A Tribute to Le Hua ~~~God’s Beautiful Flower by
Sr. Marvie L. Misolas, MM July 24, 2009 Maryknoll NY
More than one month ago, the Social Work department referred Le Hua to live temporarily at the center after a week from the hospital; the family does not want her back. She committed suicide by drinking strong cleaning liquid. She has depression. The frail, emaciated and pale looking Le Hua sat with us as we discussed her arrangement of her stay at the center. What was agreed for a week at the center lasted for about a month, the social worker who worked on her case, did not follow up with us. Meanwhile, we were getting so concerned that her situation was not improving. She tried to eat the little she can take, but she vomits everything afterwards. She was clearly in depression sleeping most of the day. I would get her up to take a bath or get her down to sit in the dining area, and even encourage her to walk around. Her vomiting was becoming serious we took her to the hospital, and the doctors eventually determined the cause of her vomiting. Part of her intestine closed during healing because of the wound from the cleaning liquid she drank. She was admitted for operation. I instructed our social worker to call Le Hua’s social worker to no avail, and told her to call the supervisor. The next day, the social worker called and promised she will visit her. She never showed up to check with Le Hua, so we continued to visit Le Hua in the hospital. After the operation, she was doing so well. But one day, the hospital called the center to tell us she was rushed to the ICU because her pulse was very low. She stayed at ICU for almost three weeks and her condition grew worse. One day, we came to visit her, and found she took out all her oxygen and monitor tubes. When we asked her why she did that, she just smiled a bitter smile. I asked her if she is afraid to die, she shook her head. When we said goodbye, she was crying. We told her to have courage and fight for her life. She died early this week. Le-Hua is free now, from her depression, from the pain of being alone, from the hurt of being discarded by her family, from being ignored. She is now with her Creator, celebrating her name ~ Le Hua, beautiful flower just as she is.
I feel a stabbing pain when I heard the news of her death, while here in NY. I feel anger about what happened to her. However, we have no control over her situation. Her story is another example how women are treated so unfairly in our society. Our help was too late.
Sr. Marvie L. Misolas, MM July 24, 2009 Maryknoll NY
More than one month ago, the Social Work department referred Le Hua to live temporarily at the center after a week from the hospital; the family does not want her back. She committed suicide by drinking strong cleaning liquid. She has depression. The frail, emaciated and pale looking Le Hua sat with us as we discussed her arrangement of her stay at the center. What was agreed for a week at the center lasted for about a month, the social worker who worked on her case, did not follow up with us. Meanwhile, we were getting so concerned that her situation was not improving. She tried to eat the little she can take, but she vomits everything afterwards. She was clearly in depression sleeping most of the day. I would get her up to take a bath or get her down to sit in the dining area, and even encourage her to walk around. Her vomiting was becoming serious we took her to the hospital, and the doctors eventually determined the cause of her vomiting. Part of her intestine closed during healing because of the wound from the cleaning liquid she drank. She was admitted for operation. I instructed our social worker to call Le Hua’s social worker to no avail, and told her to call the supervisor. The next day, the social worker called and promised she will visit her. She never showed up to check with Le Hua, so we continued to visit Le Hua in the hospital. After the operation, she was doing so well. But one day, the hospital called the center to tell us she was rushed to the ICU because her pulse was very low. She stayed at ICU for almost three weeks and her condition grew worse. One day, we came to visit her, and found she took out all her oxygen and monitor tubes. When we asked her why she did that, she just smiled a bitter smile. I asked her if she is afraid to die, she shook her head. When we said goodbye, she was crying. We told her to have courage and fight for her life. She died early this week. Le-Hua is free now, from her depression, from the pain of being alone, from the hurt of being discarded by her family, from being ignored. She is now with her Creator, celebrating her name ~ Le Hua, beautiful flower just as she is.
I feel a stabbing pain when I heard the news of her death, while here in NY. I feel anger about what happened to her. However, we have no control over her situation. Her story is another example how women are treated so unfairly in our society. Our help was too late.
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