Wu Tianxi helps his mother walk by holding her arm. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
Wu Tianxi, an employee of Guizhou Jiuyi Road and Bridge Corporation, has brought his aged and ailing mother to work for more than three years.
On weekdays, Wu gets up at 5 am, dresses his mother, washes her face and brushes her teeth. His mother, who is 93, is physically healthy but suffers from Alzheimer's disease.
Around three years ago, she began forgetting her way home and even went missing several times, Wu said. Then things get worse. Wu's mother gradually started to forget her address, her own name and her children's names. At hospital, Wu's mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Wu eats with his 93-year-old mother. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
"I will worry a lot about her if she stays home alone and has no one to look after her. It is reassuring for me to take her to work and keep an eye on her, Wu said.
Wu's mother walks around the yard and enjoys the sun at the worksite. Though she does not recognize Wu any more, she still often tries to find him. Workers at the site have become used to seeing Wu's mother and praise him for taking good care of her.
Wu's worksite in Xiangshui town, Dafang county, is over 30 kilometers from his home in Bijie city, Guizhou province.
"For these three years, he has looked after her at the site. It's very hard for him," Long Heyun, a workmate of Wu, said.
Once he started taking care of her, he was unable to spend time with his friends. After some time, his friends stopped inviting him to parties, etc.
Wu sits with his mother at the site. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
When asked whether he has thought about sending her to a nursing home, he said, "My mother toiled all her lifetime and worked hard to raise me and my siblings. She did not want to be a burden on us in her old age. Now she cannot take care of herself and I will not leave her out of my sight."
"There is not much time left as she is already 93. I hope she stays healthy and live longer so I can keep feeling the warmth of her love," Wu added.