A caller who lost her third daughter to leukemia shared her dilemma of wanting another child even as her husband is battling lymphoma and muscle dystonia.
On the episode aired on the 2nd, a 42-year-old female caller appeared on KBS Joy’s variety show 'Ask Anything,' expressing her desire to build a large family.
During the broadcast, the caller revealed, "Having multiple children is my dream. I gave birth to three children, but our third daughter was diagnosed with leukemia just 20 days after birth and passed away. We wanted to have more children, but the following year, my husband was diagnosed with lymphoma, leaving us unable to conceive."
The caller married in 2013 and gave birth to her first daughter the following year. She later underwent artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures, resulting in identical twin daughters. However, the third daughter, born as a twin, passed away from leukemia.
The caller recounted, "At 20 days old, her belly was swollen. I thought it was nothing since babies’ bellies stick out after feeding formula, but a blood test at a university hospital showed her white blood cell count was lower than normal. She was ultimately diagnosed with leukemia and spent eight months in the hospital."
She continued, "The infant underwent chemotherapy 8 to 9 times. There were no more medications available, so we applied for free clinical trial drugs in the United States and waited. The baby, who was in the intensive care unit, seemed to improve after receiving the medication, but she passed away."
Hearing this, MC Seo Jang-hoon offered comfort, saying, "The fact that a child less than one year old endured nine rounds of chemotherapy is itself a miracle," adding, "It seems the child wanted to stay by her parents’ side in that way."
After the third daughter passed away in November 2018, the caller’s husband was diagnosed with lymphoma in December 2019. Cancer cells had spread to his brain.
The caller’s husband was cured after receiving two hematopoietic stem cell transplants, but he has been suffering from muscle dystonia since last year, a condition causing his body to stiffen and him to stutter, making it impossible for him to work. He stated that the disease is incurable and requires lifelong medication.
Despite these circumstances, the caller wanted another child. Considering her husband’s health, she was even contemplating adoption.
The caller shared, "I underwent several more IVF procedures afterward, but I kept having miscarriages," adding, "I feel my husband won’t live long, so I need to live with the children we already have."
In response, MC Seo Jang-hoon noted, "Losing your third child must have been a huge shock. When that happens, it’s not easy to regain composure." He continued, "It makes no sense to seek procedures for another baby while grieving. It feels like you are lost and wandering due to the shock."
He further pointed out, "The most important thing right now is that your husband, who has been with you for a long time, has fallen seriously ill. Shouldn’t your goal be to do whatever it takes, even traveling across the country, to find good treatment and help him recover?"
He advised, "It’s a difficult situation, but are there only things in this world that we can understand? There are many things we cannot. If you pray earnestly, make efforts, and work diligently to achieve what seems impossible, sometimes heaven acknowledges your efforts and grants your wishes." He urged her to do her best for her husband’s recovery.
The caller responded, "Should I really?" adding, "When my child was in the hospital, I prayed to every deity I could think of."
Seo Jang-hoon then said, "You are still only talking about your third child," and urged, "Do not regret it later. Treat your husband the same way you treated your third daughter."
in ENTERTAINMENT
