Bich Hang, 33 years old, had psoriasis when she was in 2nd grade. She wanted to “free herself” many times, but gradually tried to overcome it. She is currently a deputy director of a bank branch.
“I have experienced mornings when I woke up and had to clean up scabs from my bed. When it was hot, I still had to wear long clothes and a wool hat that left only my face exposed,” Hang said.
She was born healthy, to a family of farming parents in Dong Nai. At the age of 8, after a bout of fever and severe cough and having to take a lot of medicine, small scabs appeared on the back of her neck. The scaly patches gradually spread all over the body. Following everyone’s recommendation, Hang’s parents took their child to many places for treatment and tried all kinds of methods. Many people believe that she has eczema, leprosy, scabies, and dermatitis.
The disease hasn’t been named yet, Hang doesn’t understand why she looks different from everyone else. She experienced a lot of low self-esteem and guilt during her student days. Some people are afraid that skin diseases will spread, so they are hesitant about contact, making Hang even more withdrawn.
There were times when the disease broke out violently, the weather was hot, and the student wore a sweater and a hood to go to school. Scales stuck to her hair, so she had to shave her head, becoming a “scabies nun”. Many days, while using a thick comb to brush the scales on her body, she shed tears. No less than a dozen times, Hang thought about death, freeing herself from pain, with things like red scarves, pesticides… However, thinking about her parents, Hang could not bear it, afraid that she would die. Foolish actions will affect the family.
“One time my mother cried while shaving my hair. She accidentally cut her scalp and it was very painful, but perhaps my pain cannot compare to hers. It was only later that I told her it was thanks to this haircut. But I woke up,” Hang shared.
At the age of 17, Hang thought she had cured her disease after taking a medicine of unknown origin. Her skin no longer peels off, Hang has a good appetite, uncontrolled weight gain, and her body is unusually plump. Unexpectedly, when he was involved in a car crash and had an open wound, his illness immediately progressed to a serious condition. Within one night, psoriasis appeared all over the body, the skin was dry, cracked, and blistered all over the body. After that, the scales grew thick quickly, she gradually became exhausted, could not breathe, “it seemed impossible to survive”. Hang was taken to Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital for emergency treatment by teachers and friends in the dormitory on October 7, 2008.
Waking up in the hospital, she saw surrounded by doctors and doctors and her parents. For the first time, she learned that her disease was called psoriasis. Her medicine contains corticosteroids. When first used, her skin will be smooth, but when she stops, her skin will flare up into severe redness, her whole body will peel off, with pustules, swelling and pain in the joints of her arms and legs, causing deformity.
MSc. Pham Thi Uyen Nhi, Deputy Head of General Planning Department, Dermatology Hospital, said that psoriasis cannot be completely cured, but if treated early and properly, patients can still have an almost normal life. Normal. The hospital receives many people who do not know the disease like Hang’s case, or know the disease but are impatient to seek treatment everywhere, believing in “complete cure” advertisements, leading to serious complications, seriously affecting their health. Strong.
During three months of treatment at the hospital, which helped gradually peel off the scabs, Hang was thoroughly explained by the doctors and encouraged a lot, and felt “no longer alone in her disease”. Wandering around the hospital floors, interacting with people, she realized there were many people with serious skin diseases, more dangerous than her psoriasis.
“My disease is benign and can be controlled, but because I don’t know about it in the countryside and take medicine too much, it’s so severe,” Hang said. She participated in a group connecting patients in similar situations, called “Shimmering Candles”, sharing and encouraging each other to overcome adversity. With this disease, keeping a comfortable and optimistic spirit is extremely important. Intense thoughts and stress are factors that trigger severe attacks, making the disease even more difficult to control.
Bich Hang with a bright smile, full of positive energy of the present. Image: Character provided
Leaving the hospital to return to her hometown, Hang devoted herself even more to studying and passed the entrance exam at Ho Chi Minh City University of Banking. Understanding the disease and determining that she must stick with it, Hang “completely transformed” when she went to university. She volunteered to be class president, was active in association activities, and joined the shock performing arts team, thus gradually becoming more confident. When performing on stage, if she needs to wear a short skirt, she will wear leather stockings and gloves. Even though she still has to rely on the support of accessories, she gradually realizes that things only get better when she overcomes her own limits.
With her limited appearance, she thought that after graduating from school, she could only do office work and process paperwork in the bank. During the internship, Hang followed the instructors to meet customers and gradually learned from them. Then, hearing that the bank was recruiting employees, she applied for an interview and tried to complete all tasks to become an official employee.
When her illness was severe, her skin was dry, cracked, and painful, she bandaged the inside, wore business clothes outside, and focused on work. For many years in a row, the woman has always been an excellent employee, bringing high sales, gradually conquering management positions and becoming deputy branch director.
At work, Hang met her husband – who chose her not because of her appearance but because of her “optimism, determination, face that is always bright and radiant, full of energy”. During the past 7 years, he has always been by her side in all the joys and sorrows, including the times when her illness got worse and her skin became rough and ugly.
About three years ago, Hang approached biological drugs – the most advanced psoriasis treatment today. Since then, the disease has been controlled by more than 85%, the skin no longer has scales, only pigment spots such as dark spots and age spots.
“The skin cannot be as white as usual, but for our patient community, touching skin that no longer feels rough with scales is a great happiness,” Hang said. Each month, biological drug treatment costs more than 9 million VND after deducting health insurance. She is supported half of this cost thanks to the insurance policy and support from the bank where she works.
Overcoming her guilt, Hang gradually became grateful for the disease, because thanks to it, she could choose her ideal partner. She also has close friends and colleagues. “I am very grateful to my husband, both families, teachers, friends, bosses, colleagues, and customers who have accompanied me on the past journey and the upcoming roads,” Hang said, adding that her desire to pass on Positive inspiration to patients in the same situation.
“Instead of thinking negatively and blaming yourself for your fate, if you accept it with a positive mindset and focus on promoting your own values, the results will definitely be better,” the woman shared.