Published 5/10/08

China Garden owner receiving treatment in Beijing
byDAVID MURRAY
News-Argus Staff Writer

Sylvia Tong, the Lewistown businesswoman who was seriously injured in an automobile accident last December, is currently receiving medical treatment for her injuries in Beijing, China. Sylvia and her husband, Feng, operated the China Garden restaurant in Lewistown for several years prior to their accident on Dec. 5, 2007.

“Sylvia and Feng are living just a couple of blocks from a hospital in Beijing,” said family representative Heather Gueths. “Her spirits are good, but rehabilitation is a continuing struggle. It’s going to take her a while.”

Gueths, who speaks on the phone with Sylvia about once a week, said the couple’s decision to seek medical treatment in China was based upon several factors.

Sylvia and Feng, who were raised in China, struggled with language difficulties while she was at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, said Gueths. Sylvia is proficient in English; however, her husband is not, and both were frequently unable to fully understand the medical staff’s evaluations and recommendations. The couple also hoped that their medical costs would be less if Sylvia received her medical and therapeutic treatment in China.

While the language barrier and financial toll may be less in China, access to specific medication Sylvia had been prescribed by her doctors in Montana has been more of a problem.

“Sylvia asked if her doctor at Benefis could send her the medicine she had been taking in the U.S.,” Gueths said.

Sylvia has had difficulty regulating her blood pressure, which has been characterized by wide fluctuations. Unfortunately, sending prescribed medications from the United States to a patient in Mainland China is currently not an option. Gueths said on Thursday that they’ve recently been able to find a pharmacy in Canada that will send the medication to Sylvia. Her physician in Montana is now in consultation with her Chinese doctors on its appropriate use. Sylvia remains confined to a wheelchair, but is receiving four hours of physical therapy each day.

“She’s learning to maximize what she’s got,” Gueths said. “Right now she’s working on her upper body strength.”

Despite her change in location, Sylvia and her family still maintain strong ties to Lewistown. The couple’s two children still live in Lewistown with Feng’s parents and attend regular classes in the Lewistown School District. Sylvia’s brother continues to operate the China Garden restaurant, and Sylvia and Feng still own their home in town.

According to Gueths, the couple intends to return to Lewistown in the not-too-distant future.

“I hope she comes home sooner rather than later,” Gueths said.

People wishing to send messages of support for Sylvia and her family can mail their cards and letters to the family’s local address: Sylvia Tang, 823 W. Boulevard, Lewistown, MT, 59457.