Great doctors start with pediatrics

a long time.

Sew it up again and again.

Zuo Zhenxing admitted that Laurent's suturing technique was indeed superb.

Laurent was not only adept at simple surgical suturing, but he was probably among the best in the hospital in terms of pure technique.

Zuo Zhenxing thought of the Douyin video his grandson had watched on New Year's Eve—a video of him pretending to be candy and tricking him.

Although Zuo Zhenxing eventually scolded his grandson and told him not to make jokes related to patients, looking back now...

Zuo Zhenxing squinted.

Is this kid faking it too?

Laurent had no idea what Zuo Zhenxing was thinking.

One afternoon, he felt a chill run down his spine.

Laurent handled all the sutures needed during the afternoon's outpatient visit.

Zuo Zhenxing is relatively lenient towards resident trainees.

After checking the rooms, they dismissed Laurent and Fang Qingxue.

Laurent walked toward the bus stop.

But he discovered that Fang Qingxue had been following him the whole time.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Laurent asked.

Fang Qingxue blushed immediately: "Thank you, Luo Lang, for explaining the suturing technique to me."

Laurent waved his hand: "It's alright. We're not living in a feudal era anymore. Why bother with old traditions and family skills? As long as it can help patients in the future, that's the best thing."

"Yes, but thank you anyway, Laurent."

Fang Qingxue lowered her head, hesitated for a long time, and then asked, "Um, Luo Lang?"

Is this woman trying to express her desire to seek the truth in medicine?

Laurent became more vigilant.

"Could you take your time with the stitching next time?"

"Although you explained it, I couldn't see it clearly and I don't know how you stitched and tied the knot."

Fang Qingxue seemed to feel that it was inappropriate to ask someone for a favor, so she said, "I can treat you to a meal."

"Alright," Laurent said without refusing. "Is there anything else?"

Laurent glanced at the bus schedule displayed on his phone's navigation app and quickly said, "If not, I'll be going now. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

Watching Laurent's departing figure, Fang Qingxue fell into deep thought.

A hint of suspicion flashed through Fang Qingxue's mind.

Did Laurent really not want to stay and discuss medical matters with her?

I can teach Laurent diagnostics and hospital rules.

On the bus.

Laurent gritted his teeth: "I really want to drain Fang Qingxue dry and learn all the basic medical knowledge in her mind."

Laurent did indeed want to ask Fang Qingxue many questions, and even asked her to tutor him in a manner similar to having a private tutor.

The problem is that Laurent's current skill level is not yet at the point where he needs a private tutor.

When Laurent returned to his dormitory, he found that neither of his two roommates were there.

Laurent simply ate dinner at the canteen by himself and then began to look at the books piled up like a wall on his desk.

Whose child is so good that they had to read so many books while in school?

But Laurent was still watching.

In his past life, he could readily apply legal statutes; now, he could certainly apply them to medical knowledge as well.

Both law and medicine require finding numerous cases and "guidelines" before proceeding, which shouldn't pose a significant challenge for me.

Laurent was full of energy.

"Why is Lao Luo sleeping alone?"

"Aren't you afraid of staying cooped up? Let's wake him up and put him in bed."

……

Indeed, acquiring medical knowledge through a "golden finger" (a powerful, reliable method) is more reliable.

Laurent did read the book; in fact, he read it for several hours.

But I still feel sleepy when I'm sleepy.

The next day.

Yawning, Laurent stood behind Zuo Zhenxing, having finished dealing with the morning's outpatient clinic.

At noon, Zuo Zhenxing began to recall Laurent's operations that morning.

Although the pace was much slower, it was clear that the explanation was being given to Fang Qingxue and the patient's family.

This improved the attitude of patients' families at the outpatient clinic in the morning.

After all, although there are many conflicts between doctors and patients, they are by no means equal in nature.

Patients are naturally less informed and less informed than doctors, so they naturally tend to have anxieties about doctors.

When someone like Laurent explains the suturing process in detail, it gives the patient a great sense of security.

What's even more impressive is that Laurent's explanation was truly from the perspective of a medical novice.

Zuo Zhenxing even started to think about whether he should ask Laurent to take some time to hold a training session for the doctors in the hospital and share his experience.

However, the stitches are clearly very good, so why are the other aspects so bad?

Be puzzled.

The afternoon clinic has also begun.

Laurent was quite happy this morning.

Because the children we treated all had green light above their heads.

However, this is the norm in pediatrics.

Most children are not terminally ill, but rather have various common ailments, so at most they will have some red glow.

The problem can be solved with proper treatment.

Children with red or even black light above their heads are usually found in the inpatient ward.

Laurent still hoped he could see more green light.

