System Came When the Doctor was Thirty

”Uncle, does your wound not hurt much anymore? Have you farted?” On Wednesday, July 29, at eight twenty in the morning, Lu Cheng stood in front of bed number 3, speaking calmly.

Bed number 3 was where Lu Cheng performed an appendectomy on July 27. This was the third appendectomy by Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng’s skill level in appendectomies had not improved through skill points, so his level was not high; he relied on basic skills to manage, and he wasn’t completely confident.

”It stopped hurting yesterday, and I did fart. Dr. Zeng and the others said Dr. Lu took a rest yesterday.”

”But after Dr. Zeng checked me, he let me start drinking porridge.” The patient, a middle-aged man in his forties, explained with a smile.

He had been hospitalized for a few days and learned from other patients that Lu Cheng was a very attentive and responsible doctor. He expected Lu Cheng to do rounds on his first day post-surgery, but he hadn’t expected Lu Cheng took a break.

”It’s okay, as long as you’ve farted, you can start drinking porridge. But pay attention to your diet. Today, start with semi-liquid foods, like egg drop soup.”

”Avoid soft foods, especially fried, raw or cold items for now. You can get out of bed and walk around now, not too far, just a walk around the emergency department area, but make sure to avoid the emergency carts, be careful not to bump into them...”

”Where is your family?” After saying this, Lu Cheng asked.

”My wife bought breakfast for me and went to work. My mom will come over to watch me later; she’s taking the kids to school now.” The middle-aged man chuckled and asked, ”Can I eat steamed eggs for lunch?”

At around forty years old, he had a lot on his shoulders, with older ones to support and young ones to care for, as well as having to work and earn a living. It’s a highly pressured stage in life.

”You can have steamed eggs, but it’s better to have thicker porridge, like lean meat porridge.”

”There’s nothing special otherwise. Your wound is simple; two or three days of dressing changes will suffice. Just focus on turning around, getting out of bed, and walking for recovery. You don’t need to do tendon function training like others.”

”If you recover well, you can be discharged tomorrow and rest at home. Are you willing?” Lu Cheng asked.

Appendicitis patients generally have no issue with their limbs, and post-surgery, they can quickly get out of bed and walk.

”What about my dressing changes then, Dr. Lu?” The middle-aged man asked.

”You can come here or find a nearby clinic for dressing changes. After about twelve days post-surgery, you can consider removing the stitches if you’re anxious to start work, rest for about half a month before going back to your job.”

”Oh, I remember you work on a construction site, in that case, half a month isn’t enough, you’d need at least a month.” Lu Cheng quickly corrected his advice.

”Sigh... I guess that’s necessary.” The middle-aged man said helplessly.

He wasn’t injured externally; it was appendicitis from drinking while doing business, something that couldn’t be predicted in advance.

Just as Lu Cheng finished the rounds, Du Daihua, on day shift in the ward, walked in. Seeing Lu Cheng, he paused and laughed, ”Brother Lu, you’re here again?”

”Aren’t you supposed to be on surgery duty? You didn’t have to come!”

After Lu Cheng’s previous ’mix-up,’ his surgical scheduling privileges had been taken away. When a patient came into the clinic, Director Lin would call Professor Chen Song, and Chen Song would contact Lu Cheng, as Chen Song was the leading figure, responsible for all surgical scheduling.

Lu Cheng chuckled lightly, ”Brother Du, I’m just here to check on post-surgery patients. Why don’t you join me for rounds?”

Though surgical skill points were numerous, Lu Cheng couldn’t completely let go of concern over postoperative patients, so he deliberately came by to check.

”It’s your surgery, of course you should lead the rounds.” Du Daihua smiled, slightly pandering, his large eyes and small nose giving his smile a unique flavor.

Du Daihua was only twenty-nine this year, younger than Lu Cheng, aware of his own abilities and qualifications.

Lu Cheng could make waves in the emergency department, while Du Daihua was eager to learn from him.

This bed number 3 is about extensor tendon suturing, and today is the second day post-surgery. Here’s what to watch out for in rehabilitation; Daihua, if you have time, come over and explain it to him…”

”And this bed number 4...” Lu Cheng was familiar with all the surgeries he had performed, already planning ahead their recovery notes, so he could recount them without any pause.

This confident approach by Lu Cheng made patients feel a bit more trust.

In total, there were only five patients in the surgical group, and it took twenty minutes to complete the rounds.

Bed number 5 patients and family were busy saying, ”Thank you, Dr. Lu; if it weren’t for you, we’d have had to go to State for treatment.”

”And... might have encountered trouble.”

Lu Cheng joked upon hearing, ”How could you run into trouble when coming for treatment?”

”Well, yeah?”

”They said a friend who came before us had the same condition but was taken by orthopedics.”

”Their post-op recovery wasn’t good... too bad...” The patient didn’t criticize the orthopedic doctors, nor did they try to belittle them.

It was considered lucky not to have been unlucky.

Du Daihua whispered, ”Brother Lu, Young Master Kun and Director Peng completed that tendon rupture surgery, but the post-operative recovery wasn’t very good.”

”On stage, you can see the differences. It was relayed by Xue Xue in the operating room...”

Lu Cheng exited, slightly turned his head, lowered his voice to warn, ”Since Director Peng finished the surgery, don’t gossip. The orthopedic team led by Director Peng wants to learn surgeries to serve patients, their goal isn’t wrong.”

Just as they spoke, Lu Cheng saw Peng Kun, who was following along, arriving a bit late.

He had just come out of the doctor’s lounge in work attire, and upon meeting Lu Cheng and Du Daihua, Peng Kun looked slightly surprised, ”Brother Lu, did you finish rounds?”

”Weren’t you up doing surgery until three in the morning? How come you’re here so early?”

”Ah, I slept in the lounge last night.” Lu Cheng replied.

Upon seeing Peng Kun, Du Daihua quickly smiled and said, ”Brother Lu, Brother Kun, I’m heading off to write medical orders, change dressings, and update medical records. You two chat.”

Currently, due to Director Peng of orthopedics, Peng Kun was shadowing in the emergency department, but by next month, he wouldn’t be.

Zhang Tiesheng and the others were senior attending doctors, clearly unwilling to shadow Lu Cheng, giving him an opportunity.

Han Xiaoping’s laid-back nature was known by Du Daihua; Brother Zhuang was the ’mascot’ of the department, avoided by everyone. This opened up learning opportunities for him.

Du Daihua observed Lu Cheng’s dealings with Professor Chen Song, knowing that being well-behaved and sensible was the foundation...

”Young Master Kun, did you have a breakup? Why do you look a bit down?” Lu Cheng casually asked Peng Kun.

”Sigh...” Peng Kun sighed.

”The department encountered some trouble.”

”Originally, our hospital had decided on Director Xiang Dahong from State People’s Hospital for outreach, but somehow Professor Tong from Xiangya Hospital in the Hand Surgery Department went crazy and called our hospital.”

”But Director Xiang was already confirmed first, so Professor Tong was upset after being rejected.”

”My father said if Professor Tong throws a fit and goes to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, it’ll be a big problem...” Peng Kun scratched his head.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital also had orthopedics, considered a ’brother’ unit with Renmin Hospital.

However, in these times, brother units were competitors. Peng Haibo’s schedules inadvertently sent an esteemed expert to the County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital...

With Professor Tong there, managing incoming patients would be a headache.

”Professor Tong? Which Professor Tong?” Lu Cheng’s tone tightened.

”Professor Tong from Xiangya Hospital, I don’t know his exact name, let me check...”

A few minutes later... Lu Cheng and Peng Kun were left puzzled together.