After the active treatment by medical staff, Wu Yuanbi's condition improved a lot after her second hospitalization. Cao Yunhui's family rented a room on the first floor of this old residential building. Because she could not gather the 50,000 yuan for treating her ascites disease, she had to endure the pain. (Photo provided by netizens) Image source: Chongqing Morning Post.
On Mother's Day, in order not to involve her family, she took the knife from this cutting board and cut open her stomach... Image source: Chongqing Morning Post.
"With this one cut, if I get better, I will no longer be a burden to my family; if it costs me my life, then I won't drag them down anymore." A 53-year-old farmer from Chongqing, Wu Yuanbi, decided to risk her life and perform self-surgery by cutting open her abdomen to release the accumulated fluid. This is an extreme case of migrant workers in cities who fall into despair due to illness. Fortunately, her shocking act of self-surgery triggered a common pattern of assistance for those in distress: media reports - leader attention - active actions by relevant departments. She has now received treatment. However, the systemic flaws behind this incident must make us reflect deeply.
Wu Yuanbi, with an oxygen tube in her nose and a large silver-white bandage wrapped around her abdomen, lay semi-reclined on the bed, eyes slightly closed.
Her husband, Cao Yunhui, stood by her bedside, wiping sweat off his face repeatedly, "Now that she's in the hospital, we don't have to worry about anything else."
Ten days ago, this 53-year-old farmer from Chongqing used a kitchen knife to cut open her own stomach and released the accumulated abdominal fluid as a form of self-medication, shocking everyone.
On the morning of May 16, a week after the incident, under the attention of relevant leaders in Chongqing, Wu Yuanbi, who was still suffering at home, was sent to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital in Jiangbei District. The hospital stated that they would spare no expense to save Wu Yuanbi's life.
The night of the self-surgery, Wu Yuanbi had completely resolved to take the knife and cut herself open. "With this one cut, if I get better, I will no longer be a burden to my family; if it costs me my life, then I won't drag them down anymore."
The extreme choice of the sick woman
Cao Yunhui mentioned a detail regarding what triggered his wife's decision to cut herself open. That evening before the incident, their granddaughter was playing at home. To get two pears from the table for the child, she barely got up, but because of the weight on her abdomen, she fell down, hitting her head and bleeding. Afterwards, he wondered if this incident had affected her decision to use a kitchen knife to cut open her stomach.
At the Shepingqiao Police Station, this reporter viewed Cao Yunhui's emergency call record made at 12:30 AM on May 9, which suggests that Wu Yuanbi performed the self-surgery between midnight and 12:30 AM. However, the details of Wu Yuanbi's injury mentioned by Cao Yunhui are disputed among the public.
Some informed sources claimed that as early as 2008, Cao Yunhui's son had rented a room on the second floor of Building 27 to live independently. "That night, Cao Yunhui and his wife Wu Yuanbi were playing at their son's and daughter-in-law's house. Later, Wu Yuanbi went downstairs alone and fell at the corner of the first floor, hitting her head. After the hit, they originally wanted to wash her wound, but for some reason, they didn't. Later, Wu Yuanbi used a knife to cut open her stomach."
Cao Yunhui said that the kitchen knife used by his wife was bought for 15 yuan at a market a while ago, weighing half a catty, and since it was sharpened frequently, "the blade was very sharp." Even so, Wu Yuanbi had to try several times to cut open her stomach.
Cao Yunhui carefully recalled the entire process of leaving home that night.
He said, perhaps due to the heat, his wife was lying in bed feeling very uncomfortable, even finding it difficult to turn over. She finally fell asleep but woke up suddenly and lay back down again. Before sleeping, Wu Yuanbi asked him to go upstairs to their son's place and come back later. "Later, I realized she wasn't really sleeping, but trying to send me away."
When Wu Yuanbi cut open her stomach, there was another family next door playing mahjong. Although the houses in this building were separated by wooden boards with poor soundproofing, that night, no one heard any noise from the Cao family.
Wu Yuanbi later said, "After cutting open my stomach, the fluid flowed out of the wound, followed by the intestines. Lying in bed, I gritted my teeth and did not shout for help. Then I fainted from the pain." It was only when her younger brother heard the commotion that he entered the room and discovered her.
The hope of a better life in the city
Those days, despite the hardships, were sweet. However, good times didn't last long. Wu Yuanbi suddenly contracted a "strange disease" — her stomach inexplicably swelled up and kept getting bigger. Gradually, it became even larger than the stomach of a pregnant woman at eight or nine months.
Cao Yunhui's family lived in Longsheng Town, Qijiang County. In 1986, after being discharged from the army, Cao Yunhui was assigned to work at a munitions enterprise in Qijiang County. In 1989, he moved with his wife and their six-year-old daughter and three-year-old son to Chongqing to seek opportunities. In his view, Chongqing was a big city with more chances to earn money. As long as he worked hard, he believed they could live well. Initially, they stayed at a relative's place for a few years. Due to the small space, the four of them lived in cramped and difficult conditions. Later, when he found stable work as a porter at a beverage factory, he moved out of the relative's home and rented a place in Building 27 of Wuyi New Village in Shapingqiao.
