After suffering a stroke, his wife became comatose. The doctor informed the family: even with good care, she might only live for another half year.
However, a 62-year-old man from Hankou named "Deep Affection Grandpa" took care of his wife as if she would wake up every day. He even continued to use her favorite cosmetics before she fell into a coma to take care of her skin. Six years have passed since then. To pay for her care, he sold their 130-square-meter house and now rents a 20-square-meter small apartment. His back has become slightly hunched, but his wife's skin remains smooth and white.
"Deep Affection Grandpa" is named Liu Yingsong. Before retiring, he worked in the municipal commerce system and currently rents a private house near Jiangda Road in Hankou. Yesterday, when the reporter visited their small rented room, he saw that Liu Yingsong and his son lived in the living room, while his wife Hu Changzhen had her own bedroom. The only heating stove was turned on for her. "In the past, my son was under special protection. Now my wife is," said Liu Yingsong.
In August 2006, at the age of 56, Hu Changzhen fell into a deep coma due to a ruptured blood vessel in her brain. "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy usually involves two courses, but I insisted on six. Awakening needles were given for a month, all out-of-pocket expenses, costing more than 10,000 yuan." Despite Liu Yingsong’s efforts, his wife did not wake up. The doctor said that with good care, she might survive for another half year. Liu Yingsong thought, according to old sayings, one's life truly begins at 60; his wife had always been busy taking care of the family and working hard. She got seriously ill right after retirement, which was too bitter. He decided that no matter what, he would let her live past the age of 60.
When his wife returned home, a gastric tube was inserted through her nose, and there was also a tracheal tube around her neck. Liu Yingsong used a blender to process four main meals and six snacks per day into a paste. Then, he steamed it thoroughly in a pressure cooker, cooled it to a warm temperature, tasted it himself, and then fed it to his wife through the gastric tube. Through long-term observation, Liu Yingsong found that under normal circumstances, his wife could consume four tubes. Eating too much or too little would not be beneficial. Since his wife liked eating black fish, he carefully removed all the bones before processing it into a paste. He only used free-range eggs and opted for branded milk powder out of safety concerns.
In early 2008, Liu Yingsong sold their 130-square-meter house. "The housing market wasn't doing well at the time, but we urgently needed money, so there was no other way." Not long after his wife fell ill, his newlywed son got divorced.
Duan Peng, director of the Respiratory Department at Changjiang Shipping General Hospital, was amazed that Hu Changzhen hadn't developed bedsores in six years. Her skin remained stretched and cleaner than that of healthy people. Liu Yingsong explained that she had developed five or six bedsores, but they were dealt with immediately when they appeared. To eliminate pus from the wounds, Liu Yingsong discovered a method—using a small light bulb of about 10 watts to gently dry the area. Duan Peng recommended this method to several families of paralyzed patients.
Before falling ill, his wife was very particular about her appearance and looked spirited no matter what she wore. Liu Yingsong followed her previous skincare brand routine, washing her face daily and applying moisturizer evenly. When he noticed her lips becoming slightly dry, he used sesame oil to keep them hydrated.
Liu Yingsong placed a small radio beside his wife's bed. "Let her hear some sounds. And I talk to her about everyday matters so that she won't forget us," he said.
Liu Yingsong expressed, "I don't expect my wife to stand up again. My greatest wish is for her to regain consciousness and tell me herself whether the food tastes good or where my care still falls short. We've come this far in six years, perhaps she will wake up soon."