Chapter 30: A Misunderstanding and a Race Against Time

At that moment, the Elderly Woman was sweating in pain, her face contorted, yet she forced a smile even more grotesque than crying.

“Young man, I was wrong this morning. Please, don’t stoop to my level,” she said.

When you’re under someone’s roof, you have no choice but to lower your head.

This morning, being called ‘Auntie’ by Zhou Can felt as if someone had just desecrated her family grave.

Now, to win Zhou Can’s forgiveness, she insisted on calling herself an old lady.

Her talent for dodging trouble was nothing to sneeze at.

Her eyes shone with a fierce will to survive.

Earlier, in a fit of spite, she had hurled more than her fair share of caustic remarks at Zhou Can, utterly offending him. Now, if she didn’t apologize right away, he might literally give her a couple more cuts in the operating room.

What was she supposed to do?

In truth, she was simply measuring a noble man with a petty heart.

Zhou Can wasn’t nearly as small-minded as she was. He would never debase the noble duty of a doctor by toying with a patient’s life.

“Rest assured, it was just a misunderstanding this morning. I won’t hold it against you,” he assured.

Zhou Can gave a generous wave of his hand.

An apology that brought the patient to her knees was enough.

Seeing the acerbic old lady lower her head gave him a certain satisfaction.

“You’re such a good man! Young man, if you could go easy on this old lady, perhaps you could spare the bother of calling a relative. What do you say?”

The woman feigned pitiable distress, pleading in a forlorn tone.

“How can you not have a family member with you? Who’s going to take care of you in the hospital? First, push her out. That Xiao Luo is causing a ruckus—how can a patient unfit for surgery be rushed into the operating room?”

Dr. Xu noticed that Zhou Can was still a rookie, unaccustomed to dealing with such a stubborn patient.

With a grim expression, he assumed the role of the bad guy.

And it worked – the elderly woman fell for his act completely.

At the sound of being ordered out, she panicked on the spot.

Since morning, she had been queuing for treatment, dragging her ailing body for nearly a day while begging outside for Dr. Luo to agree to perform emergency surgery.

Now that her surgery was about to begin, she simply wouldn’t concede just because her family wasn’t present.

“Wait, wait—I’ll call right now. Please, I beg you, don’t kick me out!”

Seeing the lead doctor’s stern demeanor, her pitiful act failed, and she had no choice but to call her family.

She got through on the phone.

“Daughter…” The moment she uttered the word, her emotions overwhelmed her, and she could barely continue.

Her commanding, fierce image from the outpatient hall that morning had been completely replaced.

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

A young woman’s soft, trembling voice answered.

There was something sweet in her tone, tinged with a hint of laziness.

“I… sob…”

The elderly woman burst into tears first.

Zhou Can realized the situation was getting out of hand; the emergency operating room was busy, and with her emotions in disarray, it would be hard for her to explain quickly.

“How about I speak with your daughter?” he offered.

Zhou Can gestured for the phone.

With reddened eyes and pressed lips, the elderly woman handed over her phone.

“Hello, this is a doctor from Tuyu Hospital.”

“May I ask what’s wrong with my mother?”

The young woman’s voice trembled, laced with clear anxiety.

Hearing that her mother was sick in the hospital must have made her incredibly nervous.

It was evident that the bond between mother and daughter was strong.

Then why would an elderly woman in such serious condition hide the truth from her daughter?

“Your mother has an appendiceal stone and urgently needs surgery. However, hospital regulations require a family member’s accompaniment because of the risks involved and the need for hospitalization.”

“Ah… is my mom that serious? She never mentioned anything! Doctor, I’m coming immediately. Which department at Tuyu Hospital is it?”

Upon hearing the news of her mother’s dire state, the daughter grew frantic.

“We’re in the Emergency Department at Tuyu Hospital. Once you arrive, head straight to the operating room. When can you get here?”

Zhou Can inquired.

“In about two hours. I’ll get leave immediately,” she replied.

It was clear the two did not live together.

A two-hour drive meant they were at least over a hundred kilometers apart.

