"You really know how to worry people. This isn’t such a big deal, and your initial judgnt wasn’t that far off." Seeing Liu Banxia still looking downcast during dinner, Liang Xiaolin couldn’t help but offer so consolation.
She really didn’t want to say anything, feeling Liu Banxia was being overly dramatic. If a doctor’s every diagnosis had to be impeccable, then practically no one would dare to be a doctor.
But looking at Liu Banxia sinking into gloom was affecting her appetite.
Liu Banxia responded with a nod, managing a faint smile. "You’re right. Let’s enjoy our al. After we’re done, you and Qing Kewa can get off work and go ho to rest."
Qing Kewa, who was struggling to grab fried peanuts with chopsticks, glanced at him and resud her effort.
It was a feeling others could hardly understand. It wasn’t just about a simple blood test, but his state of mind. Only Liu Banxia himself truly knew how he had felt at that mont.
I’d reflected on this before. After getting the system, my ego inflated, and I beca sowhat arrogant. I’d reminded myself back then, but only today did I realize that reminder was just wishful thinking. My initial diagnosis at the ti was genuinely leukemia. Since acute leukemia often affects infants and young children, I was thinking that once the blood test results ca out, I’d be able to show off in the ergency departnt again. I was truly getting carried away, flying a bit too high, a bit too far. If it weren’t for little Haohao today, it probably wouldn’t have been long before I made an even bigger fool of myself.
I really should thank little Haohao. I’ll bring him a chicken leg later.
With this thought, his spirits lifted considerably. He found Qing Kewa’s struggle with the peanuts amusing and helped her pick up two.
Liu Banxia seed to have let the matter go for the ti being, but others weren’t about to let him off so easily. Even during the al, he overheard people discussing an ER doctor who had ordered a coagulation test for a child’s rhinitis.
Although no one ntioned him by na, the incident had just occurred, and the gossip was spreading like wildfire. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who was spreading it.
What else could I expect? The lab wouldn’t bother with such trivial matters. Du Fancheng isn’t a gossip, and he’s probably busy performing a nasal endoscopy on Haohao right now. The only ones who could know about this are people from the ergency departnt.
Nurses like Zhou Li had a good relationship with him; the only one in the entire ergency departnt who consistently opposed him was Qi Wentai.
"What on earth is he thinking? Why is he so annoying?" Liang Xiaolin complained.
"What else could he be thinking? He just wants to irk . Just like Qin Hai. Can’t cause real harm, but loves to make people uncomfortable," Liu Banxia said casually.
"Actually, I think I finally understand why Old Qin was always targeting in the ergency departnt. It was probably because I often badmouthed him behind his back, thinking I was challenging his authority."
"Now karma’s co around, hasn’t it? Little Qi is doing the sa to . But I’m a magnanimous person; I won’t stoop to his level. How’s that for an attitude?"
Liang Xiaolin looked at him exasperatedly, finding Liu Banxia’s way of thinking quite peculiar.
When no one was talking about him, he’d feel incredibly aggrieved. Now that people were criticizing him, he simply brushed it off.
"Actually, I had no choice either. After leaving school, I went straight into a hospital. In those two private hospitals, I had to walk on eggshells; the people there were even more complex than in public hospitals," Liu Banxia said.
"So, I developed this thick-skinned personality. As for real-world experience, I have none. With just a little achievent, my ego swelled. Otherwise, how could I have dared to pick a fight with an associate chief physician? I had so much gall, a soup bowl couldn’t hold it!"
"PFFT... what’s with you?" Liang Xiaolin, who was drinking soup, choked on her sip and shot him an annoyed glare.
"HEH HEH, Brother Qiang, can I get a chicken leg to go?" Liu Banxia called out to Zhou Qiang.
"What’s wrong? Just one? Not two?" Zhou Qiang asked, glancing at him.
"It’s not for them. Their performance was just average today, so no extra chicken legs. It’s for a little patient of mine. He had his blood drawn unnecessarily, so I need to make it up to him."
Declaring it so openly was tantamount to announcing to everyone that he was the ergency departnt doctor in question. This imdiately made those who had been gossiping feel a bit embarrassed, as they had been talking behind his back.
Actually, this was quite normal. altis were for idle chatter. What else was there to discuss in a hospital besides such minor incidents?
Liang Xiaolin gave him a helpless look. That stunt of his just now had attracted a lot of attention. She decided she would leave work on ti in the future and not get mixed up with him.
After finishing his al, he greeted Chen Jianxin and headed toward the ENT (ear, nose, and throat) departnt. It felt sowhat fated, as this was already his second trip there today.
Before he even reached the ENT departnt, his phone rang. It was Du Fancheng.
"Brother Du, is the examination done? Is it rhinitis?" Liu Banxia asked imdiately after answering.
"It’s slightly more serious than rhinitis. There’s a polyp growing in the sinus. We’ve taken a tissue sample for biopsy," Du Fancheng replied.
DING! Mission completed: The Boy with a Nosebleed
Gained 100 experience points, 30 diagnostic skill proficiency points.
Liu Banxia paused. "Are you still in the ENT departnt? I’m heading over there now."
