The Struggle of ALS Patients: Cai Lei's Battle Against Illness and the Untold Truths

The Struggle of ALS Patients: Cai Lei's Battle Against Illness and the Untold TruthsA sudden cold pushed Cai Lei, former vice president of JD.com, who was already suffering from ALS, to the brink of death

The Struggle of ALS Patients: Cai Lei's Battle Against Illness and the Untold Truths

Introduction:

A sudden cold pushed Cai Lei, former vice president of JD.com, who was already suffering from ALS, to the brink of death. In the ICU of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, he battled death, enduring physical and mental torment. However, as he was on the verge of death, some accused him of putting on a show, even saying he was faking his illness. What exactly was this controversy?

I. On the Brink of Death, Yet He Remains Concerned for Patients Nationwide

On May 10, 2023, Cai Lei was hospitalized in the ICU of Peking Union Medical College Hospital again, his life hanging in the balance. This illness struck suddenly, almost without warning, sending him to the intensive care unit. At his worst, he even considered a tracheotomy and questioned why he had to endure this pain.

However, even in such difficult times, Cai Lei never gave up. He insisted on following doctors' orders and used a memo to record his every step in his fight against death.

According to Cai Lei's own account, the reason he was on the verge of death was simply a mild cold, something insignificant for a healthy person. On May 4, he went out to bask in the sun with the wind blowing while his sleeves were rolled up. The next day, he developed a fever and cold but didn't pay much attention, only going to the hospital for a simple check-up and treatment when his condition worsened. At that time, he was still concerned about work, insisting on working despite his illness and even attending meetings with colleagues.

By May 10, his body began to collapse. He experienced constant, spasmodic coughing, an elevated heart rate, shortness of breath bordering on suffocation, and a constant stream of phlegm, leaving him exhausted.

By then, he had been transferred to the ICU of Peking Union Medical College Hospital for treatment. He was unable to bear the torment of the illness any longer and actively requested from the doctor, "I need a tracheotomy, as soon as possible." It's important to note that a tracheotomy is a procedure in which a hole is made in the trachea and a tube is inserted, relieving the patient's respiratory distress and easing their pain. However, a tracheotomy can lead to respiratory infections, atelectasis, and respiratory insufficiency. If Cai Lei hadn't been utterly unable to bear the torment of the illness, he wouldn't have been so eager to undergo surgery.

Fortunately, the day after requesting the surgery, on May 13, Cai Lei's spasmodic coughing subsided. Since a tracheotomy was not a necessary treatment, it was put on hold. After May 17, Cai Lei's condition gradually improved, but the 13 days of suffering from the initial cold on May 4 to the recovery of his condition on May 17 further weakened his already deteriorating body.

Before this illness, Cai Lei's physical condition was already very poor. He was unable to stand or walk for extended periods, needing assistance to walk even 5 meters. He had difficulty swallowing, respiratory failure, and even bathing required him to be tied and suspended in the bathroom. Now, his condition has worsened, affecting his already precious and difficult ability to stand and walk.

However, this did not break his spirit. Thinking of the patients who were still waiting for him, Cai Lei gathered himself, summarized his experience and insights from this illness, hoping to offer some help to his fellow patients, and attached his medical records.

II. The Storm of Public Opinion: Doubts, Smears, and the Truth

Cai Lei's struggle against illness touched many people and rekindled hope in many patients. However, while he was battling illness, a wave of online accusations that he was putting on a show surged.

"What ALS, I think he's faking it to sell goods on livestream!"

"He goes to the ICU every time, always in critical condition, but he's fine as soon as he starts livestreaming."

"He has to stay in the hospital, right? With so many people watching, he has to go through the whole charade."

Unbelievably, Cai Lei was so ill, yet he was still accused of faking it. Not only were people maliciously speculating that he was trying to cheat people for money, but they even doubted the authenticity of his illness.

This public opinion made Cai Lei suffer immensely, but he was still in his hospital bed and had no power to fight back against so many people who were smearing him. At this time, Yin Ye, CEO of BGI Group, stepped forward, ready to speak out for his good brother with his own strength.

