Chapter 214

"Grandma is eighty-four; her age isn't considered very old."

"Even with diabetes, if blood sugar control is good, she can still tolerate surgery. But the doctor in the town is right."

"The blood supply in the middle-to-distal third of the tibia is inherently poor, and Grandma is old; the surgical wound would be relatively difficult to heal. Even for people our age, recovery there is much slower than in other areas."

"Oh, the County People's Hospital invited an expert from Minzu University Hospital, right? Considering closed reduction and Kirschner wire fixation — that works too." Fang Ziye said this while on the phone with his father.

A fracture of the middle-to-distal third of the tibia is more troublesome, but ultimately, it is better than a comminuted fracture.

After getting off, Fang Ziye hurried straight to where the town bus was; this bus departs once every half hour, and may not leave even when the time arrives.

But now, there was no better way.

Even though Fang Ziye had a driver's license, there was no car for him to drive; the family couldn't afford multiple vehicles.

He could only wait.

From Fang Ziye's messages, Luo Tingzhu read that his grandmother was injured and showed particular sensitivity: "Senior Brother Fang, after an elderly person is injured, you must pay attention to protection, especially the issue of venous thrombus and monitoring heart rate."

"Mm, okay. If my grandmother gets Kirschner wire temporary fixation and plaster external fixation, I will instruct my uncles on the precautions."

"After all, I do Trauma Surgery." Fang Ziye replied.

"Then be careful on the road. Actually, the County Hospital's technique is decent now; routine fracture management isn't a problem. The main issue is other complications of the fracture." Luo Tingzhu comforted him obediently.

Then she said: "Before my grandma passed away, her legs and feet weren't good, but she didn't have any underlying diseases."

"Later, in my own retrospective process, I suspected it might have been arrhythmia or a thrombus causing a myocardial infarction."

"But at that time, many of us still lacked basic common-sense awareness of this."

Looking at the messages Luo Tingzhu sent, Fang Ziye's brow furrowed.

His understanding of Luo Tingzhu's grandma was still limited to her having some difficulty walking; beyond that, Luo Tingzhu had never spoken deeply, which naturally included her grandma's funeral.

When Luo Tingzhu's grandma passed away, she wasn't especially old — only in her seventies.

"Next year at Qingming Festival, can you take me to see Grandma?" Fang Ziye sat on the bus, put his backpack on the rural bus's luggage rack, and typed with both hands free.

Unwittingly, Fang Ziye had already cast himself into a role not so distant from Luo Tingzhu.

"You want to go? The journey is quite far, and the place is very remote, you know?" Luo Tingzhu didn't respond directly.

Fang Ziye casually snapped a photo of the big mountain opposite and sent it to her: "Familiar?"

Chongqing is situated in high mountains, but Ba County's mountains and waters are no lower in terrain than Chongqing's.

Luo Tingzhu laughed; she understood Fang Ziye's meaning: "It seems... there's a kind of hometown feeling."

"This is still where I lived after elementary school; if it was earlier, like before fourth grade, I was still in my hometown village. That village was near the mountain peak, even more remote than here. If we wanted to go to the market..."

"My grandma's house was a full thirty li of mountain road from my home — mountain road. I remember needing to go up the mountain twice, down the mountain twice, and then detour around several ditches to get there."

"Later when I went to my grandma's, I could take the bus directly to the township she was in, then just climb a slope to arrive."

"But when I was little..."

When Fang Ziye shared this with Luo Tingzhu, Luo Tingzhu said: "Actually, I don't have much impression of my grandma anymore. I remember when I was very small, my mom and dad divorced, and my contact with my grandma and uncles almost ceased. They might not even recognize me now..."

"Senior Brother, it's okay."

"Let me tell you some good news. I finally published a paper with an impact factor of 15; it's already in print, and I'm co-first author." Before sleeping, Luo Tingzhu comforted Fang Ziye, then told him the thing she most wanted to say, and really went to sleep.

Fang Ziye fell into deep thought...

Before high school, every year around Spring Festival and holidays, he would run to his grandma's house.

After high school, he could only go during Spring Festival, stay a few days, alternating between his uncles' house and grandma's, freeloading meals.

The three years before university, he went to pay New Year's greetings once a year, stayed one or two days, then returned.