"Yes, I’m here. Co on over," Du Fancheng said and hung up.
Liu Banxia quickened his pace. For a child this young, a polyp requiring a biopsy was unlikely to be a common one.
"Uncle, where have you been? The examination was really uncomfortable," Haohao greeted him warmly upon seeing him.
"Uncle bought Haohao a big chicken leg. Are you hungry? You can eat the chicken leg first," Liu Banxia said, presenting it.
Haohao obediently looked at his mother. Although he had just gnawed on a large bone and received a piece of chocolate, he still felt he had to ask for permission for this big chicken leg.
Haohao’s mother managed a nod before turning away.
"It’s in the maxillary sinus, which is why Haohao always feels uncomfortable and picks at it with his fingers. The growth rate probably isn’t very fast," Du Fancheng said, pointing at the computer screen.
Liu Banxia took a closer look. Even though he didn’t know much about otolaryngology, he still understood the basics.
"Please try not to worry too much. I estimate there’s a greater likelihood of it being benign," Liu Banxia said, moving next to Haohao’s mother.
"Haohao has had symptoms for about two years, and it’s only grown this much in that ti. Does anyone in the family have a similar dical history, or does anyone in the household smoke frequently?"
Haohao’s mother shook her head. "His father doesn’t smoke, and no one in our family has this kind of illness."
"That’s even more reassuring then. It’s possibly just a simple polyp. It’s rare to find one in that location in a child his age," Liu Banxia said.
"It often occurs in people who frequently smoke or work in environnts with irritating substances; those are the typical situations where such pathological changes might occur."
"Oh! We bought a new house three years ago and renovated it. Could that be related to this?" Haohao’s mother suddenly exclaid.
"Well... we can’t say for sure," Liu Banxia frowned.
"However, if the formaldehyde concentration were truly high, it would be quite pungent. But since Haohao is young, it’s certainly possible this could have caused it."
"But it’s not necessarily a direct link. The onset of illnesses often involves multiple factors. Besides, Haohao isn’t showing any other symptoms, so it’s likely nothing too serious."
"Haohao, is the chicken leg tasty?" Liu Banxia moved closer to the little boy.
The little fellow obediently nodded. "It’s very tasty, even better than the chicken legs Mom makes."
"HAHA, Uncle knew you’d like it. Try to eat it all up, then you won’t need dinner when you get ho," Liu Banxia said.
The little boy nodded happily and then took a big, satisfying bite.
"If you’re still worried, you could have Haohao stay with relatives for a few days and get his room tested. Use these next few days to also try and calm your nerves while you wait for the test results," Liu Banxia added.
Haohao’s mother nodded. "When Haohao’s dad gets here, we’ll check into a hotel if necessary."
"Alright then, I have to go back to the Ergency Departnt. There’s only one surgeon holding down the fort over there," Liu Banxia said.
"Doctor, thank you so much. If it weren’t for you taking an extra look, we wouldn’t have discovered this," Haohao’s mother said gratefully.
"Please don’t say that. You should thank Doctor Du. I’m a layman when it cos to otolaryngology; I almost made a mistake," Liu Banxia said with a bitter smile.
As a doctor, the thing you most want to hear is gratitude from patients or their families. But this "thank you" today... it feels a bit awkward in my heart.
This was sincere appreciation from Haohao’s mother, yet Liu Banxia felt he didn’t deserve it.
After bidding farewell to Haohao, Liu Banxia finally left the Otolaryngology Departnt. There was no need to stay longer since it wasn’t his area of expertise. Even if surgery were required, it would be a matter for the otolaryngology departnt.
"Why haven’t you two left yet?" Liu Banxia asked with a smile when he returned to the Ergency Departnt and found Liang Xiaolin and Qing Kewa still there.
"Has Haohao’s diagnosis been confird?" Liang Xiaolin asked.
"There’s a polyp in the maxillary sinus. I took a look; its base is sowhat irregular. We need to see the biopsy results before discussing surgical options," Liu Banxia said.
Liang Xiaolin was stunned. She also hadn’t expected this to be the outco. An irregular base—she, of course, knew what that implied.
"Alright, you two should head ho too. You’ve been through a lot today; hurry ho, wash up, and get so sleep," Liu Banxia said.
"Got it. Qing Kewa, let’s go," Liang Xiaolin said, glaring at him.
"Why is she glaring at ?" Liu Banxia looked at Zhou Li.
Zhou Li shrugged. "How would I know? Who knows what you two have been up to."
Liu Banxia rolled his eyes. This Sister Li... definitely not soone to ss with, ever.
He wandered over to one side and, out of habit, picked up a book. But he couldn’t focus.
If little Haohao had only suffered from common sinusitis, he might have been able to put it out of his mind. But the possibility that this cute and polite little boy might have sinus cancer gnawed at him.
Even in this profession, so cases inevitably tugged at his heartstrings.
Otherwise, why else did he always try his best to smile when dealing with patients, to the point of appearing jovial? It was a form of defense, perhaps—a way to protect his own heart and, at the sa ti, help patients relax.
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