"The room was 16 square meters, not large, but much more spacious and free," said Cao Yunhui, 55 years old. At that time, to support the family, he not only worked as a porter at the beverage factory but also worked part-time as a coolie. Being a coolie was tough, but the income was relatively high at the time, "about fifty to sixty yuan per day."
A monthly income of nearly two thousand yuan gave Cao Yunhui hope for a happy future. He worked hard to earn money, while Wu Yuanbi sold fruits nearby and took care of the children's schooling. Despite the less-than-ideal living conditions, their lives were peaceful and comfortable.
Although those days were hard, they were sweet. However, good times didn't last long. Wu Yuanbi suddenly developed a "strange disease" — her stomach inexplicably swelled up and continued to grow larger. Eventually, it became even bigger than the stomach of a pregnant woman at eight or nine months. Wu Yuanbi could no longer go out to sell fruits and had to stay home to take care of the children. But eventually, the swelling made it impossible for her to even cook for the children.
To treat his wife, Cao Yunhui worked tirelessly. Initially, he took her to over ten hospitals, spending almost all the family's savings without finding a cure. It wasn't until August 1998 that she was diagnosed with "Budd-Chiari syndrome" at the Department of Gastroenterology of Southwest Hospital. The disease is caused by impaired blood flow to the liver, affecting liver function. To treat this disease, surgery was needed to drain the ascites.
To pay for the treatment, Cao Yunhui had to quit his job and daily take his wife onto the streets to seek help. In 2002, with the kind donations from some passersby and some fee reductions from the hospital, Wu Yuanbi was admitted for treatment, and over 50 pounds of ascites were drained from her abdomen. However, who would have thought that shortly after, Wu Yuanbi's abdomen began to swell again.
Not included in the "major illness assistance" category
"In recent years, the cost of medication for my wife has been around one or two hundred yuan per month, all saved from 'between the teeth,' my son's salary is not high, and he also needs to take care of his own family's life, so we rely on our daughter to help at home." However, three months ago, the elder daughter also left home.
In the second half of 2010, when Wu Yuanbi's abdomen swelled like a drum again, the Cao family was at a loss.
Eight years ago, Wu Yuanbi underwent an ascites drainage surgery due to Budd-Chiari syndrome, which depleted most of the family's savings. Faced with her abdomen swelling again, the whole family felt panic.
As Wu Yuanbi's abdomen grew larger and larger, Cao Yunhui also took her to the hospital, but each time they had to abandon the idea due to the nearly 50,000 yuan cost of surgery. "My wife couldn't bear it, and we had no money," Cao Yunhui said. Although taking diuretics prescribed by the hospital every day, Wu Yuanbi's abdomen did not shrink but instead became increasingly heavy.
Within less than two or three months of swelling again, Wu Yuanbi was already having great difficulty walking. According to Cao Yunhui's estimate, there was probably another 50 pounds of ascites in her abdomen. Since doctors said that if not treated promptly, the ascites could cause the abdomen to burst, Cao Yunhui was extremely anxious. However, the family simply could not raise the more than 50,000 yuan needed for surgery and could only watch helplessly as his wife's abdomen continued to swell.
In the months leading up to the self-surgery, Wu Yuanbi was almost unable to do anything. Standing less than 1.5 meters tall, she weighed less than 40 kilograms a year ago, but just before the incident, she weighed 62 kilograms. She could not handle daily tasks such as cleaning herself and had great difficulty walking. Because she rarely went out, many neighbors even thought she had moved away.
Chongqing Morning Post reporter Wang Shan told this reporter that Wu Yuanbi's story had been reported by the media before, but after the report, it did not have much impact, and the Cao family did not receive much help. Later, a local TV station also planned to report on it. In the same month as her self-surgery, the TV station was still contacting for interviews, but unfortunately, just after filming finished, Wu Yuanbi cut her abdomen with a knife.
Cao Yunhui said that to treat his wife, at the beginning of this year, he had taken her to the Chongqing petition department. After the petition department contacted them, they were sent to the Qijiang county government. Regarding whether assistance would be provided, the local department believed that his wife's illness did not fall under the "major illness assistance" category and suggested they apply for new rural cooperative medical insurance. However, because of inconvenience and impatience, he did not proceed.
"In recent years, the cost of medication for my wife has been around one or two hundred yuan per month, all saved from 'between the teeth.' My son's salary is not high, and he also needs to take care of his own family's life, so we rely on our daughter to help at home." Cao Yunhui said that 10 years ago, their rent was 100 yuan, and later, knowing their situation, the landlord never raised the price.
After his wife fell ill, he worked outside and earned money as a coolie, while the family relied on their daughter. However, three months ago, the elder daughter also left home.
The reality of self-treatment through self-surgery
The main problems for migrant workers entering cities include difficulty integrating into communities and urban life, low income but high tempers leading to frequent disputes, bad habits like littering; due to low education levels, they lack problem-solving skills, "they don't follow instructions," have no permanent residency status, and thus cannot enjoy many benefits. "I don't know how she is doing now." Mentioning his daughter, Cao Yunhui's eyes welled up with tears, saying he feels guilty towards her.
