Day 32

22 May 2013

After cleaning Lien's wound again, which incidentally showed a remarkable improvement, I texted Eddie with the message not to ask questions but to supply his bank account number.

Meanwhile Glenn had fronted and paid for the bike.

Most of the morning I worked on what I had started last night. I build a website to help Tommy. Funds need to be generated to get him in a better place. Be it the French hospital or this one there treatment must be improved upon as the harsh reality is that Tommy could lose his life and Ed en Hien their son.

I came up with the following idea and text.

Sorrow

Eddie Verdriet, The name is apt as Verdriet means Sorrow

Wanted: Your Help

Solely created by Richard Wolters without request from Eddie Verdriet

Hello
I realise that everyone is very "busy" with all sorts of things but hope you take a few minutes to read this page.
I am a friend of Eddie Verdriet. Eddie and I met two years ago in Sapa in far northern Vietnam. We only spoke to each other for 5 to 7 minutes but instantly connected and have been in touch ever since. As most of you know life had dealt Eddie and his partner Hien (pronounced He-Ann) a severe blow.

About a month ago their son Tom was born. During the birth the doctors had noticed that the Amniotic Fluid had an odour and was slightly coloured indicating an infection. Shortly after, Tommy got very sick and was rushed to Hanoi by ambulance. Ever since, his condition has deteriorated. He has been in and out of intensive care a few times and is there again at this time (22/5).

Eddy and I met again and could I witness thing first hand.
I had read on face book what was happening so far away; But now being there and listening to Eddie's desperate pleas and frustration brought me close to tears.
Yesterday when talking through his anger and upset I could see the desperation in his eyes and heard it in his voice. Eddie would rather die than let his son die, but unfortunately the way it is going now it start to look that Tommy may ultimately lose the battle... however...

This is Vietnam. As a traveler you travel on the surface and get the impression that everyone is happy as everyone smiles and is very friendly.
The underlying fact is that this IS a communist country where true communism has gone wrong. Everything depends on Who you know and Who you pay. Rules and regulations are thrown out of the windows as long as you pay.

Tommy needs to be transferred urgently to a good professional hospital. Just a transfer to Bangkok would cost $40.000. and is out of the question. The best option is a transfer to a nearby French Hospital. The cost of is very high which Eddie cannot afford as he is running out of funds.
The hospital system is very different than what we are used to in the western countries. Nursing staff look after the equipment and you get the occasional assistance. Family needs to stay with the patients often 24/7 to care for them, but of course the hospital charges $60 per day for that ( a lot of money over here)
Money seems to be the only thing what can save Tommy' life. If you run out of money you child dies. that IS the reality.
I have seen the many many people on face book (including me) wishing Eddie well; stay positive, we are thinking of you; we burn a candle for Tommy; I wish you both strength; all will be fine. etc
Within a few days they will come with the bill. Eddie can't go to their office and say "Come on, give us a break, look I will burn a candle for you and wish you strength in your job and think of you when I sit in my hotel room, you know what?, I will personally burn a candle for you!
The answer would be: Just pay or we will take Tommy out of intensive care and just take him home and see what happens. Yes this is Vietnam and not Holland or Australia.
What Eddie and Hien need not is funds to keep their son alive.
Every Dutch person knows the famous comedian and poet Toon Hermans. This man once wrote a poem that many people display inside their house and goes like this:
vriend
je hebt iemand nodig
stil en oprecht
die als het erop aan komt
voor je bidt of voor je vecht
pas als je iemand hebt
die met je lacht en met je grient
dan pas kun je zeggen:
'k heb een vriend
For the non Dutch speaking among you it goes something like this:
Friend:
Someone you can call on and who is sincere
Who if when it come down to it will pray and fight for you
If you have someone who shares your laughs And shares your tears
Only then you can say you have a true
Friend

I have noticed that Eddie has 494 FRIENDS on face book, do I need to say anything...

Collectively, for the cost of a few cappuccino's, a few beers or a packet of smokes, Tommy may stay alive and soon be on the road to recovery. Eddie could pay for him to the nearby French Hospital where he can see French (meaning proper) doctors and can get away from the guessing amateurs he now dealing with and are playing with his sons life.
Yesterday Eddie showed me a list of NEW bacterial infection Tommy has acquired whilst in hospital.
And who am I ? I am just a FRIEND, who cut his further Vietnamese travel plans to offer Eddie a shoulder to lean on, someone who cares and already has taken the first step. I sold my Vietnamese motorcycle today and shoved the money into Eddie's pockets this afternoon. I hope and trust you will find your own means to offer your financial support to Eddie and his family

Eddie's bank details are as follows:
Account name: VERDRIET EDDIE RONALD
... Account number : 5663688
Bank detail: ANZ bank (Vietnam) limited,
Address: 14 LE
Thai To, Hoan Kiem , Hanoi
SWIFT code : ANZBVNVX

For those who prefer to pay to Holland at ING Bank:
Acc. Nr 57 16 927
BIC: INGBNL2A
IBAN: NL96INGB0005716927
On the name of : E. Verdriet in
Deventer.

or for the Ausies who would like to help
c/o
Suncorp Bank
BSB 484-799
a/c 500424587
R.A Wolters
Attention Tommy
I will see to it that it will be transferred to Eddie
ANZ Bank Hanoi details will follow soon
Richard A Wolters
ricwolt at yahoo dot com au


Now it was a case of putting it on the net via face book and let it spread.

The moment I launched the site I noticed that another friend of Eddie's (Natalie Cole) who lives in Belgium had taken action as well. This has to work!

A few hours later Ed and I met during which conversation I shoved the most of the money I got for the bike into Eddie's pocket as the first lot of money going toward saving Tommy and improving his situation.

At night Lien told me with a happy face that she was allowed to go home, flying first class to Paris and by ambulance to Belgium. She was very happy.

I went outside to buy a drink when the man from the souvenirs shop diagonally across the hostel (he owns two shops -his wife runs the one across the road and he the other)

He put his arms around me and said: "I love you, you are a good man" What is this about I asked him. Because of what you for the girl yesterday. His wife had told him that I had taken Lien to the lake and he knew that Lien had been in the hostel for a long time recovering and never went out. Well that was nice of him to say that.