So, the poor like to stick together, while successful people prefer to associate with even more successful ones.
"Hello, I’m Zhou Can, your attending doctor during your hospital stay. You can report any issues to me at any time. If it’s inconvenient, you can also have the nurse pass the message to me."
Zhou Can’s current wealth far exceeds that of an ordinary wealthy person.
Facing these well-dressed family members and the white-collar beauty type of female patient, he appeared calm and composed, and his conversation was also appropriate and natural.
"Hello Dr. Zhou, we’ll be causing you some trouble during this hospital stay!"
She greeted Zhou Can with a very polite smile.
"Please have a cigarette!"
Her husband then took out a pack of soft Zhonghua cigarettes and offered one to Zhou Can.
"Thank you, I don’t smoke. Also, smoking is not allowed in the hospital room. If you want to smoke, you can go to the designated smoking area at the end of the corridor outside."
Zhou Can waved his hand and declined the kind offer.
"Let me see her test reports and medical records!"
The family members conscientiously moved to the end of the bed, making space. They were very cooperative with the medical examination.
It must be said, it is easier to deal with the upper middle class of society.
Doctors also prefer these types of family members.
The most troublesome are those kind of family members who are a bit wealthy, or rather poor, who question everything even for a cotton swab, afraid of incurring extra medical expenses.
"So, it has only preliminarily been diagnosed as cirrhosis, and the cause still needs to be investigated, right?"
Zhou Can asked the patient after reviewing the data.
"Yes, yes, yes! Professor Shang personally treated me, and after seeing the test results, he said that my cirrhosis is likely caused by other illnesses. He suggested that I be hospitalized for further investigation."
The female patient nodded and replied.
Cirrhosis is actually a very dangerous disease, it can be categorized into compensatory and decompensated stages.
Usually, with timely treatment in the compensatory stage, good therapeutic outcomes can be achieved.
Once the condition progresses to the decompensated stage, liver function rapidly deteriorates, leading to kidney failure and severe affection of multiple organs. Also, serious complications like severe ascites, splenomegaly, gastrointestinal bleeding, vomiting blood, and black stools may occur.
However, the liver is one of the body’s quietest organs, and early-stage cirrhosis is usually hard to detect in time.
This female patient came to the hospital in a timely manner because she experienced abdominal discomfort, decreased appetite, and fatigue, worried about her health.
It’s fortunate that she has a strong health consciousness.
Delaying treatment could have severe consequences.
"Is it convenient to ask about your symptoms and medical history now?" Zhou Can sought the patient’s consent.
The nursing staff had already skillfully measured her vital signs and made a record.
"It’s convenient! Feel free to ask whatever questions you have!"
The female patient cheerfully agreed.
However, from her occasional frowning, it was evident that she was quite uncomfortable.
Many patients with physical discomfort can become very hostile towards medical staff.
But like her, clearly in pain and discomfort while still maintaining a gentle and polite demeanor towards others, is a deeply ingrained form of cultivation.
"What is your profession?"
"My main job is a lawyer, and I also work part-time as a legal consultant for some companies."
No wonder she looks like an elite among white-collar beauties.
A lawyer’s income is also quite substantial.
Famous lawyers handle a myriad of cases.
"Do you have any abdominal pain?"
"A little, not very noticeable. Just feel a bit bloated right here."
She pointed to the area near her liver in the abdomen.
Zhou Can continued to ask questions while making notes of the consultation.
Outpatient doctors are sometimes extremely pressed for time, needing to handle many outpatient cases in one day, so their inquiries may not be very detailed. Some doctors, when encountering common illnesses, may not talk to a patient for more than three minutes.
They usually conduct a brief physical examination and then order a suite of tests.
Patients generally need a whole day to complete all the lab tests and checks. It’s a stroke of luck if they manage to obtain results before the doctor’s office closes.
Large hospitals are quite tricky in this respect.
If patients can’t get their test results on the same day, they usually have to re-register the next day when they return with their results to see the doctor.
"When did you start feeling unwell?"
Zhou Can continued his inquiry.
Liver cirrhosis isn’t something that develops overnight, it evolves over a lengthy period of disease development.
Our body’s immune system and protective mechanisms are very robust.
When a disease occurs, the body sends distress signals immediately.
Pain is one of the most important components of these protective mechanisms.
Many people don’t understand how pain comes about; in most cases, it results from a large numbers of cells about to die releasing a plethora of chemicals, which are detected by the nerve endings, thus causing pain.
The degree of pain generally allows us to gauge the level of danger.
Severe pain indicates the highest level of danger.
Mild pain is relatively safe.
"Approximately two to three months ago. I don’t remember the exact day, but I know that lately, I have no appetite for anything. I used to love eating braised carp. More than a month ago, on my birthday, my husband specially made a dish for me. But after just a couple of bites, I felt nauseous and wanted to vomit. At that time, he thought it was because the fishy smell was too strong and wasn’t cooked properly."