Outpatient services continue.

Zuo Zhenxing also began teaching two students how to write medical records.

Pediatric medical records need to be written in great detail.

This is being responsible for the sick children.

This is nothing like the orthopedics department; the medical records are worse than nothing.

Laurent had just finished writing the previous medical record.

Zuo Zhenxing had already given his approval to the next one.

Looking up, I saw a middle-aged couple leading a boy into the room.

The boy was about eight years old, tall and thin, wearing a clean school uniform, with his head down and his fingers unconsciously picking at the hem of his clothes.

A red light was shining from above the boy's head.

"Doctor, could you please take a look at my son?"

The man helped the boy sit down on a chair, his voice weary: "My child has had a stomachache for two days. He doesn't have a fever or diarrhea. We took him to the community hospital, and they said it was intestinal spasms. They prescribed probiotics, but they haven't helped at all. He's still in pain."

Zuo Zhenxing nodded: "Where does it hurt, little one?"

The boy raised his head, his eyes timid, and opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Upon seeing this, the boy's mother quickly added, "My child is deaf and mute. His ears have been damaged since he was little, so he can neither hear nor speak..."

"Do you know sign language?"

Zuo Zhenxing frowned.

The computer system advised: "If the child is deaf or mute, it's best to explain this to the nurse when registering and ask if there's a sign language teacher available to help with the diagnosis."

"Today, the sign language teacher from the hospital went out to provide free medical services. I'll have my child checked out first."

"Xiaoxue, take your temperature first."

After a few minutes.

"Normal body temperature"

Zuo Zhenxing completed the medical record, listened to Fang Qingxue's report, put on gloves, and began the physical examination.

Zuo Zhenxing pressed down on the boy's abdomen from top to bottom, from below the xiphoid process to around the navel, and then to the lower left and right sides of the abdomen. The boy did not flinch at all, but just stared at everyone in a sullen manner.

Zuo Zhenxing frowned and took out his stethoscope: "Breath sounds and heart sounds are clear, bowel sounds are normal."

Everything is normal.

"Have you eaten anything unclean? Have you vomited? Is your bowel movement normal?" Zuo Zhenxing asked.

"Everything is normal. He eats well, but when he's in pain, he doesn't want to move. He just sits for a while and then feels better." The woman shook her head. "We also find it strange. If he were really in a lot of pain, he would have cried by now. But he just occasionally clutches his stomach, and when we ask him, he can't explain it clearly."

Zuo Zhenxing frowned.

All routine physical examinations were perfectly normal, with no signs of infection, obstruction, or trauma.

Frankly speaking, it's very common for an eight-year-old boy to have occasional abdominal pain. Intestinal spasms, mesenteric lymphadenitis, or even just catching a cold can all cause this kind of dull pain without any physical symptoms.

"It's probably just simple intestinal spasm, which is very common in children of this age."

Zuo Zhenxing put down his stethoscope, picked up his pen, and prepared to write a prescription:

"Go back and keep warm. Don't eat anything raw or cold. If the pain is severe, apply a hot towel. Take probiotics for a couple of days to help regulate your body and observe the effects. If the pain worsens or you experience vomiting or fever, come back. Or, wait until the sign language interpreter returns tomorrow, and I'll make an appointment for you in advance."

"If you're worried, I can order a set of tests for him right now."

"Doctor, could you please make an appointment for us?"

"Okay." Zuo Zhenxing was also very efficient in his work.

The woman took the reservation slip, glanced at her husband, and seeing that he had no objections, breathed a sigh of relief and pulled the boy to get up.

"etc."

Laurent's voice suddenly rang out.

All eyes were on him.

At some point, Laurent even put on a pair of thick glasses and tugged at his collar.

Zuo Zhenxing turned to look at him, his lips twitching: "Laurent, is there any other question?"

Laurent did not answer; his gaze was fixed on the top of the boy's head.

Director Zuo, are you even capable of this?

One after another.

He's clearly a well-known senior figure in the industry, so why isn't he including me now? It looks like he's about to go downhill.

Laurent was also aware that hospitals inevitably encounter difficult and complicated cases.

Now is the time for me to take action.

Laurent rubbed his hands repeatedly to disinfect them, then asked, "Have your children received any sign language training?"

"We've been attending special education schools and have some knowledge of it, but we haven't learned much."

The boy's mother said dejectedly, "I should have learned more."

"It's okay, as long as you've learned it."

Although Laurent can speak both natural sign language and Chinese sign language, he finds the former difficult to communicate with.

The more standard the sign language, the more rigorous the communication becomes.

Put on gloves.

Zuo Zhenxing sat and watched Laurent operate.

