Chapter 178 - 0171: A Tie

A new week began and after finishing his rounds, Yang Ping reported to Director Han about the surgeries performed in the outside hospital on Sunday.

Director Han had some knowledge about Li Quan Hospital, “This is a nice hospital. The owner was once a provincial physician and is quite renowned for performing arthroscopy. Initially, he led a group of doctors to form a medical group, and then invested in specialized hospitals.”

“We had dinner together yesterday, with him and Su Nanchen. We discussed the possibility of cooperation. After the initial contact, I found that this hospital and the owner are quite formal.” Yang Ping asked for Director Han’s advice.

“In that case, show me the contract before signing. I will help you review it.” Yang Ping is young and in critical moments, Old Han needed to act as his counselor.

Last of all, Director Han cautioned, “Young man, go for it!”

Director Zhuang called. Li Jingshu was taking an X-ray and would be brought over soon.

Several surgeries were assigned to Song Zimo. They had to give him more opportunities to catch up with his own pace. A single flower does not make a spring, but a hundred flowers blooming together do.

Yang Ping waited for Li Jingshu in the office and used the spare time to review the medical records of department patients.

The doctor’s office, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, was bathed in warm and brilliant morning sunlight.

A human skeleton stood in one corner, beside the bookshelf.

Upon entering the room and seeing the human skeleton, one would instantly know this was the orthopedics department.

This human skeleton wasn’t a facsimile, but a real, full skeleton.

Apart from computers, printers, stacks of books, and files on the office desks, there were also various anatomical models of various body parts – of shoulder joints, knee joints, and spines.

“These represent all the ‘hardware’ in our bodies, 206 in total. 80 axial bones, 64 upper limb bones, 62 lower limb bones. When used properly, they can last several decades, and in some cases, even more than a hundred years. There are no spare parts for these ‘hardware’ components. They last until the body gives up.”

Zhang Lin pointed to the skeleton as he gave his first orthopedic lesson to a few new interns.

The interns were serious and interested. Some even touched the human skeleton, full of curiosity.

“Of course, there are times when we do have to replace the ‘hardware’, such as during hip or knee joint replacements. However, most ‘hardware’ cannot be replaced and must persist until the end. This is why we should respect life and cherish health.”

As he said this, Zhang Lin’s expression turned serious and his tone grew heavy.

“Our profession as doctors is sacred, as we deal with human bodies and lives! Therefore, no matter how stringent our requirements for ourselves are, it is never too much!”

These were the words of Professor Zhang Zongshun. What he had originally said was, “The knife in our hands cuts into living people. With life and death hanging in the balance, no demand is too stringent.”

“Teacher Zhang, is this skeleton a fake or real?” a student asked.

Zhang Lin replied, “It’s not a model, it’s real. He or she once walked this world, had their own life, their own love, hopes, and attachments.”

Zhang Lin straightened his white coat, “Let’s bow to him or her in gratitude for their contribution to medical science.”

Zhang Lin bowed, and the interns followed suit, their expressions solemn.

“You all learned to wash hands and dress in school, right? If not, raise your hands!” After bowing, Zhang Lin asked.

No one raised their hand. Zhang Lin said, “When we go to the operating room later, I will train you again. Remember, if you don’t know something, don’t pretend to know. We are working on the most serious job in the world and cannot afford to take it lightly. If your sterile area gets contaminated or you contaminate the sterile area, speak up immediately. Do not hide it. You will not be criticized or penalized for your mistakes, but if you conceal them, your dishonesty could bring disastrous results to the surgery. Infection! For orthopedics surgery, it’s disastrous. It’s unacceptable for any surgery.”

This was not a scare tactic. The concept of sterility is fundamental in surgery and must not be taken lightly.

Zhang Lin teaches well. The male students interestedly studied the human skeleton, while the female students, a bit timid, just watched from the side.

Zhang Lin taught them the basic rules of surgical internships, assessed their seven-step hand-washing technique, and then took them to the operating room.

Li Jingshu arrived, accompanied by Director Zhuang. The head nurse, Cai Qiaojun, received her and led her to the doctor’s office.

Wearing a winter skirt, she carried an X-ray bag in her left hand. As she entered the doctor’s office, she smiled and extended her right hand, “Doctor Yang, hello!”

Yang Ping stood up and gently shook her hand.

Director Zhuang helped put up the X-ray film for viewing. After Yang Ping finished looking at it, he said, “The fracture has healed very well and reshaped. Show me how you can move it. It should have returned to normal, hasn’t it?”

Li Jingshu extended her left upper limb and demonstrated various movements to Yang Ping.

“As you can see, the movement is completely normal, but it still hurts. These three points hurt a lot when pressed.” Li Jingshu pointed out the pain points.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

These were the areas of the lower ulnar radial joint, and the radial styloid and ulnar triangular fibrocartilage complex.

After the fracture heals, some pain often remains. Some of it slowly dissipates on its own, while some require treatment.

“Does it hurt a lot? Shall we go to the treatment room and check it out?” Yang Ping wanted to help her find the cause.

Li Jingshu said,”Thank you, you are bothering you for nothing. Really, it’s very painful and seriously affects my ability to use the computer.”

“Would you follow me?” the head nurse led Li Jingshu to the treatment room with Director Zhuang trailing behind them.

Rolling up her sleeve, Li Jingshu stretched her arm out in front of Yang Ping.

