Healing Doctor

Chapter 265 Appendicitis? That's not important (Alliance Leader Stinky Fruit's Dad x1)

A middle-aged woman walked in, followed by a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old, who was bent over with a pained expression.

"What's wrong?" Meng Qingfei asked.

"My stomach hurts, doctor, could you please take a look?" the woman said.

Meng Qingfei had the patient lie on the bed and conducted a simple physical examination.

Ji Xiang diagnosed him with acute appendicitis after the physical examination.

Very typical signs: tenderness at McBurney's point in the right lower quadrant, accompanied by rebound tenderness. It is unknown whether there is muscle tension, but Ji Xiang believes that probably not.

Meng Qingfei wrote out a list of tests and had the patient undergo various examinations.

"Doctor, what's wrong?"

"We're now considering acute appendicitis," Meng Qingfei said. "After the tests to rule out other diseases, we'll admit him to the hospital for surgery."

"Surgery? I don't have time," the woman said without hesitation.

"..." Meng Qingfei frowned.

"My child is leaving for America tomorrow, and I can't afford to be late," the woman said. "Doctor, could you prescribe some painkillers?"

"If you don't have surgery for acute appendicitis, there's a chance of appendiceal perforation, so I don't recommend it," Meng Qingfei said with certainty.

"That won't do. You have no idea how much trouble it took to get in touch with the Bronx High School of Science in the US! We finally managed to get there, so we absolutely can't let it be delayed."

"No matter how much trouble it takes, we have to treat the illness first." Meng Qingfei was displeased and glared at the woman.

"No, I absolutely have to go to Bronx High School of Science. After graduating from that high school, the worry is which Ivy League school I'll go to, not whether I can get into an Ivy League school at all." The woman was very firm and resolute.

"But what if it's acute appendicitis?" Meng Qingfei's tone was already somewhat unfriendly, and he made no attempt to hide it. "If it perforates, will we have to do emergency surgery in the US? What if it perforates on the plane and we get toxic shock upon landing?"

"Try taking the medicine first." The woman hesitated for a moment, then returned to her previous line of thought.

Being sick was absolutely not as important as Bronx Science High School; she knew that perfectly well.

"Let's get it checked out, we need to get a diagnosis first." Seeing that he couldn't persuade the woman, Meng Qingfei had no choice but to check if it was acute appendicitis.

There's no inspection yet, so it's too early to talk about this.

The woman took the little girl for a checkup, and Zhao Zhe asked in confusion, "What's an Ivy League school?"

"Simply put, it's a top university in the US," Meng Qingfei said. "Getting into Bronx High School of Science is awesome! No wonder they're so desperate to get there."

"Bronx Science High School..." Zhao Zhe couldn't get a reply.

"Brother Zhao, let me put it this way," Ji Xiang explained, knowing that Zhao Zhe's life had nothing to do with these things. "In our minds, getting into Tsinghua or Peking University after graduating from high school is the best outcome, right?"

"Yes, Tsinghua and Peking University. If my child can get into them, our ancestors' graves will be emitting auspicious smoke."

"Some people don't see it that way," Ji Xiang said. "For example, if you go to Bronx Science High School, a good graduate can go directly to an Ivy League school. The patient's mother's statement was a bit of an exaggeration, but it's still okay. Not all Ivy League schools are available to her. If all else fails, and her grades are particularly poor, she can still come back and get into Tsinghua or Peking University."

"!!!"

"There are some procedures to go through, but it's not difficult."

After hearing Ji Xiang's explanation, Zhao Zhe immediately understood.

If what Ji Xiang said is true, then this kid's lowest possible standard is Tsinghua or Peking University.

In an instant, Zhao Zhe understood the woman's persistence.

Faced with acute appendicitis and Bush's science high school, what should he choose? Zhao Zhe was suddenly at a loss.

"Nonsense." Meng Qingfei curled his lip. "Betting that the inflammation of acute appendicitis will subside? If it perforates, and we have to go to the emergency room in New York, who knows how much it will cost. Without insurance, an average family's life savings probably wouldn't be enough to cover the medical expenses."

"Yes!" Zhao Zhe recalled something, "I met a patient when I was working in the emergency department in Yuanliao City. He was working in Dubai, probably a construction worker, doing overseas work."

He was wheeled in and was nearly dead; his heart rate was 150, and he had mild symptoms of septic shock. I placed my hand on his abdomen, and I'd never felt anything so hard in my life—a classic board-like abdomen. I doubt even a real wooden board would be that hard.

"Intestinal perforation or stomach perforation?" Meng Qingfei asked.

"The diagnosis was a perforated stomach, and I immediately sent him to the general surgery department for an exploratory laparotomy," Zhao Zhe said. "When that guy saw me, his expression immediately relaxed a lot. You could say that ordinary people are willing to trust doctors. After I examined him and explained the situation, he said that surgery in Dubai was too expensive and he couldn't afford it."

So he had the doctor there prescribe a whole bunch of painkillers, and he took them all the way back to China for surgery. When they admitted him to the hospital, he threw the medicine boxes in the trash, and I felt really bad at that moment.

"You..." Meng Qingfei smiled and was about to say something unpleasant, but then he realized that he and Zhao Zhe were not familiar with each other and that these words might be a bit too much, so he stopped there.

"Teacher Meng, what should we do about this patient?" Ji Xiang asked.

"Xiao Ji, what would you do in that situation?" Meng Qingfei asked in return.

Ji Xiang thought for a moment and then shook his head.

"We definitely have to respect the opinions of the patient's family and the patient themselves. They are the guardians, the patient's mother; we are just doctors," Meng Qingfei said. "If the diagnosis is correct, they can sign the papers and leave if they want. All we can do is pray."

"What if they don't sign?" Zhao Zhe asked. "I've encountered people who would rather die than sign, and if pushed too far, they'd raise their hands and hit you."

"Isn't it the two of you here?" Meng Qingfei laughed. "If you don't sign, I'll keep everything safe and write the medical records clearly. If you weren't here, I'd bring the nurse in to listen and provide proof."

If all else fails, just suspend me. Is being an ER doctor really that appealing?

"It's not easy for anyone." Zhao Zhe clearly understood the deeper meaning behind Meng Qingfei's words.

"Dr. Xiao Ji, if you encounter similar situations in the future, never be a stickler for what's right. What we think is right may not be what the patient thinks is right," Meng Qingfei advised.

Ji Xiang nodded; this could probably be considered clinical experience.

After waiting for a long time and treating three of Meng Qingfei's external injuries, the woman and the patient still hadn't returned.

Meng Qingfei found the test report on the computer, which ruled out kidney stones and ectopic pregnancy, and confirmed that it was acute appendicitis.

Because the patient was late in returning, Meng Qingfei wrote an extremely detailed medical record, printed it out, wrote the date and signed it himself, and carefully put it in the locker in the duty room.

Ji Xiang went to take a look and saw that there were at least twenty similar medical records in Meng Qingfei's locker.

"Teacher Meng, so many?" Ji Xiang asked, somewhat surprised.

"Actually, I know some of them are fine, but as a doctor, I still have to be careful. If I encounter an unreasonable patient or their family member, I won't be able to defend myself."

(End of this chapter)