Stop him?

Considering Laurent's previous performance, Zuo Zhenxing became more patient.

Fang Qingxue's eyes widened as well.

His classmate always seems to have some kind of trick up his sleeve.

Laurent didn't explain. He walked to the bedside, not looking down at the boy, but slowly squatting down to be at eye level with the boy, and gave him a gentle smile.

Then raise your right hand, fingers together, extend it toward the boy, and slowly draw a thumb.

"Hello there."

The boy's previously dull eyes suddenly lit up.

The boy's father held his breath.

For boys, seeing someone greet them with sign language, in addition to their parents and special education teachers, naturally adds a layer of trust.

But she was also shocked, and after a few seconds of hesitation, she timidly responded with the same gesture as Laurent.

However, compared to Laurent, the boy's gestures were more casual.

The consultation room fell silent instantly.

Fang Qingxue opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out.

Zuo Zhenxing took a couple of sips of the jujube water and a knowing look appeared on his face.

"I grew up in an orphanage. There were deaf and mute younger brothers and sisters in the orphanage. In order to help the director and caregivers take care of them, I learned sign language."

Laurent offered a brief explanation, without saying anything more or trying to elicit sympathy.

After saying that, she started gesturing to the boy again, slowing down her movements and making each gesture clear and precise.

"I can understand what you're saying. Don't be afraid, speak slowly."

The boy bit his lip and nodded.

Laurent stretched out his right hand, brought his five fingers together, and waved them on the tip of the pen, a pained expression on his face.

"It hurts? Where does it hurt?"

The boy hesitated for a moment, then stretched out his right hand and drew a circle on his stomach.

Laurent shook his head.

This screening scope is too broad.

Laurent continued gesturing, pointing to the boy's upper abdomen, and asked, "Is it here?"

The boy shook his head.

Laurent nodded, then pointed to his navel: "Here?"

The boy shook his head again.

Laurent's fingers continued to move downwards, his hand now touching the boy's lower abdomen: "Down there?"

The boy nodded repeatedly.

The boy extended his fingertip and gently tapped the area slightly to the left of his pubic symphysis, making a sign.

Laurent groped his way forward, his brow furrowed.

Using sign language, he asked, "Is the pain constant, or does it come in waves?"

The nationally used sign language has only five thousand words, so Laurent had a lot of trouble communicating.

Besides, it's about communicating with an eight-year-old child.

Laurent racked his brains to ask questions.

The boy nodded in the direction behind Laurent.

Laurent continued, "Is it a radiating pain, a pricking sensation, or something sinking down?"

Radiation, needle prick, and falling are relatively easy to describe.

The boy stared at Laurent's hand for several seconds.

Finally, he nodded vigorously as Laurent repeated the demonstration of the fall.

The boy, facing Laurent, made a downward gesture with his hand over his lower abdomen, his face showing bitterness as he expressed the pain.

Laurent nodded upon hearing this.

Stand up slowly.

He looked at the crowd who were stunned by his "spell battle" with the boy.

There was no time for jokes.

Laurent's expression was grave: "Teacher Zuo, the boy is experiencing intermittent, aching pain in his lower left abdomen, above the pubic symphysis."

Zuo Zhenxing nodded. He had just seen Laurent's physical examination and he could feel the professional demeanor.

He is waiting for Laurent's diagnosis.

Laurent stared blankly at Zuo Zhenxing.

one second.

two seconds.

……

Zuo Zhenxing couldn't hold back any longer: "Luo, what do you think?"

Laurent's lips twitched: "I don't know! I can't diagnose this. You should have it sent for a CT scan right away."

"His pain seems to be located in a somewhat low area. Anyway, I couldn't feel anything or a lump during the physical exam, so I won't have an ultrasound."

Laurent thus acquired this knowledge from "Diagnostics: Physical Examination".

Zuo Zhenxing heard this.

He originally wanted to say that CT scans could easily have radiation effects on children, but recalling previous cases, he typed on the keyboard and issued a test order: "Okay, thin-section pelvic CT scan, expedited."

"After you scan the QR code to pay with your phone, you can go and take the photos."

Zuo Zhenxing explained to the boy's parents.

But after seeing Laurent's sign language, the boy's parents did not hesitate.

Only when they have a hearing-impaired child do they realize how difficult it is for their child to get medical checkups.

Now that I've finally found a doctor who knows sign language, I naturally do whatever he says.

The boy's parents left with him.

Zuo Zhenxing had many questions, but he continued to call out numbers.

Outpatient services continue.

Twenty minutes later, the CT room of the radiology department called: "Director Zuo, the boy you brought in has cryptorchidism and has been transferred to the urology department."