Chapter 505: 497 We Have Given Up

Back at Haicheng Shi Yiyuan, it was already past quitting time.

Zheng Renxian reported to Director Pan, then called Xie Yiren.

Xiao Yi Ren had already gone home; on this day without Zheng Ren, it was very quiet, nothing much happening.

Su Yun launched into another rant, his Conan-like physique meaning wherever he goes there are always a bunch of patients and such.

Zheng Ren ignored him, changed clothes, and took Su Yun to start rounds.

The ward was very quiet; the female patient admitted yesterday who was to be married and found to have late-stage liver cancer was not in the ward.

There was also no IV drip; a patient not being in the ward was completely normal, and Zheng Ren wasn't surprised.

Arriving at the innermost ward, Professor Rudolf Wagner was just as before leaving, sitting at the patient's bedside without a trace of fatigue.

"Fugui'er, how is the patient's condition?" Zheng Ren asked.

"Boss, you're back! I've missed you to death!" Professor Rudolf Wagner made an exaggerated expression, stood up, and was about to give Zheng Ren a big hug.

"I'm talking to you!" Zheng Ren snapped in a low voice; the professor then realized they were in Haicheng.

"Boss, the patient's condition is excellent, with no discomfort symptoms." Professor Rudolf Wagner reported to Zheng Ren: "I think we can try removing the catheter tomorrow morning to see how urination goes."

"The day after surgery is too early." Zheng Ren directly rejected the professor's suggestion: "At least three days are needed; we can try on the fourth day morning."

"All right, boss." Professor Rudolf Wagner considered the matter from a researcher's perspective, merely wanting to gather firsthand data; worst case, we could just reinsert the catheter.

Zheng Ren, however, approached it from a clinician's angle; even if the embolism surgery was superb, the hyperplastic prostate tissue needed necrosis, which required at least three days for any substantive change.

Having settled on the main principle, Professor Rudolf Wagner again reported to Zheng Ren all the patient's postoperative vital signs and urine output changes.

With everything clear in his mind, Zheng Ren left the ward.

Professor Rudolf Wagner still needed to personally stay on guard in the ward; this case was extremely important to him, and he wanted to obtain all data firsthand.

Back in the office, Zheng Ren greeted the on-duty Chang Yue, found a computer, and sat down.

Zheng Ren pulled up her records and saw that the 64-slice CT three-dimensional reconstruction had already been completed; he suddenly felt a headache coming on.

"Su Yun, I want to do the reconstruction."

"Boss, why not just buy your own machine?" Su Yun snapped, "You've dealt with the CT room for so long, yet you never bother to make connections—you're just relying on me to pull strings?"

Zheng Ren broke into a sweat; what Su Yun said seemed to have a grain of truth.

"I've noted it; I'll strengthen ties with the CT room when I have time." Zheng Ren said, "Take a look—can we do it tonight or tomorrow?"

"Why do you have so many things to do?!" Chang Yue grew unhappy, glared at Su Yun, and scolded.

If there's anyone Su Yun dares not to spray, it's definitely Chang Yue who holds that spot.

Chang Yue just needs to roll her eyes, and Su Yun will back down—this has already been proven by fact.

No choice; Su Yun gave an embarrassed laugh—who let him not be able to outdrink her? Better not to seek boredom. If really pressed, Chang Yue says she'll treat him to dinner tonight, but in the end it's still dull.

He picked up the phone, and Su Yun began making contacts.

Zheng Ren then began examining the patient's various lab indicators.

AFP 2000+, liver function looks okay, but indicators such as bilirubin and total bile acids have started to rise somewhat.

This means that with tumor tissue infiltration, the hepatic ducts are damaged.

Overall indicators are still fine; aside from the liver, there's no sign of metastasis for now.

So we'll wait for a chance to go to the CT room ourselves for a 64-slice CT three-dimensional reconstruction, then proceed with the patient's surgery.

"Boss, you're lucky—Zhao Jie is working overtime, letting us go over in half an hour." Su Yun said.

"All right."

"Don't forget to find time to thank Zhao Jie." Su Yun reminded.

In worldly affairs, Zheng Ren can afford not to care, but Su Yun must; this is also something a perfect assistant must do.

"Got it." Zheng Ren lifted his head, thought a moment, and said, "Let's go check on the penetrating injury patient."

There was still half an hour; going too early would be pointless, so Zheng Ren and Su Yun went to take a quick look at the ICU.

Stepping out of the elevator, before reaching the ICU, Zheng Ren heard a clamor coming from the ICU doorway, as if someone were arguing about something.

The ICU is the department responsible for cleaning up the whole hospital's mess, with enormous costs; many patients' families object to the ten‑thousand‑yuan‑per‑day‑and‑night medical fee once admitted.

Noise and commotion are normal; silence would be abnormal.

Turning the corridor corner, Zheng Ren froze for a moment.

A young man who looked very familiar knelt on the ground; before him stood a middle‑aged man and woman, who were speaking with an ICU doctor about something.

Zheng Ren slowed his steps and walked over.

"We're giving up, just like this." The middle‑aged man said coldly, "Where's the consent form? I can't read—would a thumbprint work?"

"Uncle, please, don't give up." The young man knelt, trembling with extreme fear, voice shaking, "I'll borrow money—I won't take any from the family, really, not even a cent."

Zheng Ren suddenly felt a chill run through him, and he involuntarily shivered.

"Kid, it's useless. Besides, what's it to you?" The middle‑aged man's face showed disgust, as if the youngster were delaying his affairs.

"Uncle, please don't give up, don't sign—I'll go borrow money right now!" The young man tearfully pleaded.

"You think I don't want to treat her illness?" The middle‑aged man said coldly, "She's had a condition since childhood; the town doctors have examined her and said she won't live past thirty. Since it's come to this, let her live or die as she will."

Zheng Ren shivered again.

From inside out, his heart felt a sheet of ice.

Su Yun's eyes narrowed, his gaze like a blade, fixed on the speaking man.

"Uncle, please!" The young man knelt, having no other recourse, and knocked his head to the floor with a bang.

Nearby, other families of patients hospitalized in the ICU looked on, their faces showing reluctance.

"What's going on?" Zheng Ren approached the ICU doctor and asked in a low voice.

"They're the parents of a girl with congenital heart disease." The ICU doctor's expression showed her attitude: "After contacting them, they came straight to say they were giving up on resuscitation."

"……"

It is said that, along with them, there is also a hearse from their hometown; now they are going to pull the plug, lift the person back and set them on fire.

Bitter cold closed in, heavy snow swirling, a wind like small knives swept up the snow, flying and flying in Zheng Ren's heart.

Then it turned into ice,

It fell,

It smashed into Zheng Ren's heart.

……

……

A senior fellow working in the south said this; it wasn't his personal experience, but something he heard over drinks from other doctors regretting. It's been some years; occasionally he thinks of it. When encountering such a situation, doctors really feel powerless.