Chapter 42: Postsurgery Ward Round
Zheng Ren instinctively pulled Old Chief Physician Pan aside, believing the sudden movement to be an attack from a patient’s family.
As a doctor in the hospital, not knowing a self-defense might get yourself killed.
Half a second later, Zheng Ren realized that it was an old lady kneeling before him and Old Chief Physician Pan.
“Uh…”
“Old lady, what are you doing? Come, get up.” Old Chief Physician Pan bent over to help her stand.
“Both of you are my saviors!” the old lady said as she gripped Chief Physician Pan’s hands tightly. Tears were flowing down her cheeks.
Zheng Ren quickly scurried away into a corner. He was a mere chief resident who did not deserve an elderly person’s fervent gratitude.
He did not want to push his luck. The System might give him another moronic life or death mission to complete.
“You living buddha, you saved my granddaughter,” the old lady spoke through tears as she stood with the help of Chief Physician Pan.
Zheng Ren studied the old lady curiously.
When he spoke to the family prior to the surgery—including the parents of the pregnant patient—no one expressed much concern over the patient’s wellbeing. In their eyes, the unborn son was the priority.
Now, this old lady here was thanking them for saving her granddaughter.
Zheng Ren suddenly felt that his surgical work was worth it in the end. He felt appreciated.
Old Chief Physician Pan was flustered but had dealt with such situations before. He ushered the old lady into the room with a few words. Zheng Ren carefully followed, wanting to check on the patient’s recovery status.
A round of questioning informed Zheng Ren of the patient’s wellbeing. A day after the surgery, she had already passed gas and was able to consume porridge.
Her complexion was much better than the last time Zheng Ren saw her. She was half-prone on the bed.
When the patient saw Old Chief Physician Pan walk in, she tried to sit up to convey her heartfelt gratitude.
Old Chief Physician Pan pushed Zheng Ren ahead. “This man is who you should thank. He was your surgeon.”
Realizing her mistake, the young pregnant patient became sheepish.
The husband, grandparents, and parents were all crammed into the small hospital room. Multiple hands shot out to help the patient when she tried to sit up. They avoided eye contact with Zheng Ren and their movements were stiff.
Their help was unceremoniously driven away by the old lady.
Perhaps in the old lady’s eyes, only she could care for her granddaughter. The others were just ingrates and though she might be old, she was not oblivious.
Zheng Ren instantly got the patient to lie back down. Being able to pass gas and eat just a day after surgery was good progress. Zheng Ren did not want to chance her getting on her knees.
The information on the right corner of his vision stated that she showed no signs of infection or other complications. The threat of miscarriage had also vanished and she was on the path to a speedy recovery.
All was well. Zheng Ren gave a few words of encouragement to the patient and promptly dragged Old Chief Physician Pan out of the room.
“Not used to the thanks? This sort of expression is common for rural folks.” Old Chief Physician Pan was in a good mood after witnessing the pregnant patient’s recovery.
“I just don’t like the family… Except for the old lady,” Zheng Ren confessed. The incident with that particular family was a sore point and he wanted to get that off his chest.
Zheng Ren did not need to elaborate. Old Chief Physician Pan understood what he had experienced that day.
Anyone with at least five years of clinical experience would have had to handle similar scenarios. As for Old Chief Physician Pan, he had had it down to an art.
“You’ll get used to it.” Old Chief Physician Pan gave Zheng Ren a faint smile, unbothered by it all.
One had to have an open mind or be prepared to resign.
After completing their rounds in the first general surgery department, Old Chief Physician Pan took Zheng Ren to the second general surgery ward.
When Chief Surgeon Sun of the second general surgery department learned the two men were coming, he volunteered to accompany them without hesitation.
He hosted them with grace and warmth, very much like a chief resident would when the head of a surgical department dropped in for a check.
Once they left the second general surgery department, Old Chief Physician Pan commented to Zheng Ren. “That man knows his place.”
They were done with the general ward patients and proceeded to the special demands ward.
When they reached the second floor, a shout was heard. “Miss, why are you on your feet?”
Old Chief Physician Pan and Zheng Ren were startled and quickly made their way into the room.
A slender and tall lady stood inside with her hands gripping the hospital bed guardrail.
The lady was seriously 1.8 meters tall. While there were still hints of frailty about her, her elegance shone through.
“Zhou Jinxi?” Zheng Ren asked in a confused tone.
Zheng Ren had never performed an endoscopic transrectal appendectomy in real life prior to this and was therefore unclear about the recovery process. According to existing literature, the patient would be able to stand, pass gas and consume liquid food after a day. Walking would possible be on the second day, and discharge on the third.
However… This Zhou Jinxi lady was on her feet just six hours after surgery.
Both Old Chief Physician Pan and Zheng Ren were shocked.
“Yes. It’s you two…” Zhou Jinxi held onto the guardrail and carefully balanced herself. Her big eyes sparkled as she spoke.
“I am the chief surgeon of the emergency department, last name Pan. This man here is my soldier and the one who performed your surgery, Zheng Ren.” Old Chief Physician Pan’s voice was filled with pride when he mentioned Zheng Ren was his subordinate.
“Ah!” When Zhou Jinxi heard that Zheng Ren was the surgeon, she hopped onto the bed and hid under the blanket like a startled rabbit. Her scarlet face was obscured by the cloth.
“…” Was this shyness?
In the eyes of the stone-faced, unparalleled and godlike doctor, the patients he treated were genderless.
Heh, no wonder he was single to this day.
“Miss Zhou, we are here to check on your recovery,” said Old Chief Physician Pan as his tone softened. He was well-versed with people’s reactions and knew how to comfort Zhou Jinxi’s timid soul.
Her assistant persuaded her for five minutes before she was willing to remove her covers. She answered Zheng Ren’s questions with a red face.
Zheng Ren was grateful that her rate of recovery was exceptional. The difficult surgeries that he had to perform had all been on younger patients who stood a better chance when it came to postsurgery healing.
Zhou Jinxi’s lower right quadrant of the abdomen showed no signs of pain. A physical check of the surgical site revealed no point tenderness, rebound tenderness or muscle guarding.
Zheng Ren would not be surprised if this lady tried to escape the hospital tomorrow, judging from her buoyant attitude.
His lips curled at the thought. He told the assistant to make sure Zhou Jinxi stayed in bed for a whole day before allowing her to move about.
Old Chief Physician Pan’s phone rang as Zheng Ren was about to ask about passing gas.
“Hello. Yes, that’s me.” Old Chief Physician Pan answered the phone and walked out of the hospital room.
“Yes. I’ll head over to the emergency room now!” His tone became awe-inspiring.
He hung up and turned to Zheng Ren, face stern and serious. “Mass poisoning in the city. 120 ambulances dispatched. Let’s go.”
“How many victims?” Zheng Ren asked.
“As of now, severe cases are in the dozens. We don’t have the full numbers yet.”
Dozens? This was truly a mass poisoning event.