Chapter 316: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 316: Seeing a Doctor at the Hospital, Scared into a Cold Sweat

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Tell me about the patient's condition."

Sitting in the consultation room was a middle-aged male doctor; he glanced at Wang Zhanggen and then began asking about the condition.

"Actually, it's nothing major, just that his complexion isn't good, and he occasionally feels dizzy."

Wang Zhanggen said so.

Li Xiulan hurriedly said:

"Doctor, don't listen to his nonsense. He previously had a cerebral infarction and narrowly saved his life, but his health has declined significantly. Not only does he have a poor complexion and frequent dizziness, but he has also become very easy to anger."

The doctor then said:

"Let me first issue several inspection forms for the patient. Once the results come out, come back to see me for a follow-up."

Facing the computer screen, the doctor clattered away at the keyboard.

In a short while, he had issued several inspection forms.

Wang Zhanggen took the inspection forms and looked at them, immediately becoming displeased.

Because among these inspection forms, there were not only blood draws but also CT scans and B-ultrasounds.

"You don't even ask about the situation clearly, yet you issue me so many inspection forms. What do you mean by this?"

Seeing Wang Zhanggen's emotions flare up all at once, the doctor didn't find it strange, but hurriedly explained patiently:

"Don't get excited. I issued these inspection forms for a reason. The blood draw checks your blood lipids; blood lipids are an important indicator for judging cerebral infarction. The CT scan mainly checks the condition of the blocked blood vessels in your head."

"The blood draw also checks liver function, and the B-ultrasound also checks the liver, as well as the thyroid. What is this about? Are these related to cerebral infarction? Don't think that because we farmers have no culture, we are easy to deceive!"

Wang Zhanggen remained furious.

The doctor continued to explain patiently:

"Your wife says you are easily angered, and your complexion is yellowish. I suspect you have a liver problem. Excessive liver fire makes one prone to anger, so I had you check your liver as well. Additionally, you have a very obvious nodule on your thyroid, which also needs checking. So I issued you a thyroid B-ultrasound form, to check various conditions all at once, saving you from having to run back and forth several times."

The doctor also said:

"Your thyroid nodule is quite obvious, just below the throat, with a noticeable protrusion. You can't feel it? Normally when swallowing things, you should be able to feel a little."

Wang Zhanggen reached out and touched the spot just below his throat; indeed, there was a lump.

Normally when eating, he could actually feel a little, but he hadn't paid much attention to it.

"What exactly is this nodule?"

Wang Zhanggen hurriedly asked.

The doctor said:

"To put it plainly, it means a tumor has grown inside the thyroid, also called thyroid cancer."

When Wang Zhanggen heard the word "cancer," his heart suddenly trembled, his complexion changed drastically, he broke out in a cold sweat, and he almost fainted on the spot.

Li Xiulan was also struck as if by lightning, very shocked.

In their understanding, cancer was a fatal illness!

Seeing their huge reaction, the doctor hurriedly explained:

"However, you don't need to worry too much. Thyroid cancer is the mildest of cancers; the vast majority are benign and won't take a life. First, do a B-ultrasound to see the specific situation. If you don't want surgery, come for regular check-ups. As long as it doesn't continue to grow, or grows very slowly, you can just leave it alone. If it will grow and grows quickly, then surgery must be performed to remove it."

Hearing these words, Wang Zhanggen's emotions finally eased a little.

Li Xiulan also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Doctor, what if it's malignant?"

Li Xiulan couldn't help but ask.

The doctor did not directly say what would happen if it were malignant, but said:

"Don't worry, go get the check-up first. Basically, it won't be malignant. Thyroid nodules are very common. We can perform surgery here; it's just a very small surgery. If you have cooperative medical care, a few thousand yuan can take care of it."

The doctor did not directly tell them that if it were malignant, it would almost certainly be untreatable.

Thyroid cancer has a characteristic: benign thyroid cancer can allow one to live with cancer for a long time, but if it is malignant thyroid cancer, then basically there is no hope.

Of course, malignant thyroid cancer accounts for less than one percent; indeed, the probability is very small.

