The elderly couple rushed to prevent it, insisting that this mustn’t be done, otherwise, they wouldn’t have peace even in death.
The disgruntled relatives left the ward in great disappointment, cursing the elderly couple for being behind the times and not knowing how to make money.
The elderly couple had their own principles. They had led a tough life, but aside from failing in educating their son, they had never acted shamefully or betrayed their conscience. They could never resort to such disgraceful and appalling conduct.
If they did succumb to it, would any doctor still dare to save lives in the future?
It is quite possible that hospitals would shun elderly people bringing children for treatment and make excuses to postpone and refuse to provide diagnosis and treatment.
Aged people are mostly in poor health condition, posing many potential risks of sudden diseases.
If this problem spreads widely, all public places such as restaurants, shopping malls, and railway stations will place a signboard prohibiting old people from entering to avoid assuming responsibility.
If the issue escalates even further, everyone visiting public places will have to provide a health certificate from the hospital and sign a liability waiver agreement.
It’s just like the reluctance to help old people up when they fall.
Hospitals save their lives, but they turn around and extort money from the hospital!
What in the world is happening?
They’re no better than swine or dogs, with no bottom line.
Shouldn’t there be some difference between humans and swine or dogs?
The elderly couple cursed fiercely after their relatives left.
Six-year-old Cui Shukai, led by his parents, arrived at Sanbo Hospital. His father, Cui Xubing, was delighted to hear that his son would undergo a new, minimally invasive treatment for scoliosis.
Cui Xubing took a month’s leave from his job and brought his son, along with his wife, to Sanbo Hospital in Nandu province.
They had complete trust in Yang Ping, especially after witnessing an academician from Beijing affirming Yang Ping at Sanbo Hospital during their last visit. This couple pinned all their hopes on Yang Ping for their son’s treatment.
During their last stay at home, Cui Xubing did a lot of research. He searched for information about Yang Ping on the internet and even asked a local doctor-relative to check on Yang Ping.
The conclusive investigation revealed that Professor Yang Ping, despite his young age, acted as the chief surgeon for a folding man’s scoliosis surgery, which was much more severe and complex than his son’s condition.
His son’s degree of scoliosis was viewed as a routine surgery in Professor Yang’s hands.
Professor Yang, considering the age of the six-year-old child, attempted to use minimally invasive methods to not interfere with the normal growth and development of the spine. Therefore, he employed an innovative technique for treatment.
Cui Xubing’s family, who were from the old revolutionary base Yan’an and had traveled miles to Nandu, expressed their gratitude by bringing their hometown’s special products, Yan’an red dates and Luochuan apples.
After completing the hospitalization formalities and settling in the ward, he handed over the special products to Head Nurse Cai. Then he went to the office to find Yang Ping.
When they sat down, Yang Ping provided detailed information about the new technology. He informed him that the experimental data from animal testing were very promising and now, Cui Shukai would be the first clinical trial candidate for this new technology.
This technology doesn’t require fusion of the spine, and the patient can obtain a normally functioning spine after correction.
However, any surgery carries risks, especially new techniques, which have more uncertainties.
Yang Ping explained the surgical risks to him one by one. The greatest risk was infection at the incision, but the probability was extremely low.
Compared to a normally functioning spine, this slight risk was negligible.
Compared to major surgeries, this was a lot safer.
Cui Xubing had extensive knowledge about scoliosis and the surgery. He was willing to participate in the clinical trial.
Scoliosis is classified as functional and structural. Functional scoliosis is non-fixed and is caused due to certain reasons such as incorrect posture, lumbar disc herniation, etc. and can be corrected once the cause is rectified.
Structural scoliosis, on the other hand, is already formed and is further classified into idiopathic and congenital.
Congenital means the deformity was present at birth.
Idiopathic scoliosis, for which precise cause has not been identified in medicine, is most common. The word "idiopathic" refers to conditions without a clearly identified cause, such as idiopathic hypertension.
Generally, scoliosis under 20 degrees can be observed without special treatment. An X-ray of the full length of the spine should be taken each year, then measured. If it increases by more than 5 degrees each year, intervention treatment is required.
Bracing therapy has been proven to be effective as conservative treatment. Wearing an orthotic brace is quite laborious but effective.
Other methods, such as manual correction, have no evidence to support their effectiveness. But, if it makes one feel better to believe they are effective, then they are effective.
If the scoliosis reaches 30-40 degrees, surgical treatment needs to be considered.
Irrespective of whether it is thoracic scoliosis, thoraco-lumbar, or lumbar scoliosis, surgery is normally required when it reaches this degree. Thoracic Scoliosis indications are slightly more lenient than the other two types.
Thoracic scoliosis generally requires surgery when it exceeds 40 degrees, whereas thoraco-lumbar or lumbar scoliosis generally necessitates surgery at 35 degrees.
Regarding this basic information, Cui Xubing understands it all very well. The notice on surgical risks, clinical trials, and ethics were something he had already understood and acknowledged prior to this.
Cui Xubing didn’t want to waste Professor Yang’s time.
Yang Ping told him: "There’s no rush. Only after perfecting all preoperative checks will we schedule the surgery. A responsible doctor will ask you to sign before the surgery."
Surgeries for scoliosis are concentrated in a few first-tier hospitals. He had been to Xiehe, 301, Nanjing Drum Tower and had also checked related information on the internet.
Cui Xubing stood up, checked that there was no one outside, closed Yang Ping’s office door, locked it, then surreptitiously handed an envelope bulging with cash to Yang Ping.
"You’ve worked hard, Professor Yang. We are grateful for your help with Shukai’s case."
Yang Ping initially wanted to refuse, but Cui Xubing was persistent: "No one saw, you can be at ease. No one will know. Our gratitude is sincere."
These twenty thousand yuan were prepared in advance by Cui Xubing; they were sincerely grateful to Yang Ping.
Well, Yang Ping didn’t want to keep refusing as it was meaningless.
Patient gifts like red envelopes are common, and Yang Ping follows an orderly process to manage them. He would accept the red envelope at that moment, after the patient had left, he would give it to the head nurse. The head nurse along with another doctor would count it, then record it.
This money would be deposited into the patient’s hospital account before the operation by the head nurse. The receipt would be given to the patient or the family - the person who gave the red envelope - after the operation.
Many patients give red envelopes just for peace of mind. If they are refused on the spot and time is wasted back and forth, it can cause the patient or relatives to overthink. For example, it could cause worries about uncertainties in the surgery.
Therefore, Yang Ping would accept it first, in order to give peace of mind to the patients and families, and then follow the standard procedure.
When Cui Xubing left Yang Ping’s office, he felt relieved and reassured.
Giving the red envelope was just for reassurance.
With the red envelope sent, it meant that his son’s illness had something to rely on. He knew Professor Yang would do his utmost.