“Alright, travel safely,” Zhou Can advised.

He then ended the call.

After returning the phone, he glanced over at Dr. Xu.

In cases like this, if a family member agrees to come for support, surgery might proceed immediately or wait until they arrive.

“Doctor, I’ve already signed the consent form. Please, I beg you, operate on me now!”

The elderly woman pleaded once more.

Dr. Xu did not agree immediately; instead, he said firmly, “We can perform this surgery in the Emergency Department. However, your test results show that although your intestinal obstruction is serious, it isn’t life-threatening at this very moment. If you’re not in an urgent state, you could opt for a specialized treatment. Their techniques are superior, and their equipment more advanced, allowing for a laparoscopic surgery with a smaller incision and quicker recovery, though at a higher cost.”

Laparoscopic surgery is classified as a Grade 3 procedure.

It demands higher technical proficiency and state-of-the-art equipment.

In this regard, specialized departments do indeed surpass the Emergency Department.

“No, no—I want the surgery done here,” she insisted, shaking her head repeatedly.

Her inherent suspicion made her doubt if the doctor was trying to upsell a more expensive option.

Without a second thought, she refused.

“If you insist on doing the surgery in the Emergency Department, we can only perform the standard procedure. Do you agree?”

“Agreed,” she replied.

“Alright, then we’ll schedule you,” Dr. Xu said, adding no more.

“Please notify the anesthesiologist to prepare for preoperative anesthesia and call in Nurse Ye Tingting to assist. Tang Ling, please ready the patient for surgery,” he ordered.

Although an appendiceal stone surgery might seem like a minor Grade 2 operation, it still requires at least five medical staff.

One anesthesiologist, a chief surgeon, an assistant, a scrub nurse, and a Attending Nurse.

For tasks like skin preparation, it was best if a female nurse handled them.

Soon, the anesthesiologist arrived, reviewed the patient’s records, and after a brief discussion confirmed everything was in order before having her sign the forms.

The anesthesiologist then administered epidural anesthesia.

“Anesthesia successful. All vital signs are stable. We can proceed with the surgery,” he announced.

Dr. Xu had already taken position as the chief surgeon.

Zhou Can’s eyes gleamed with envy.

The previous two surgeries had been minor skirmishes.

Especially the case with the forehead injury, which, even in a Grade 1 procedure, was among the simplest.

This appendectomy was a bona fide Grade 2 surgery, and one of the more challenging ones at that.

If Zhou Can could actively participate in this procedure, it would be a major boost to his career.

According to hospital regulations, if a doctor completes 80% of a surgery at a given level, their skills are deemed qualified, granting them permission to perform at that level independently.

In other words, if Zhou Can managed 80% of this appendectomy on his own, he’d earn the right to perform Grade 2 surgeries.

Of course, he couldn’t practice solo yet, as he hadn’t obtained his medical license or practicing certificate.

But it was a privilege to have the backing of a renowned institution!

Working under a senior doctor’s guidance posed no problem.

This was a golden opportunity.

The hospital operates under a tiered responsibility system.

As a trainee, Zhou Can’s actions—and those of his supervising and higher-level doctors—were all accountable.

If a patient were to die, the primary responsibility would fall on Dr. Xu.

Needless to say, with his future on the line, Dr. Xu kept an extremely close watch on him.

Riskier procedures simply wouldn’t be entrusted to him.

However, if Zhou Can could demonstrate the ability to independently manage Grade 2 surgeries, things would be different.

At the very least, he would earn the Grade 2 qualification in Dr. Xu’s eyes.

Then, cases like this could be entrusted to him without hesitation.

That was exactly what Zhou Can needed.

The operating room in the Emergency Department mostly handled Grade 1 and Grade 2 procedures.

If he was stuck with only Grade 1 cases, he would miss many opportunities to hone essential skills such as anatomical dissection, separation, and suturing.

If he could also perform Grade 2 surgeries, he’d become unstoppable.

A single day in the operating room could easily net him a couple of hundred experience points.