72 It Isnt Black and White (2/2)
The other psychiatrist: ”I'll come with you.”
They both left the room.
Li Xiuying: ”Dr. Ma, Mr. Duan I will inform you if there any new developments to the case tomorrow.”
Dr. Ma spoke with sincerity: ”Dr. Li I would just like to say that your powers of observation and deduction and remarkable. I fear that Yu Guan-Yin would have died at the hands of her mother if it wasn't for you seeing the warning signs. My experience of this disorder and the research about it indicate the victim usually dies because of the years of numerous surgical interventions/procedures or dies at the hands of the perpetrator when they try to induce symptoms in the child using methods such as poisoning and starvation. In most cases, those who do survive have complex psychological and social issues such as an altered perception of their health and have difficultly reintegrating into society. ”
Li Xiuying: ”Yu Guan-Yin is remarkable.” Li Xiuying was able to offer help but Yu Guan-Yin was brave enough to accept it.
Dr. Ma then left the room with Duan Hong.
Li Xiuying turned to the social worker. The social worker immediately sensed something was wrong. She figured Dr. Li was angry with her for her comments earlier.
Li Xiuying addressed B. F and the social worker.
Li Xiuying: ”All of you are very early in your career and most people who have worked for 50 years will not see a case such as this.”
Li Xiuying looked at B and F: ”I have seen the looks of disgust in your eyes.” B and F looked down at their shoes.
Li Xiuying tone was cold and fierce: ”I would like to remind everyone here that we should not impose nor try to enforce our personal beliefs, opinions and attitudes on the patient. It is not our place to assume anything. Yu Guan-Yin's situation will evoke strong emotions in all of us but in that room it is not your feelings that matter. Yu Guan-Yin still loves and cares for her mother; it is no one's place to urge her to stop doing so. Yu Guan-Yin is able to make her own decisions. As a team our role is to protect her and her brother and ensure their physical, mental and social well being. If Cheng Meilin is able to accept that she has this condition and admits to her actions she will be offered treatment whether that's in a hospital or a prison that's not for us to decide. This case isn't black and white.”
Li Xiuying tone remained cold but was no longer fierce: ”I understand the difficulty in seeing such a situation. The doors to a hospital do not differentiate between good and evil. For the next month all of you will have a weekly one hour appointment with me in my office please arrange this with my PA.”
When F heard he had to report to Dr. Li weekly his heart sunk:”Dr. Li are we in trouble?”
Li Xiuying: ”No. The appointment is to allow you to speak through your thoughts and feelings in a safe environment.”
All three of them felt touched at having someone who cared about them. B and F particularly so.
As doctors sometimes you would see different situations that caused you to feel a battery of emotions; some could reduce you to tears others would induce nightmares. But you had to pull yourself together and continue working because someone's life depended on you.
Li Xiuying made her way to private suite 3.
B, F and the social worker remained seated lost in their own thoughts.
..........
Outside the door of Suite 3- 6:30pm
Li Xiuying sighed. She felt emotionally and physically drained. Yu Guan-Yin had given her statement to the police. She revealed even more horrific events which she and her mother had been subjected too.
Yu Bai eventually joined them in private suite 3. The police also took a statement from him. Even with Yu Guan-Yin's protection Yu Bai had not escaped unscathed. He was a severely introverted child and looked frail.
He detailed the scenes of abuse he had witnessed at home as well as the things he had been subjected to. He spoke about how his father would often take pictures of him when he was changing or how he had once left a spy-cam in his room.
After the police left, Li Xiuying stayed a little longer. She just sat by the bed as the siblings cried in each other's embrace. Li Xiuying only left when Yu Guan-Yin and Yu Bai fell asleep clutching each other tightly.
Li Xiuying sighed again and shook her head.
She took her phone out of her pocket to check the time; it was already 6:30 pm. Li Xiuying just wanted to go home, have a long hot shower, put on her polar bear pj's and cocoon herself in her duvet.
Li Xiuying started making her way to her office. This was the most exhausting day she had had since her rebirth.