After internship started, Fang Ziye had no time; in recent years, he hadn't been to his grandma's at all...

In memory, the very clear last time he went to his grandma's was the summer after his undergraduate graduation; he stayed three days before being summoned away by Han City University's graduate admission notice.

Because that year, the academic schedule for professional master's students was arranged from June 24 to July 31, and then from August 1, the standardized training rotation plan formally began.

From undergraduate graduation to departing for Han City University for theory classes, Fang Ziye had only a one-week interval in total.

When Fang Ziye finally arrived at Ba County People's Hospital carrying his backpack, both uncles were there, but his eldest aunt had temporarily left to go home and cook because she needed to bring her grandson and granddaughter.

But eldest aunt said she would bring dishes after cooking at home, and everyone would eat together.

Second Uncle is a very honest farmer; he only finished elementary school and has always faced the yellow earth with his back to the sky. Now nearing sixty, his build is wiry and not tall, about 1.6 meters, with relatively thick lips.

Seeing Fang Ziye, a trace of amiability squeezed out of his somewhat fatigued face: "Ziye, you're here."

The other is Fourth Uncle. Fourth Uncle is taller, 1.7 meters, and runs a small shop in the township; his income is decent, about the same as Fang Ziye's family.

His face doesn't bear many traces of outdoor labor, but his hair is already half-white, and his hands, from years of work and oil erosion, have become incomparably rough, covered in black grime.

He has more education, a junior high diploma, so he learned a trade. The informed consent talks and signatures at the hospital are all handled by him, and he just happened to walk in now.

"Doctor Liu hasn't finished his work yet; that side's situation is unclear too." Halfway through, Eldest Uncle saw Fang Ziye and dropped the previous topic.

"Hey, Ziye. Heard you're supposed to be on duty? Did you ask for leave?"

"Mm." Fang Ziye nodded at him, then walked toward his already half-dozing grandmother.

Grandpa was even older, his figure slightly stooped. Seeing Fang Ziye, he also affectionately called out "Xiao Ye'er."

Xiao Ye'er was Fang Ziye's childhood nickname. Originally uncles and cousins all called him that, but ever since Fang Ziye got into university, the uncles basically stopped using such nicknames, all calling him Ziye; cousins also changed, either calling him Ziye or Ziye Ge.

But the elderly's terms of endearment for children need no taboo.

Grandpa and Grandma currently have only two daughters and two sons: Eldest Aunt, Second Uncle, Fourth Uncle, and Mother is the fifth.

There was originally a Third Uncle, but he wasn't raised to adulthood.

"Grandma, don't worry. The problem isn't big. Current techniques are very good; surgery might not be needed. You rest well. If it hurts too much, we'll tell the doctor."

Fang Ziye soothed his grandmother, then looked at Fourth Uncle and asked: "Uncle, what did the doctor here say?"

Fourth Uncle told his sister and Second Brother, not using titles: "Director Dong of the department said this Director Liu Wu from Minzu University Hospital originally came for that old lady over there; that old lady's condition is bad."

"Can't do surgery, but the fracture still needs management, so only palliative closed reduction can be done. If reduction isn't good, then it just isn't good."

"She's in the operating room now, right? But it was supposed to take half an hour, and it's been over an hour already — she still hasn't come out, and we don't know the specifics."

"Anyway, on Mom's side, we have to wait for Director Liu Wu to finish the closed reduction over there, then he'll swing by to take a look."

"Ziye, are you familiar with this Director Liu Wu?" Fourth Uncle asked Fang Ziye after explaining.

Fang Ziye shook his head: "I'm at Enshi Central Hospital; Minzu University Hospital is a different hospital — I've basically had no contact with them."

Fang Ziye's mother hurriedly said: "Fourth Brother, Ziye is still a student — he's at Enshi Central Hospital for clinical training — so he has no connections. My husband and I asked around first thing."

A master's graduate student is still a student; having no connections is only natural.

"I was just asking. The doctors in town said surgery is best avoided for Mom's condition." Fourth Uncle replied with a smile, and didn't press Fang Ziye further.

Relations among relatives are actually pretty good, but no matter how good, they're never absolutely harmonious.

Immediately after, Fang Ziye looked at Grandma's X-ray plain film again and found it was a relatively simple A2.2-type fracture of the middle-distal tibia — though displaced, the difficulty of handling it wasn't high.

