Chapter 8: A Day at Tuyu Hospital
by xennovel……
In the afternoon, He Hansheng led Zhou Can into General Surgery’s Outpatient Room 4. Outside, the hallway was crammed with waiting patients—some there for follow-ups and others seeking consultations.
If it were morning, there would be even more patients waiting here.
In today’s fast-paced world, busy lives often lead to neglect of one’s health, and minor ailments can quickly evolve into serious issues.
On top of that, worsening pollution, overflowing trash, and harmful foods have spiked the incidence of various diseases.
Tuyu Hospital was operating at overcapacity nearly every day.
The General Surgery Department had become a crisis zone second only to the Emergency Department.
“Xiao Zhou, you’re on medical record duty in a bit,”
“Got it!”
On his first day at the hospital, Zhou Can began learning how to write medical records; after almost a year of internship, he was already proficient.
A guide nurse knocked at the door from outside.
“Dr. He, can we start calling patients now?”
“Go ahead!”
“Patient One, Huang Fuqiu, Room 4.”
A female nurse’s voice echoed from the loudspeaker.
Soon, a middle-aged man with a noticeable sway in his step pushed the door open.
He carried a medical record booklet and several test reports.
“Doctor, I had surgery for hemorrhoids last week, and I’m here for a follow-up.”
“You’re looking well. How are you feeling now?”
“Everything’s fine except that the wound still twinges when I walk, and I can only sleep on my side or stomach. During the first couple of days after surgery, even passing stool was excruciating…”
The patient roughly described his post-surgery condition.
“Alright, go to the back and take off your pants so I can examine you.”
After a brief glance at the record, Dr. He led the patient back for an examination.
The wound was healing well.
It had already begun scarring over.
Dr. He prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and advised him to avoid bath soaking, to follow the dosage schedule, and to return immediately if any discomfort arose.
That patient was finished.
Zhou Can felt a twinge of disappointment at not earning any experience points.
But he did gain a useful reference for future hemorrhoid surgery follow-ups.
Soon enough, a second patient walked in.
This was an elderly woman with thinning hair and a frail build, sporting a large, pus-filled bump on her wrist. Her companion explained that after being pricked by a bamboo skewer, she had removed it herself without much concern.
But over time, the wound not only failed to heal—it became increasingly red and swollen.
Only when it began to fester and she developed a low-grade fever with intense pain did she finally seek help.
After a brief inquiry, Dr. He performed a physical examination.
“Go get a blood count and an ultrasound, then bring me the results.”
He instructed Zhou Can to fill out two examination forms under his name.
Thanks to advanced technology, ordering tests and medications were all computerized, making billing and record-keeping a breeze.
However, patients still had to queue with their forms.
After the patient left, He Hansheng chatted casually with Zhou Can.
“Xiao Zhou, think about this: what do you reckon caused this abscess, and how should we treat it?”
Zhou Can had already been pondering the cause of the abscess.
He quickly reviewed the symptoms and potential causes in his mind, analyzing the pathological mechanisms with his medical knowledge.
“The mild fever is likely due to bacteria entering the bloodstream through the abscess, triggering an inflammatory response.”
The human body has a complete immune system.
When it detects foreign objects or pathogens, its phagocytes, lymphocytes, lymph nodes, and spleen mobilize like an army to eliminate the invaders.
Inflammation is essentially the body’s way of protecting itself.
“The severe arm pain and sleepless nights suggest that the abscess is still spreading, continuously damaging healthy tissue.”
Listening to Zhou Can’s analysis, He Hansheng nodded slightly.
“I suspect there’s still a foreign object lodged in his arm.”
Such cases were not uncommon.
Objects like bamboo skewers or wooden splinters, if only partly removed due to being tightly embedded, can be easily overlooked.
Patients might mistakenly believe everything was extracted.
In the end, any remaining debris can cause infections and pus formation.
【Pathology Diagnosis EXP +1】
The moment Zhou Can finished his analysis, he happily earned 1 EXP.
This patient’s pathology was straightforward—well within the capability of any intern.
Now, with his excellent standardized training, his diagnoses were nearly always spot-on.
“And the treatment plan?”
“I’d recommend making an incision to drain the pus, removing any remaining bamboo skewer or foreign object, cleaning the wound, stitching it, bandaging it, and then prescribing anti-inflammatory medication.” Zhou Can recited his treatment plan in one breath.
