Can they bear it?
The three family mbers fell silent once again. Witnessing this, Du Heng felt extrely frustrated.
Director Liu sighed helplessly. "I've been talking for almost two hours, and they've been like this the whole ti, not making a decision or saying anything."
Despite their current timid appearance, Du Heng believed that if the earlier critical situation reoccurred, these people were capable of turning the Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital upside down.
"Have them sign the Inford Consent Form and the Refusal of Surgery form. If any issues arise, they'll be responsible."
It's truly terrible luck to encounter such family mbers, Du Heng thought.
Fortunately, the hospital had surveillance caras, and the conversation between the doctor and the family mbers had been recorded. There was no need to fear them causing a scene later.
"Director Liu, after they sign the forms, co to my office. I need to speak with you."
With Du Heng's directive, Director Liu was no longer anxious. She gave the family mbers a cold look before reaching into a desk drawer to pull out various forms. Du Heng then added, "Oh, and Director Liu, if any problems occur with the woman in childbirth, call the police imdiately."
"Understood."
These words seed to agitate the three silent family mbers.
Seeing Du Heng genuinely about to leave the office without turning back, the husband quickly said, "Doctor, it's not that we don't want to sign. It's my wife; she won't let us. She insists on a smooth delivery."
Du Heng stopped and asked Director Liu, "Is that true?"
Director Liu replied with a gloomy expression, "Yes, that's right. The woman in childbirth absolutely refuses a cesarean section. So, I've been trying to persuade the family mbers to consent and sign, but they won't agree either. I'm truly at a loss."
Du Heng turned back, frowning deeply. "Why insist on a smooth delivery?"
"My wife consulted a fortune-teller," the husband said, his face wretched. "They said this child must not be delivered by cesarean section. If so, it would be a 'disaster of blood,' and the child would face endless misfortune and a very difficult life."
"Nonsense!" Du Heng was furious. "A cut on the stomach is a 'disaster of blood,' but a smooth delivery often requires an episiotomy. Isn't that also a 'disaster of blood'? That charlatan has no common sense, and neither do you! Even if you don't know, couldn't you look it up online? Or, if not that, couldn't you ask the doctors at the hospital? Would that kill you? You'd rather believe so Jianghu quack than us doctors?"
This barrage of questions made the husband lower his head, almost to his chest. "We told my wife, but she won't listen."
Seeing the husband's irresponsible attitude, Du Heng's anger flared. "She won't listen, so that's it? What kind of husband are you?"
A trace of sha appeared on the husband's face. "My wife is very assertive at ho. Once she decides sothing, no one can change it. If anyone dares to defy her, they get punched and kicked. It's not just ; my mom, my dad, and my sister have all been beaten by her. I've been beaten so badly I've been hospitalized several tis."
As the husband spoke, humiliation and fear flashed in his eyes.
A woman beating a man... I've only read about such things online. This is the first ti I've encountered it in real life, Du Heng thought.
He asked incredulously, "You, a grown man, beaten by your wife to the point of hospitalization? I find that hard to believe."
"It's true. My wife has studied martial arts since she was a child. Before retiring, she was on the provincial won's Sanshou team. Now, she runs her own martial arts class and teaches students," the husband said, his expression a mixture of helplessness and humiliation. "I really can't beat her. The one ti I tried to fight back, I was beaten the most severely."
Instantly, half of Du Heng's anger dissipated.
In this situation, these family mbers truly wouldn't dare make decisions for her, he mused.
Director Liu, also a woman, was astounded. She couldn't help but ask, "She beats you and your family like this, and you can still live together?"
"What else can we do if we can't go on?" The husband's helplessness deepened. "The community and the Police station have both intervened, but it's useless. It only made her more aggressive."
"This is dostic violence. You could divorce her."
"Divorce?" The husband gave a bitter laugh, then rolled up his sleeve, revealing a scar about a handspan long. "See this? The mont I ntioned divorce, she grabbed a kitchen knife and slashed without a second thought. She said that in her marriage, there's only widowhood, no divorce. She's a lunatic. We genuinely don't dare make decisions for her."
Before Director Liu could ask more, Du Heng waved his hand, interrupting her.
This is a hospital, not a place for gossip. Besides, the current priority was to get the woman in childbirth to agree to surgery, not to pry into their family affairs.
"Director Liu, go talk to the woman in childbirth now. Clearly explain the situation of fetal distress due to hypoxia in the uterus and her current predicant."
Director Liu frowned. "What if she still doesn't agree?"
"Tell her that because of her refusal, the fetus is already in grave danger, and she must bear full responsibility. Furthermore, if the child is born with adverse outcos due to hypoxia and she abandons it, she will be prosecuted for child abandonnt."
She has to bear the consequences of her own making. Before birth, the mother indeed has a say. But after birth, the law takes precedence, Du Heng thought.
As Du Heng finished speaking, the three family mbers collectively sighed in relief.