"Ziye, can you handle this case?" Fourth Uncle asked casually.

Fang Ziye shook his head: "Uncle, this isn't Enshi Central Hospital — I have no practice rights here. If we have to run back to Enshi Central Hospital for Grandma's case, it wouldn't be worth it."

"Besides, with anyone else it'd be fine, but this is my grandma — I'm a bit nervous, I don't dare operate."

Fang Ziye explained very clearly.

Grandma — many say a maternal grandmother and a paternal grandmother aren't the same, but how good his own maternal grandmother was to him, only Fang Ziye knows — not a grandmother, but better than one.

It's not that his own paternal grandmother was bad; rather, his maternal grandmother was just as good — from childhood, food, toys, pocket money, she never shorted him; even now, visiting her house means fine food and drink, treating him like a little child to be "worshipped"!

It's not that Fang Ziye wanted to be a "little ancestor" — when Grandpa and Grandma farmed, Fang Ziye was small; now they no longer farm, and what he can do is light fires, cook rice, wash dishes, scrub pots — real cooking, Grandma actually looks down on his skills…

"Can't bring yourself to do it?"

"Mom, your grandson cherishes you." Fourth Uncle explained with a smile.

Grandma's feet didn't seem to hurt at this moment; seeing Fang Ziye, she grabbed his hand and explained: "Your cousins — none study as well as you; they're all out working, no time to rush back."

"You, actually…"

Hearing this, Fang Ziye's nose soured.

"Grandma, don't say that — rest well! You're overthinking." Fang Ziye hurriedly patted her hand to soothe her.

Grandma belongs to the older generation's mindset — maybe she feared he'd think his cousins were insensible: one grandson returned, but they as grandsons didn't.

As they spoke, a white coat walked in from outside.

Holding a medical record book: "Are you Zhou Ermei's family?"

Fang Ziye was baffled, but his uncles and Grandpa hurriedly stood, nodding: "Is Director Liu free now?"

Zhou Ermei — probably Grandma's name. Only, Fang Ziye never knew Grandma's name — turns out it was this simple and casual.

"Mm, the other patient's fracture — could only be handled that way, didn't turn out well."

"Director Liu Wu had me tell you — says your closed reduction might also be unsatisfactory; still willing to try? If it doesn't reduce well, surgery may still be needed." That white coat held the record, speaking very casually.

"If you agree, we'll arrange for you to go to the operating room now; if not, you can consider surgery directly."

The white coat looked thirty-something, steady — definitely an old hand at the county hospital; not a trace of nervousness in his speech.

Everything is a personal choice.

Clearly, once those words fell, the uncles including his own parents all frowned, affected by his talk.

"Let's try closed reduction first — township hospitals all recommend it this way. Director Liu from Minzu University Hospital came all this way, not easy."

"Director Liu must be more skilled, and having done this kind of reduction before is why he was recommended."

"My grandma's fracture complexity, compared to the other patient, should be slightly simpler, right?" Fang Ziye persuaded first, then asked.

The white coat glanced at Fang Ziye, nodded, giving a preventive disclaimer: "Indeed a bit simpler, but don't get your hopes up too high, lest disappointment be severe."

Fourth Uncle, as representative, nodded agreement.

Can't leave it untreated — no surgery, closed reduction is still absolutely necessary.

Closed reduction cost isn't high; fees were paid on admission — no extra handling needed.

Then the white coat instructed them to push Grandma's bed to the operating room doorway and wait.

The group had just arrived when the operating room door opened.

A middle-aged white coat in his forties stepped out and his very first glance spotted and recognized Fang Ziye.

His feet hesitated slightly, he narrowed his eyes — right now Fang Ziye wore no mask, no cap — absolutely no faking it.

"Doctor Fang, why are you here? Also invited by Director Dong?" The middle-aged man adjusted his stance, tone slightly nervous.

"I'm family — the injured is my grandma; trouble Director Liu to do a closed reduction, handle it." Fang Ziye hurriedly explained.

He actually didn't know Liu Wu.

Liu Wu's upper body twitched, the skin at his eye corners trembling nonstop: "Doctor Fang, you're joking, right?"

Then, suddenly, Liu Wu seemed to recall something.

Immediately turned: "Director Dong, Director Dong, come out a moment."

(Chapter End)