In Cao Yunhui's view, the departure of his elder daughter might be the deeper reason for his wife's decision to perform self-surgery. In the damp and shabby little house of the Cao family, this girl, who should have enjoyed a happy life, spent difficult times by her mother's bedside, "perhaps she could no longer endure it, so she left."
The Shapingcun Community Committee believed that the current situation of the Cao family was also related to their own issues. "For these past dozen years, no matter how difficult it was, we've never seen him come to us or tell us about his wife's illness," said Zhang Guoqing, the Party Secretary and Director of the Shapingcun Community Committee. He first visited the Cao family in 2002 when he was still a household registration officer at the Shapingqiao Police Station.
Upon learning that she needed to obtain a temporary residence permit, possibly fearing the cost of dozens of yuan, Wu replied, "(Temporary Residence Permit) I'm not getting it, my husband has all the necessary permits at the beverage factory."
"If she had obtained the temporary residence permit and established a temporary relationship, paying 120 yuan annually would allow her to enjoy urban-rural medical insurance, but for all these years, she didn't bother to get it," said Zhang Guoqing. Urban-rural medical insurance requires only 120 yuan annually, with approximately 60% reimbursement for major illnesses, yet her impatient attitude equated to giving up the opportunity herself.
In Zhang Guoqing's opinion, Wu Yuanbi was strong-willed, and Cao Yunhui's relations with neighbors were not good either. "In 2009, due to getting drunk once, it resulted in a fire at home, burning most of the items inside."
Once, a community resident complained to Zhang Guoqing that a mentally unstable resident receiving welfare was renting out their house. He then approached the welfare recipient and informed them that if they rented out their house, they could not continue receiving welfare. The person then pointed out Cao Yunhui, saying they would drive Cao Yunhui, who had caused the fire, away so they could return to live there.
"There are over a thousand households in Wuyi New Village, but now at least 30% are rented to outsiders," said Chen Yanling, Deputy Director of the Shapingcun Community Committee. Since 2000, the number of outsiders in the neighborhood has gradually increased, including many from places like Qijiang and Fuling, about 80% of whom are agricultural population. With the increase in migrant workers, community issues have also multiplied.
Chen Yanling pointed out that the main problems with migrant workers entering cities include difficulty in integrating into communities and urban life, low income but high tempers leading to frequent disputes, bad habits like littering; additionally, due to low education levels, they lack problem-solving abilities, "they don't listen to instructions, don't have permanent residency status, and thus cannot enjoy many benefits; there's also the issue of exceeding birth limits, some having three children within ten years, like Cao's son, who married before reaching legal age and had a child..."
Finally, the 50,000 yuan surgery fee was secured
"It's truly impossible to come up with 50,000 yuan at once for medical treatment, I originally thought I'd take her when we saved enough money. Who knew she would value her life so lightly!" What made Cao Yunhui feel even more heartbroken was that after performing self-surgery, Wu Yuanbi returned to their rented home after only three days in the hospital because she didn't want to burden her family further.
Wu Yuanbi's story is both heartbreaking and puzzling: compared to medical treatments costing hundreds of thousands of yuan, is 50,000 yuan really so difficult for the Cao family that it drove her to self-surgery?
Regarding this, Cao Yunhui explained that as a temporary worker and a coolie, his monthly wage was less than 3,000 yuan, but he had to support the entire family, leaving almost no surplus. "It's truly impossible to come up with 50,000 yuan at once for medical treatment, I originally thought I'd take her when we saved enough money. Who knew she would value her life so lightly!" What made Cao Yunhui feel even more heartbroken was that after performing self-surgery, Wu Yuanbi returned to their rented home after only three days in the hospital because she didn't want to burden her family further.
Soon after returning home, her symptoms worsened. On the morning of May 16, Cao Yunhui suddenly noticed that his wife's previously deflated abdomen had swollen again. "I shouted at her forcefully, but she could only mutter indistinctly." Realizing something was wrong, Cao Yunhui immediately called his son to come home quickly. Neighbors and friends immediately pooled money, but since everyone was struggling financially, they managed to collect only over 900 yuan in three hours.
Just as the Cao family felt hopeless, two ambulances arrived at their doorstep.
It turned out that after Wu Yuanbi's story was reported by the media, it drew the attention of relevant leaders in Chongqing, who instructed to provide full efforts for her treatment, directing the health system to spare no expense in saving Wu Yuanbi. After preliminary diagnosis by medical experts, it was found that Wu's lungs were infected, and the fluid in her abdomen could burst the wound at any moment.
At 11 a.m. on May 16, Wu Yuanbi was taken to the Hepatobiliary Surgery Department of the Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital for treatment. The hospital president, Gao Dan, stated that the infection in Wu's lungs and abdomen was already severe, and her body's electrolyte balance was disrupted. If not treated promptly, her life could be in danger.
On May 17, the hospital conducted a comprehensive physical examination on