My goodness, Ling woke up, Ling woke up!" Wang Jianwen was extremely moved and even more determined to take care of his wife.
At that moment, Wang Jianwen stood there dumbfounded, and after a while, realizing what happened, tears streamed down his face...
Living off the income from the fields, Wang Jianwen's family's life was very difficult, their staple food being pancakes. Due to years of hard work and lack of sleep, Wang Jianwen suffered from back pain and neurasthenia many years ago. All of this did not let Wang Jianwen lose hope in life. He glanced around the slightly cracked house due to disrepair and said, "As long as my wife is here, this is still a complete family. As long as my wife has a breath, I will continue to take care of her like this, I have already gotten used to this kind of life..."
After returning home, looking at his wife on the bed who didn't recognize him, and seeing his crying children day and night, Wang Jianwen suddenly felt that life had lost its meaning. Wang Jianwen's mother-in-law, seeing him act as both father and mother, wasn't feeling well either. She told the neighbors and her children, "You'll see, even though Jianwen is very loyal, he probably can't endure such a hard life. Maybe in three or two months, he'll send Little Ling (Wang Shiling's nickname) away."
For 18 years, Wang Jianwen has persisted day after day, a glass of water, a bowl of rice, carefully taking care of his wife, and will accompany her through life together.
Wang Jianwen often carries his wife outdoors, letting her exercise her bones.
Wang Jianwen trims his wife's nails once a week.
Village Party Secretary Liu Xikun told the reporter that after the car accident, the trouble-making driver compensated 24,000 yuan, which was basically insufficient for Wang Shiling's medical expenses. Nowadays, all of Wang Jianwen's expenses rely on farming. To increase income, besides tending to his own two acres of land, he also contracted another seven acres from others. In crop planting, he could only plant sweet potatoes and peanuts that save time and labor, as he must spend more time taking care of Wang Shiling.
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