Boys become men after family hardships
(China Daily)
Updated: 2005-12-15 06:10

Not an islolated case

Similar stories happen across the country.

For most youngsters starting university, it is the chance for them to become independent and begin an exciting new life.

When Liu Ting, 19, enrolled at Zhejiang Forestry University this September, however, he asked teachers if he could bring his mother along to stay.

Liu Ting takes care of his sick mother. [Xinhua]

They initially believed Liu wanted to continue to enjoy the home comforts and care he was used to.

However, they were shocked to find that Liu just wanted to attend to his mother as she was suffering from uraemia a condition caused by kidney disease and had lost the ability to look after herself.

Now Liu rents a cheap room of about 10 square metres off campus, with only basic necessities.

He divides his time into three sections art design lessons, a part-time job at the campus canteen and looking after his mother.

His job provides him with three free meals a day plus a 50 yuan (US$6.2) salary per month.

He puts nearly all his spare time in finding ways to help his mother.

Due to a lack of money, he cannot send his mother to live in a hospital ward. Instead, Liu uses his rented room as a makeshift ward, in which he shoulders the responsibility of both a son and a nurse.

He prepares meals, washes clothes, and even gives his mother injections.

To save money, he asked doctors to teach him some basic nursing skills on giving the injections and bandage replacement.

He knew if he could command these nursing skills by himself, he would only need to call on help from hospital staff when strictly necessary.

It was once so different.