The doctor didn't tell them this because he didn't want to cause them too much psychological pressure.

"Okay, okay, then let's go get checked first."

Li Xiulan hurriedly nodded in agreement.

The doctor also patiently reminded:

"Go pay on the first floor first, then go get the check-ups. Blood draws are on the first floor; B-ultrasounds and CT scans are on the second floor. Follow the signs to get it done. Try to finish by this afternoon and get the results. Once the results are out, print the inspection report and come back to see me."

Li Xiulan nodded repeatedly:

"Okay, okay, thank you, Doctor."

Li Xiulan held the forms and went down to the first floor with Wang Zhanggen.

While queuing to pay, both of their moods became heavy.

Wang Zhanggen touched his neck from time to time and asked Li Xiulan:

"Do you think it could be malignant?"

Li Xiulan immediately rebuked him:

"Don't think wildly. The doctor said most are benign! You'll be fine!"

Wang Zhanggen, however, couldn't control his wild thoughts.

He was wondering if he was about to die, and whether dying would be very painful; if he died, what would become of this family?

Besides, his three sons hadn't married and had children yet; if he just died like that, wouldn't it be too useless?

After paying the fee, it was already almost noon.

Li Xiulan took Wang Zhanggen to have blood drawn, and by then the hospital had reached its noon off-duty time, so the B-ultrasound and CT could only be done in the afternoon.

They went outside together and ate a bowl of wontons costing six yuan, then returned to the hospital to keep waiting.

They finally waited until two in the afternoon.

The hospital staff came to work.

They continued to line up for examinations.

Fortunately, there weren't many people in the afternoon.

They fussed around until past three in the afternoon and finished both the B-ultrasound and CT.

Then they waited for nearly two more hours.

At past five in the afternoon, the blood test results hadn't fully come out yet, but the B-ultrasound and CT results were out.

They couldn't keep waiting any longer; if they waited more, the doctors would be off duty.

So they took the B-ultrasound and CT results and went back to the doctor for a re-examination.

After looking at them, the doctor said:

"Your cerebral infarction requires continuous medication; the liver B-ultrasound shows nothing wrong; there is a 4.6-centimeter thyroid nodule that has reached the surgical standard, but whether it is malignant or benign, I can't say for sure, after all I'm not an expert in this field; you can go register for Thyroid and Breast Surgery for a re-examination..."

"What surgery?" Wang Zhanggen asked.

The doctor then took out a piece of paper and wrote the four characters "Thyroid and Breast Surgery" on it.

Then he said: "Thyroid and Breast Surgery; thyroid nodules need to be seen by Thyroid and Breast Surgery. Many people get it wrong, thinking something grew under the throat is a throat matter, so they go to Otorhinolaryngology, but actually this needs to be seen by Thyroid and Breast Surgery."

"Mm, okay." Wang Zhanggen took the paper, so he wouldn't forget later.

The doctor then said again:

"I'll prescribe you a few days of medicine for the cerebral infarction first. After the other test results come out, come back to register, and then I'll give you a more detailed treatment plan."

"Okay, okay, thank you, Doctor." Li Xiulan hurriedly thanked him.

Wang Zhanggen was sullen and unhappy, because the meaning of the doctor's words was very obvious: he would still have to run to the hospital several more times.

In the future, not only would he have to treat the cerebral infarction, but also deal with the thyroid nodule.

He might even need surgery.

In Wang Zhanggen's understanding, surgery was a big deal.

Li Xiulan took the prescription the doctor wrote, went to pay the fee, and then lined up at the window to get the medicine.

Wang Zhanggen said he was tired and sat on a chair nearby to rest.

He sat on the chair, the whole person staring blankly, as if in a daze, as if in thought, his complexion looking worse than before.

After Li Xiulan got the medicine, she and Wang Zhanggen walked out of the hospital together.

By this time it was already nearly six in the afternoon.

The last direct bus to Shangou Village had already left; they could only first take a vehicle back to Town, then take a motorcycle back to Village.

"Given your condition, should you tell the children?"

While waiting at the Bus Stop for the bus back to Town, Li Xiulan suddenly asked Wang Zhanggen this sentence.