Chapter 322: Effortfully persuade the teacher Chapter 322: Effortfully persuade the teacher There is a natural fear of illness within people. Many are reluctant to take a medical examination when a doctor suggests one, fearing that if they do, it will herald imminent death. This kind of thinking is very common among the populace.
Doctors can’t do much for patients like these. They can only wait for the disease to manifest before beginning treatment, and even then, the doctors can only do their best.
Listening to the family members’ complaints, Xie Wanying remembered Teacher Sun’s advice and didn’t say a word, merely following Teacher Tan’s instructions.
After she finished the examination, Tan Kelin approached and felt the lump on the patient.
Of course, Teacher Tan’s movements, compared to her student’s, didn’t need mentioning; experienced as he was, he simply pressed his finger on the lump and immediately withdrew his hand, concluding the physical examination in seconds, with a final command, “Get up.”
As a senior physician, Teacher Tan certainly only needed to feel the lump to get a sense of the situation, unlike her, a student treasuring the opportunity for practice. After all, the final result would only be known after the surgery.
The patient’s two sons helped their mother up and straightened her clothes and pants–indeed, they seemed very filial.
With time pressing, the first patient had already been gone for ten minutes. Thus, Xie Wanying once again caught Teacher Tan’s peripheral glance: what do you say?
Teacher Tan was likely testing her. As the patient and the relatives dawdled by the examination bed, Xie Wanying softly replied to her teacher, “I think it’s manageable. The examinations from the other hospital show no metastasis for the time being. It doesn’t seem to have metastasized to the touch. And if we don’t operate, the pain of dying from intestinal obstruction would be very great for the patient.”
Sometimes, doctors have to consider the patient’s suffering before death when performing surgery. Although it may seem torturous to operate on an elderly patient, medical students also know that dying from intestinal obstruction is excruciatingly painful, with the abdomen feeling as if it’s blocked by a massive stone, leaving patients twisting in agony on the bed.
The real reason that hindered doctors from operating on this patient was not the tumor, but rather her poor cardiopulmonary function, which couldn’t withstand a lengthy surgery–a worry that might prevent them from attempting the operation. Therefore, surgery would require the physician to operate very quickly, which is why the other hospital recommended this patient to Teacher Tan.
“Our hospital’s cardiology department is very capable. We can invite them for a consultation,” Xie Wanying continued, “But personally, I believe the patient doesn’t have a cardiopulmonary organic dysfunction issue, and her condition could be managed pre- and post-surgery. First, we need to explain to the family that her treatment will be expensive. However, seeing her sons’ filial piety, I think they would likely agree.”
Having said that, Xie Wanying waited for the teacher’s decision, as she, an intern, had no authority to admit patients.
On one hand, listening to her suggestion, on the other, Tan Kelin flipped through the medical records and then closed them, his eyes partially obscured by his fringe, leaving it clear the considerations he might be making.
The two sons, supporting their mother back to her chair, asked the doctor, “Dr. Tan, how is my mother’s condition?”
Tan Kelin looked up, his gaze carrying a hint of his usual slight coolness, his voice calm and professional, “Let me be clear with you. There’s a significant chance she might not survive the surgery, or even if she does, she might not make it through the first two weeks post-operation.”
“We know all that. The doctors at the previous hospital already told us,” the patient’s two sons, anxious he might refuse, emphasized quickly, “It’s fine, doctor. We take full responsibility for the risks.”
“When it’s time to sign the consent form for surgery, you’ll need to read it carefully before signing,” Dr. Tan didn’t let their words change his demeanor.
“Of course,” both the patient and her family nodded vigorously, “Rest assured, doctor. We won’t cause any trouble for you.”
“Could you make a call to the ward and ask when there’s a bed available?”