On May 28, Yin Ye angrily refuted the rumors on social media, with his fierce emotions evident through the screen. He said, "Those who carry firewood for the world should not be frozen to death in the snow." In his eyes, Cai Lei is a man of great love. After falling ill, he could have used the money he earned to live a comfortable life for a few years and leave a large inheritance for his wife and children, but he refused. He insisted on spending all his wealth to establish a research team, striving to break through this technology and save more people.

To prove to netizens that Cai Lei wasn't lying, Yin Ye also included several pieces of evidence. The first was a screenshot of Cai Lei's WeChat Moments, in which he wrote that some people were relentlessly spreading rumors about him, but he was in the ICU and needed to devote his time to ALS research, so he didn't have the time or energy to deal with them. The second piece of evidence was a photo of Yin Ye visiting Cai Lei during his illness, which firmly proved that Cai Lei's illness was real and not faked.

However, in the end, Yin Ye also said that new breakthroughs had been made in the treatment of ALS and that he would announce these achievements soon. He also asserted that he would never give up on donating to this cause.

Cai Lei's wife, Duan Rui, also choked back tears as she spoke on May 25, "I hope you get better, you still have a long life ahead." That day was Cai Lei's birthday. Having this incurable disease, apart from Cai Lei himself, the most devastated person is his wife. If she could, she would hope more than anyone that Cai Lei was faking his illness.

Those who were still spreading rumors and attacking Cai Lei never considered what kind of wrong they were doing, and how much hope they were destroying!

III. One Whale Falls and All Things Are Born, He Is Doing a Great Thing

"I'm not saving my own life, I don't have a chance."

At some point, Cai Lei became the backbone of so many ALS patients. But when patients said, "No matter who gets infected, Cai Lei cannot be infected," everyone understood that everything Cai Lei was doing was truly akin to "The God of Medicine."

Since his diagnosis in 2019, every step Cai Lei has taken has been unexpected. At first, he was unable to escape the despair of the diagnosis. But when he went to the hospital and saw many patients, from different backgrounds, but all lethargic due to ALS, when he learned that there were more than 60 patients dying every day in China, but there was nothing he could do, he decided to do one great thing before he died, to turn himself into the sharpest weapon and fight ALS to the end.

He formed a team, put in his own money, built a database, established patient groups, and found researchers. He and his team spent all their money to establish the world's largest ALS patient research data and mutual aid platform, setting up charitable trusts and donating hundreds of millions of yuan. When there was nothing left to donate, Cai Lei started to donate himself. He joined forces with over 1,000 patients to donate brain tissue and spinal cord tissue for ALS research, and he was willing to be a "guinea pig" to try new drugs.

However, the investment in new drug research has already exceeded 1 billion yuan. To keep the research going, Cai Lei, along with his wife, who had already achieved success in her career, began livestreaming to make money. This has become the main reason for Cai Lei's current criticism.

But Cai Lei has no choice. ALS is truly terrifying. He genuinely needs money. After contracting the disease, patients will gradually feel their bodies being "frozen," their muscles will gradually atrophy, until they completely lose their ability to move independently. It's like Stephen Hawking, confined to a wheelchair and needing care. Most importantly, the patient's senses remain sharp during this process, and their minds are clear. They witness firsthand how they are approaching their end.

Some say that Cai Lei is doing all this for himself and that he shouldn't be put on such a pedestal. But they forget that an ALS patient typically only lives for 3 to 5 years, with only a few rare cases living for 5 to 20 years. Cai Lei is clearly not that lucky.

Therefore, Cai Lei's time is always urgent. The word "time" appears frequently in his speech. He said, "I don't have time now, if I had 10 years, I would crush it!" He said, "I work 16 hours a

Disclaimer: The content of this article is sourced from the internet. The copyright of the text, images, and other materials belongs to the original author. The platform reprints the materials for the purpose of conveying more information. The content of the article is for reference and learning only, and should not be used for commercial purposes. If it infringes on your legitimate rights and interests, please contact us promptly and we will handle it as soon as possible! We respect copyright and are committed to protecting it. Thank you for sharing.(Email:[email protected])