A 4-time Brain Surgery Survivor

The Story of life journey on the resolute but not lonesome path

By Vachiravan Vanlaeiad

Wilaiwan Rattan-u-sakul (nicknamed Hua) is a Chinese descendant living in Thailand. She is the eldest of 5 younger brothers and sisters. For the Chinese, the eldest daughter usually helps her mother do all household chores as well as taking care of her younger siblings; however, Hua still had the chance to go to school. She loved studying and learning. Her parents owned a medium-sized grocery store, thus being able to support their children’s education.

When Hua was about 10 years old, she was accidentally hit by a soft-drink truck’s very thick and heavy door, resulting in her having felt giddy for more than 20 minutes. This incident, she thought, was the turning point in her life because when times went by until she was in high school; she started to get very severe headaches. Even the most activate painkillers could not alleviate her sufferings. Her mother, who was at that time a six-month old convert (into Christianity), had taken her to Siriraj Hospital (one of the renowned university hospitals in Thailand). Hua had been taken very good care of by her mom before, during, and after her first operation (since the x-ray results showed blood clots in the brain). This operation had inflicted extreme pain on her. However, she had to get another three operations which the last one was caused by having brain worm symptoms.

After being operated for four times, she could further her education until her last year in a vocational school. Anyway, she had not finished the school, not being granted a diploma. The surgeries had started to affect her study and day-to-day living. She still loved reading and studying. And until now her reading has still been constantly hindered by the results of the operations. Moreover, her vision has shortened year by year plus having crossed eyes as well as worsening memory and slow talking. This results in that when she has finished reading the first chapter of any books in the Bible and starts reading the second one, she has already forgotten the first one and has to start reading it again. But she is a fierce fighter; she would never give up because of her strongly-believed motto: “It is not a harm to not receive a diploma or degree; however, it is a harm not to receive education.” Despite all these obstacles, she has already finished reading the Bible one time!

Up to the present time, the operations have still caused many problems and sufferings to her: having occasionally severe headaches especially when the weather is foul or sultry, having pains and aches in the right calf, etc. However, she has endured all of her life’s hardships and difficulties and never lamented her fate. She has changed her lamentation to joy by praising and thanking God that although she had been operated in the brain for 4 times, she could walk (even a bit staggeringly), sell goods in her small grocery store, calculate changes, cook, and do all household chores.

Hua has shared her secret of strength and resolution in living her life. That is, there is a very popular Thai Christian song titled “Dwelling In God” (Phak Phing Nai Phra Chao) which is written by a music teacher named “Wanida Tripoonpon”, having some words that touch her heart and enormously encourage her: “Dwelling in God, dwelling in Him because He is the steady rock. He is God…the power of salvation…the strong shield and shelter. So, from now on I will not fight alone since the One who is victorious over death and sins, has walked beside me…”

This song has encouraged and inspired Hua to think about living the best for the rest of her life to benefit others. As a result, she can walk staggeringly because of her overbalance on the path of resolution but no lonesomeness because her Lord, the Almighty God, has stayed beside her all the time.