[BobbyB]

ALS-stricken city woman home for last days with family
Sandra McCulloch, Times Colonist
Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Ngo Huynh finally arrived home to Victoria yesterday to spend the last weeks of her life in the arms of her husband Johnny and three young sons.

The 37-year-old Victoria resident flew home from Vietnam, where she has been in hospital in advanced stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which is a progressive and fatal neurological disorder.

"I'm tired, but I'm happier than ever because I know my wife is home," said Johnny yesterday afternoon outside Royal Jubilee Hospital.



Johnny Huynh and sons, from left, Evan, Ethan and Eric arrive at Royal Jubilee Hospital last night to visit the boys' mother, Ngo, after the woman who is suffering from advanced ALS arrived back in Victoria on a medical flight from Vietnam, where she has been incapacitated in hospital since her condition worsened.

A family trip to Vietnam last spring was supposed to be a chance to visit relatives and explore alternative therapies for ALS, but Ngo's condition worsened on the flight and she was taken to hospital and put on a ventilator.

She was too sick to return home with her husband and boys in September. Johnny phoned her each day but she was unable to talk because of the ventilator, so he talked to her and listened to her breathe.

Johnny is grateful for a community effort to raise $60,100 toward the expense of bringing his wife home with the necessary medical care and equipment.

Ngo was sedated for the trip, said Johnny. "It was a long, long flight for her."

Johnny stayed with his wife as she was admitted to the intensive-care ward. Then he went home to collect sons Eric, Evan and Ethan, ages 10, 6 and 5 respectively, and take them to see their mom.

"They're so excited. They've missed Mom so bad," said Johnny.

As they entered the hospital, Evan was carrying a picture of himself taken at school while Ethan grappled with a teddy bear bigger than himself.

Asked what he'll say to his mom, Evan responded, "I'll ask her if she's feeling well."

Ethan announced, "I've brought a bear for Mom, a big, giant bear."

Eric was more sombre. He has had a hard time waiting for his mother to return. But she's here now and Eric said he just wanted to say "that I love her."

Johnny had about 20 hours sleep over the previous four days but was buoyant nonetheless. "It doesn't matter about me. My wife is more important."

While the donations paid for Ngo's trip home, the cost of the charter flight from Vancouver to Victoria was paid by government, as was the ambulance ride between the airports and hospitals.

Johnny is grateful for the generosity of everyone, saying "I'm proud to be a Canadian."

Johnny is on welfare because of the expense of Ngo's hospitalization. He used to work as a portrait photographer but sold his camera equipment to help support his family.

Ngo's prognosis is grim but Johnny is happy she'll be home in Victoria to die instead of on the other side of the world, away from her husband and children.

The fundraising drive was organized by friends and staff at Northridge Elementary School, where the Huynh boys are students.

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimesc...892b4c&k=65328