He Hansheng smiled gently. “The initial steps are fine, but we need to bolster the anti-inflammatory treatment. In such cases, the patient should receive IV fluids at the hospital until the infection is controlled before switching to oral medication. IV works faster and stronger, minimizing risk and allowing us to monitor the patient closely during the infusion.”
Hearing this, Zhou Can nodded emphatically.
“Remember, safety always comes first. As doctors, we hold our patients’ lives in our hands. Even the smallest mistake can have severe consequences. A doctor’s care should be as attentive as a parent’s, considering every detail.”
Dr. He delivered this earnest advice.
Just then, a third patient entered the consultation room.
It was a stylish woman in her thirties, carrying a black shoulder bag. Attractive and poised, she looked healthy and didn’t seem overtly ill.
“Please, have a seat! What brings you in today?”
Dr. He asked her in a warm tone about her concerns.
“Uh…um…” the woman replied hesitantly, her head bowed and eyes averted.
Her face turned a deep shade of red.
“There’s no harm in discussing your symptoms—there’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Dr. He reassured her patiently.
After a moment’s hesitation, she quietly bit her lip and said, “I… I’ve been experiencing some heaviness and pain in my chest lately. When I touch it, I feel a lump, and the pain has become so bad lately that even lifting my arms is a struggle.”
Based on her description, Zhou Can immediately started piecing things together.
A lump in a woman’s chest typically points to conditions like mammary gland hyperplasia.
“How long have you noticed the lump?”
“I first discovered it almost two years ago. At first, the pain was occasional so I didn’t worry much, but recently it’s been growing, and now I’m frightened. I even looked it up online—many say it could be breast cancer…”
At this point, she seemed less embarrassed.
When she mentioned breast cancer, her eyes filled with deep fear.
Indeed, breast cancer is known as one of the three major killers for women.
Just the mention of it sends shivers down the spine of many adults.
“Are you married?”
“Yes.”
“Have you had any children?”
“My child is almost eight years old.”
“Wow, you look so young! I wouldn’t have guessed that your child is already that old.” Dr. He’s playful compliment immediately eased her tension and anxiety.
The atmosphere in the consultation room lightened considerably.
“Hehe, thank you! Doctor, do you really think I might have breast cancer? I didn’t even have the courage to mention it to my husband or child.”
Her eyes brimmed with hopeful anticipation.
“Don’t worry—nobody can be certain at this point. First, get an ultrasound to check your glandular tissue thickness and look for any nodules. If it’s simply mammary hyperplasia, you might feel significant pain during your period. Try not to stress too much.”
Dr. He not only possessed deep medical expertise and extensive clinical experience but also had an extraordinary gift for reassuring his patients.
His noble dedication to medicine left Zhou Can quietly in awe.
The woman took her form and lined up for her tests.
In this way, over twenty patients were seen one after another.
Some cases were easy to diagnose, while others were more challenging.
Dr. He treated every patient with patience, friendliness, and meticulous care.
His approach set an excellent example for Zhou Can.
Soon, the elderly woman with the large abscess on her arm returned after finishing her tests.
After reviewing her results,
just as Zhou Can had suspected, the infection had caused inflammation and a mild fever. Inside the abscess, a two-centimeter shadow was visible.
It was almost certain that a broken piece of bamboo skewer was embedded deep within the muscle.
She was scheduled for surgery.
They expected her to recover quickly.
The patient with mammary gland hyperplasia also returned after her ultrasound.
Fortunately, there were no signs of calcification, abnormal blood flow, or unclear margins on the ultrasound, indicating a low likelihood of malignancy.
Given the severity of her hyperplasia and the size of the lump, Dr. He recommended she undergo surgical removal of the mass followed by a pathology exam to rule out cancer.
She agreed without hesitation.
This surgery is classified as a simple first-level procedure that can be done on an outpatient basis.
However, Dr. He wasn’t the one performing the surgery.
Outpatient surgical rooms are staffed by on-duty general surgery doctors. Under normal circumstances, consulting doctors do not operate. Even if a surgery requires the consulting doctor’s involvement, the patient will be admitted and the procedure scheduled for the next day or another appropriate time.
Zhou Can checked the time—5:21.
His shift was about to end.
And that afternoon, he had accumulated a total of 8 EXP.
His current pathology diagnosis EXP was at Level 2, 98.6 out of 100—a mark of his excellent standardized training.
This left him particularly frustrated.
He was only 1.4 EXP short of leveling up.
“God, send one more patient, please! Amen!”
Zhou Can silently prayed.
Just 1 more EXP and he’d be only 0.4 short, enough to squeeze in time later to review four more case reports—the key medical skill he needed to master.