“Let me check it out for you!” Yang Ping took her extended hand.

The previous indentations and wrinkled skin had all gone. This was the tender hand a girl should have.

“You guys go ahead with your work? Thank you.” Li Jingshu looked at the head nurse and Director Zhuang standing nearby.

Director Zhuang said to the head nurse, “Let’s go out!”

“Does it hurt here?”

Yang Ping gently pressed the ulnar radial joint, the ulnar triangular fibrocartilage complex, and then the radial styloid process, checking one by one the places that are easy to cause pain.

“It hurts! Everything hurts!” Li Jingshu responded without thinking.

“Really?” Yang Ping observed that her expression didn’t match the timing of his pressure.

Li Jingshu nodded, “Aren’t doctors supposed to not doubt the patient’s complaints?”

Indeed, as a doctor, one should not doubt a patient’s complaints.

“Have you seen that chart?” Yang Ping asked, showing her how to rate her pain.

A visual analogue pain scoring chart hung on the wall of the treatment room, allowing patients to rate their pain based on their subjective feeling.

Li Jingshu looked at the chart: “4 points!”

“4 points means you need pain treatment. Are you sure it’s a 4?” Yang Ping noticed her relaxed demeanor.

Li Jingshu looked at the chart again, sure of her answer, “Yes, definitely a 4; so please prescribe some painkillers for me, otherwise I won’t be able to work.”

“Let’s do an MRI to see what might be the cause. Common ones include radial styloid tenosynovitis, damage to the ulnar triangular fibrocartilage complex and the inferior ulnar radial ligament,” Yang Ping suggested.

She shook her head: “No, I don’t want to do that. The MRI makes a lot of noise and is very enclosed, it’s hard for me to tolerate.”

“Do you have claustrophobia?” Yang Ping wanted to understand more clearly.

“I don’t know, maybe?” Li Jingshu rolled down her sleeves.

“In that case, let’s just observe for now. It should be fine. It’s probably soft tissue spasms causing the pain. Keep physiotherapy, once the spasmed tissue recovers its elasticity, the pain will slowly disappear,” Yang Ping explained to her.

“I have something to tell you,” Li Jingshu spoke softly.

Could it be another piece of hospital news? As a journalist, she has sharp instincts. He still owes her a thanks for last time.

Li Jingshu paused and then said, “Can we go to that meeting room from last time and discuss? Just for two minutes, it won’t take up much of your time.”

He overthought last time; she wanted to discuss serious matters. Yang Ping agreed to her suggestion.

Once they were in the meeting room, as always, she closed and locked the door. Yang Ping was accustomed to her actions.

Li Jingshu took a fancy gift box out of her bag and handed it to Yang Ping with both hands: “This is a tie. I bought it when I was on a business trip. It’s just a token of my gratitude for you saving me the burden of surgery. Thank you!”

This? Not good?

If he flatly refuses, he might hurt her self-esteem. He hesitated.

“Don’t overthink it, I just want to thank you. I guess the pain won’t be gone soon, I will still need your help,” Li Jingshu mentioned.

“You’re too kind, I can’t accept gifts from patients,” Yang Ping didn’t take the gift box.

“You won’t add me on WeChat, you won’t dine with me when I invite you, I guess you’re going to reject this small gift too.” Li Jingshu didn’t seem upset, her cheeks slightly blushing, she laid the gift box on the table.

“My mother’s shoulder always hurts. She has seen a doctor and was diagnosed with periarthritis. Can I take her to see you sometime?” Li Jingshu changed the subject.

“Monday afternoons are usually good,” Yang Ping thoughtfully replied.

“I’ll bring her over next Monday then. I’ll book an appointment with you in advance,” Li Jingshu replied.

“Can I add you on WeChat?” Li Jingshu proposed this again.

Yang Ping was a little troubled. She had repeatedly requested to add him on WeChat but he had not accepted.

“Just adding on WeChat won’t make me pregnant,” Li Jingshu giggled behind her hand.

Okay, it is just WeChat, don’t be so stingy and self-conscious. She meant nothing else.

Yang Ping let her scan the QR code of his work WeChat account. After scanning, she queried: “This is your work account, right?”

Without answering, Li Jingshu went on, “I plan to create a medical program that focuses on the current doctor-patient relationship. However, I don’t know how to start. Can you help me?”

“That’s a big and heavy theme. It’s not easy to handle, I’d advise against doing it,” Yang Ping poured cold water on her idea. Indeed, the doctor-patient relationship is a sensitive topic and very difficult to tackle.

“What about a show on the history of medicine? I’m sure it will be interesting. It will show people the arduous path of medical progress. For example, once in Europe, bloodletting was actually hailed as a cure-all and was prevalent for a thousand years.”

“For the history of medicine, you should find Professor Zhang. He has written a book on this subject, which is quite interesting,” Yang Ping suggested.

“That would be too difficult. What kind of program should I produce? Maybe one about orthopedics? I could cover the history of traditional bone-setting techniques, discuss its past challenges, and future prospects,” she brainstormed.

Yang Ping had nothing to say, she meant no harm.

“I will think about the program. For my mother’s case, I’ll have to trouble you,” Li Jingshu batted her eyes and opened the door.

“When should I come back for my next follow up?”

“You’re fine, no need for a follow-up.”

“But I still feel pain! I can’t go without a follow-up appointment. I’ll contact you about it. Bye!” she replied.

Li Jingshu walked out with a smile.