Director Liu, however, could only return to the hospital room with a grim expression. This ti, however, she returned in less than five minutes, walking quickly. "The woman in childbirth has agreed. The family can sign the forms now."
At these words, smiles appeared on the faces of all three family mbers. The husband eagerly signed all the docunts and then helped the doctor and nurses wheel the woman in childbirth into the operating room.
Seeing that his involvent here was over and that it wasn't practical to find Director Liu at the mont, Du Heng returned to his office to attend to his own work.
「By three in the afternoon」
Director Liu still hadn't co to find Du Heng. He called her mobile phone, but no one answered. Left with no choice, he called the nurse station.
"Dean, Director Liu and the others are in a consultation. I'll have her call you back once she's finished," the nurse on the phone replied, her voice soft and gentle.
Hearing this, however, made Du Heng pause.
The Obstetrics Departnt is small, with only a handful of staff. What could they possibly need a full consultation for? As he thought about it, Du Heng's brow furrowed. Could it be that the baby from this morning's cesarean section had developed complications?
"Who is the consultation for?"
"The baby from this morning's cesarean section. The directors from the Internal dicine Departnt, Pediatric Care Departnt, and Pediatrics Departnt have all been called in."
"What's the baby's condition?"
"The preliminary diagnosis is mild neonatal brain hypoxia. The directors are still discussing the specifics."
"Alright, I understand."
It was just as he feared; the worst-case scenario had occurred. They had acted as quickly as possible, yet the most dreaded outco had still materialized.
Du Heng's eyes unfocused as his mind raced, trying to recall all relevant pediatric knowledge.
Suddenly, his mobile phone rang, startling him and breaking his train of thought. Glancing at the caller ID, Du Heng quickly answered.
「At three-fifteen in the afternoon」
Du Heng was once again in the office of the Director of the Obstetrics Departnt.
"Tell the specific situation."
Director Liu, her brow deeply furrowed and her heart heavy with anxiety, began, "Since birth, the baby has shown excessive suppression, abnormal muscle tone, and significant resistance to limb movent. Reflexes are abnormal, including an absent sucking reflex. Just now, a nurse reported that the baby is developing a high fever."
Du Heng's eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned the directors before him. "What are your recomndations?"
The Director of the Pediatric Care Departnt spoke up imdiately, "Dean, our unanimous opinion is to transfer the baby to the Provincial Won and Children's Hospital at once. The initial diagnosis is Cerebral Hypoxia Complications. While the existing damage can't be reversed, transferring the baby now might alleviate so symptoms. It could prevent the child from developing cerebral palsy or completely losing the ability to live independently."
"To what extent can the Provincial Won and Children's Hospital improve the baby's condition?"
"Well... we can't be sure of the exact degree. However, if the current situation continues to develop, this child will definitely lose all ability to live independently, suffer from intellectual disabilities, and lack limb coordination. That's certain."
Du Heng looked at them. "Where is the baby now?"
"In the Neonatal Care Unit."
"Let's go take a look."
Du Heng turned to leave. He had just taken a step when he bumped squarely into a young caraman following behind him with recording equipnt. Du Heng, in no mood to deal with him, simply pushed the caraman aside and strode rapidly towards the Neonatal Care Unit.
In the relatively spacious care unit lay a single infant, naked except for a diaper. Its tiny body was covered with various electrode patches, wires, and tubes. Currently, two doctors and three nurses were anxiously clustered around the baby. The slightest change on the monitoring equipnt or in the baby's physical state sent a wave of tension through them.
"What's the baby's current condition?"
"The baby has recurrent high fevers and abnormal limb flexion. There's still no sucking reflex. Also, after crying once right after birth, the baby hasn't cried since."
Du Heng's brow furrowed deeply as he slowly approached the infant. The baby's eyes and mouth were closed, breathing sustained by a tube inserted into its nose. Its limbs were flexed inward, fists clenched tightly. Even at a glance, there were visible signs of convulsions.
More alarmingly, as one drew closer, the rattling sound of phlegm could be heard from the baby's chest cavity and throat. This indicated that, in addition to brain hypoxia, the baby's lungs were also underdeveloped.
Du Heng moved closer still, observing even more carefully. The baby's complexion was ashen. Blue veins stood out on the bridge of its nose. Its fingertips were a deep purple, the discoloration extending to the first joint of the index finger.
Du Heng slowly straightened up, then closed his eyes.
Traditional Chinese dicine doesn't have a concept of 'brain hypoxia,' Du Heng mused. From a TCM perspective, this child's condition is classified as 'phlegm-heat accumulation transforming into wind due to extre heat.' The treatnt principle now is clearing heat and detoxification, dissolving phlegm to open the orifices, and extinguishing wind to stop convulsions.
Considering the treatnt plan rapidly forming in his mind, Du Heng exhaled softly, his gaze fixed intently on the baby. A flicker of determination hardening his eyes, he turned and said, "Prepare a needle tool kit for . Also, bring paper and a pen."
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