Chapter 150 - Surgery (1/2)
Liu Wenli decided to cry! He felt like there was nothing else he could do about lung cancer. He stood by the side of Chasu River as tears streamed endlessly down his cheeks while he watched the river pour past him. He recalled memories from as much as 20 years ago as if they happened yesterday!
'Just what should I do!?' He kept shouting in his heart. He was as helpless as an old man now. He had been ambitious when he was a teenager; he had been courageous as a young man. However, he was now just like an old man despite only being in his early 40s. He had crippled himself with his own negative mentality!
His wife finally noticed that something seemed to be off about him. Although Liu Wenli was completely bald with only a few hairs remaining, he would always comb what few hairs he had neatly before going out. He liked to say, ”As a teacher, one should present a proper appearance!”
But over the past few days, he no longer cared so much about his appearance. It also seemed like he was forcing himself to smile. Additionally, even though he usually didn't have much patience for their son, he was now capable of silently watching his son for more than an hour at a time!
'Something must be wrong!' Liu Wenli's wife was also a teacher who worked at an elementary school. Although she could be naggy, she was a kind person. Later that night, when she and her husband were in bed together, she slowly nudged up to him and touched his face only to find that his face was covered in tears!
”What's the matter? Could you please tell me about it?” She didn't turn on the light, because she knew that men hated having others see them at their weakest. This was a common problem to all men, no matter their age or status!
10 or so minutes later, Liu Wenli finally said, ”There's something in my lungs! It doesn't seem to be very good. If, if...! If I die before you, feel free to find another husband! You're still young! It's just that our son will suffer!”
”Rest assured, everything will be alright. Let's go to Chasu City Hospital tomorrow and make certain. If the diagnosis is confirmed, we can go to Beijing or to Shanghai! We can go to a major hospital in a big city. We can sell our home. Everything will be fine, don't be afraid!” Liu Wenli's wife cradled her husband's head in her embrace as she spoke gently with a calm tone. Yet she also had a steely will!
According to Chinese myth, back when Goddess Nuwa created humans, she had been quite fair. Women were given weaker bodies but strong hearts, while men had strong bodies but much weaker hearts!
Men would typically go crazy or become depressed when faced with such calamities. As for women? They would silently proceed onward while bearing with the pain and difficulties! Women would bravely face the calamity! Sometimes, men truly couldn't compare to women!
On the next day, Liu Wenli's wife went to Chasu City Hospital and asked cardiothoracic Director Liu about her husband's situation. They were currently speaking in the director's office.
”Director Liu, are you absolutely certain of the lung cancer diagnosis?”
”In order to be absolutely certain, a biopsy and tumor marker test will be required. The biopsy will be the most reliable method. It's really difficult to diagnose it with certainty just with his MRI scan alone. Look here, although the outline is clear, it's already spreading into leaflets. Not only that, the density is uneven. No matter if this is a benign or malignant tumor, it will absolutely need to be removed by surgery, and the faster, the better!”
”Alright. Thank you for your hard work! I'll discuss things with my family!” After leaving Director Liu's office, Liu Wenli's wife immediately started using all the connections she possibly could.
China was a country where having connections would make things far easier for you! Teachers would have better connections than most average people as they could talk to their students' parents, their own classmates, as well as relatives! Liu Wenli asked if anyone was familiar with the leader of Chasu City Hospital or cardiothoracic Director Liu! She mass texted many people, and several people started moving.
One of Liu Wenli's current students had a father who was a mid-ranking employee of the Bureau of Health. The father was very familiar with Director Liu, and assisted with inviting Director Liu out for a meal for the same night.
Liu Wenli's older cousin was a section chief at the Bureau of Industry and Commerce. He was the one who hosted the meal to treat Director Liu Boyan.
”As for his tumor, it's not that I couldn't explain clearly at the time, it's that it's truly impossible to be certain. Based on radiography, his tumor is irregular. It looks like a malignant tumor, but it also has many traits of benign tumors. That's why it would be best for him to have surgery!”
”Allow me to ask something direct. Please don't get angry, Director Liu. Honestly, it's not easy for anyone to find out that someone in their family has cancer. My younger cousin's family feels like the sky has collapsed on them,” Liu Wenli's older cousin said while lowering his wineglass in deference to the director.
”Please ask what you like, you don't need to be so formal with me!” Director Liu hurriedly sat up and clinked his wineglass against the cousin's. The older cousin was from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce, and there was also someone from the Bureau of Health at the dinner, so Director Liu needed to give them face, even if they were only middle managers rather than the leaders.
”Then I'll go ahead and ask. What hospital in China is best at performing this type of lung cancer surgery? I intend on taking my cousin to inland China to get treated. You understand, since Chasu City is a small place.”
”Okay! Then let me tell you the truth. It would be better for you to have your cousin treated at Chasu City Hospital. You have more connections here, so doing things will be much easier. Instead of moving your cousin, you should hire an expert doctor to come over to Chasu City Hospital. You'll be able to hire an expert doctor from almost anywhere, but if you go to a major city, I dare say that it would be good if you could find an expert doctor who has free time in their schedule within half a year! Additionally, you wouldn't even know for certain which doctor the hospital there will arrange for your cousin's surgery. You can contact an expert doctor, and the doctor can fly over this weekend to perform the surgery at Chasu City Hospital. It will also be more convenient for you to watch over your cousin!” Director Liu gave them the best advice he could.
Actually, Director Liu was also capable of performing surgery to remove a lung cancer tumor. However, it was clear that the patient's family wanted only the best care possible for Liu Wenli, even to the extent of even inviting Director Liu to a meal. Thus, Director Liu gave such advice to the patient's family instead. He figured it would be best to make them happy.
The advice that Director Liu gave them would be the most effective for families with slightly above average financial conditions. This would save the most time and spend the least amount of money while still being able to hire a high-level expert doctor. But as for the incredibly rich or politicians, this wouldn't be necessary, because they would have special connections of their own! Finally, as for the poor, they could only hope that the local doctors were skilled enough to treat them!