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Success! Bu from Thailand raised $1,500 to fund kidney stone treatment.

Bu
100%
  • $1,500 raised, $0 to go
$1,500
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Bu's treatment was fully funded on January 4, 2021.

Photo of Bu post-operation

February 6, 2021

Bu underwent kidney stone treatment.

Before his surgery, Bu would experience back pain and a painful burning sensation. Sometimes he would have a headache and if the pain was severe he would have difficulty breathing. Since his surgery, Bu is no longer in pain. He is able to sit for a longer period of time, he can sleep better at night and he no longer has headaches. Although he still has a bit of pain at the site of his surgery, Bu is now able to help out with household chores and is getting more active again.

“After I’ve recovered completely, I will plant vegetables in my yard,” Bu said. “I am grateful to all the donors who supported my surgery’s cost and to all everyone who helped free me from this painful period of my life. I will never forget their help.”

Before his surgery, Bu would experience back pain and a painful burning sensation. Sometimes he would have a headache and if the pain was se...

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August 15, 2020

Bu is a 53-year-old man who lives with his wife, two sons and two daughters in a refugee camp in northern Thailand. He and his family fled there from Karen State, Burma, due to conflict in their area. Every month, Bu’s household received 1,514 baht (approx. 50 USD) as part of their camp rations. Bu’s oldest son works on farms outside of the camp as a seasonal day laborer. He makes 1,100 baht (approx. 37 USD) per month. The rest of Bu’s three children are students, and his wife is a homemaker. Despite receiving free primary health care services and schooling in the camp, Bu’s family is struggling to make ends meet every month.

Bu started to suffer from back pain and fever in 2015. He also experienced slight discomfort and a burning sensation while urinating. When he went to the camp’s clinic, run by Malteser International (MI), he received oral medications. For a few months, his symptoms and pain disappeared, but later on, they returned. Whenever the pain would worsen, Bu would receive more medication from the camp’s clinic.

On 2 July 2020, when Bu’s symptoms worsened, he went back to the clinic to received more medication. Noting that he kept returning to the clinic with severe symptoms, Bu was referred to Mae Sariang Hospital for further treatment. At the hospital, he received a blood and urine test, as well as a kidney, ureter, and bladder (KUB) x-ray. The doctor informed him that he has a stone in his left kidney. The doctor then referred him to Suandok Hospital in Chiang Mai for further treatment. On 29 July 2020, Bu saw the doctor at Chiang Mai Hospital. The doctor told him that he needed to undergo an intravenous pyelogram (IVP), a type of diagnostic test that uses an injection of contrast material to evaluate the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. Once he underwent the IVP, the doctor diagnosed him with a type of kidney stone called a staghorn stone. Bu was then scheduled to receive surgery to remove the kidney stone on 16 August 2020. Unable to pay for his treatment, MI referred Bu to Burma Children Medical Fund for assistance accessing surgery.

Currently, Bu experiences back pain and a burning sensation while urinating. He sometimes experiences headaches and cannot breathe well because of the severe pain. In his free time, his favorite thing to do is to help with household chores and grow vegetables for his family.

Now, Burma Children Medical Fund needs your help in funding the cost of Bu’s $1,500 surgery.

Bu shared, “I still experience back pain and a burning sensation while urinating. Sometimes due to the pain, I have a headache and I have difficulty breathing. But I am very excited that I will be free from this prolonged pain after surgery.”

Bu is a 53-year-old man who lives with his wife, two sons and two daughters in a refugee camp in northern Thailand. He and his family fled t...

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Bu's Timeline

  • August 15, 2020
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Bu was submitted by Bue Wah Say, Project Officer at Burma Children Medical Fund.

  • August 17, 2020
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Bu received treatment at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital in Thailand. Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.

  • August 17, 2020
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Bu's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • January 4, 2021
    FULLY FUNDED

    Bu's treatment was fully funded.

  • February 6, 2021
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Bu's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 25 donors

Funded by 25 donors

Treatment
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $3,648 for Bu's treatment
Subsidies fund $2,148 and Watsi raises the remaining $1,500
Hospital Fees
$694
Medical Staff
$1,649
Medication
$12
Supplies
$187
Travel
$94
Labs
$84
Radiology
$879
Other
$49
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

The symptoms include severe pain in the groin and/or side, blood and/or pus in the urine, vomiting and nausea, reduced amount of urine excreted, burning sensation during urination. Some patient experiences back pain, a persistent urge to urinate, fever and chills if there is an infection.

​What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

Because of the lower back pain, patients cannot sleep or eat well. They feel discomfort because of frequent urination. They are unable to work because of frequent fevers, chills, and pain. Often their family members have to take time away from work to care for them which affects their financial situation.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Many patients cannot afford to go to a hospital and instead try to treat themselves with traditional medicine, which is not effective and can even worsen the patients' condition.

  • Process
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Risks and side-effects
  • Accessibility
  • Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

The patient will receive a urine test and an ultrasound first. If their diagnosis is confirmed, they will receive a date for surgery. A scope is inserted through a small incision in your back to remove the kidney stones. The patient usually spends 4-5 days in the hospital.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

The patient will no longer experience back pain or a burning sensation when they urinate. They will be able to sleep and eat well. The family can return to work and generating income.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

The most common side effects are bleeding, infection, injuries to the kidney or other organs and incomplete stone removal.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

Many patients live in remote areas and cannot access treatment because it is only available in larger cities.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Alternative treatment options include lithotripsy to break up a large stone into smaller pieces, surgical removal of the kidney stones, and the removal a kidney if there are multiple stones in the kidney. If none of the procedures are done, patients will continue to live with a kidney stone which will cause them to be in pain and ultimately can lead to kidney failure.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.