A husband who stayed by his wife's side even after her liver transplant... EBS ‘Sharing 0700’

The EBS social contribution program ‘Sharing 0700’ will broadcast the episode "A Promise I Must Keep" on EBS 1TV on October 17 at 11:25 AM. It tells the story of Gyeong-mi, who fought her illness through dialysis and pressure sore surgery after undergoing a liver transplant due to liver cirrhosis, and her husband Byeong-jo, who stayed by her side after his wife was hospitalized. Before the surgery, Gyeong-mi told Byeong-jo, “I want to live.” With the determination to save his wife, Byeong-jo set aside his work, friends, and ordinary daily life to continue caregiving. However, Gyeong-mi passed away after the filming. The hospital bills remain as debt, and Byeong-jo is left alone, carrying the memories of his time with his wife.

The time spent trying to keep his wife's words, “I want to live”

Two years ago, Gyeong-mi stood at the crossroads of life and death due to liver cirrhosis. Ahead of the surgery, she told her husband Byeong-jo to save her, saying she wanted to live. EBS reported that Byeong-jo set everything aside to keep the words his wife left him. He said, “Before the surgery, my wife told me to save her, that she wanted to live. Sometimes I hear those sounds as auditory hallucinations. I only had the thought that I had to save my wife by any means.”

Byeong-jo had been making a living working at construction sites and as a daily laborer in moving services. After his wife collapsed, he gave up his work, friends, and even his ordinary daily life to care for her at the hospital. Although he occasionally went out for daily labor to make a living, it was difficult to focus on work because he was worried about his wife in the hospital. Byeong-jo recalled that the two of them loved camping before his wife became ill. “Before she was sick, we loved camping. We lived for the joy of setting up a tent together and eating ramen.” The time spent setting up a tent and sharing ramen was the daily life of the couple as remembered by Byeong-jo.

Continued hospitalization and treatment after the liver transplant

Although Gyeong-mi underwent a liver transplant, she had a long period of hospitalization, moving between the intensive care unit and general wards. A transplant vascular surgeon explained that Gyeong-mi received treatment for temporary metabolic encephalopathy that occurred after the liver transplant, and she is also undergoing dialysis as her kidney function has declined. The specialist said, “The patient received treatment for temporary metabolic encephalopathy after the liver transplant, and as her kidney function declined simultaneously, she is also undergoing dialysis. Since there is a high possibility of another crisis occurring, the burden on the patient and the guardian can be seen as very large in terms of cost.”

During the continuous hospitalization and treatment process, Gyeong-mi's language abilities declined significantly, causing difficulties in communication. She became so weak that her weight dropped to the 30kg range, and she had to endure dialysis and pressure sore surgery. Byeong-jo continued caregiving without being able to leave his wife's side. In the broadcast, EBS also conveys the burden of hospital expenses borne by Gyeong-mi, who underwent treatment following the liver transplant, and her guardian, Byeong-jo.

Burden of medical and living expenses, caregiving continuing in the hospital

Byeong-jo spent each day in the hospital, waiting for the day his wife would wake up. While caregiving continued, he had to balance it with work to make a living, but he could not focus on work with peace of mind because he was worried about his wife in the hospital. As the treatment period lengthened, the burden of medical and living expenses grew. The specialist explained to Gyeong-mi that dialysis treatment is necessary due to the decline in kidney function and that there is a high possibility of another crisis, noting the large cost burden on the patient and guardian. The situation where Byeong-jo had to handle both caregiving and making a living is introduced in the broadcast.

Byeong-jo hoped his wife would recover quickly. “If I have one wish, it is for my wife to recover quickly. It is only heartbreaking because there is nothing I can do, and I only think that I wish my wife would just get better soon.” He stayed by the side of his wife, who moved between the intensive care unit and general wards even after the liver transplant. While caregiving, he occasionally went out for daily labor to make a living, and in the meantime, he worried about his wife in the hospital. As the time spent enduring to save his wife grew longer, the burden of hospital and living expenses continued to increase. The broadcast conveys the time Byeong-jo spent waiting for his wife's recovery and the economic burden that accumulated during that process.

The wife who passed away after filming, the debt left to the husband

However, after the filming, Gyeong-mi finally passed away. For Byeong-jo, who had been caregiving in the hospital while waiting for the day his wife would wake up, parting has arrived. The tens of millions of won in hospital bills incurred during the process of treatment and hospitalization following the liver transplant remained as debt. Byeong-jo, who had set aside his work and daily life to save his wife, is now living alone, embracing the memories of the time he spent with his wife. EBS also introduces the memory of the two going camping every season and sharing ramen inside a tent.

‘Sharing 0700’ is an EBS social contribution program that supports neighbors in need by collecting 3,000 won in donations per call. This broadcast covers the story of a wife who fought her illness for two years, enduring dialysis and pressure sore surgery after a liver transplant, and the husband who stayed by her side. EBS said to send warm interest and love so that Byeong-jo, who is going through a difficult time, can stand up again. The episode "A Promise I Must Keep" will be broadcast on EBS 1TV on Saturday, October 17 at 11:25 AM.

After Gyeong-mi passed away, tens of millions of won in hospital bills and the memories of the time they spent together remained for Byeong-jo. Through the broadcast, EBS conveys the hospital life the couple spent, the camping memories, and the burden of caregiving and living expenses borne by Byeong-jo. Donations are made through ‘Sharing 0700’, which supports neighbors in need with 3,000 won per call.

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