Xia Hua sat quietly in the thoracic surgery ward in the provincial capital. (Note 1)
He had done his best, but fate did not favor him.
His father lay on the hospital bed, so thin that he had almost no fat. Because of the esophageal tumor, he had not eaten for a long time and had entered the terminal stage.
When the disease was first discovered last year, it was diagnosed as terminal lung cancer. Xia Hua's father firmly refused surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted drug treatment.
He wanted to see the great rivers and mountains of his motherland.
Under the care of Xia Hua and his wife, the old man got what he wanted.
It took him three months to travel to seven or eight provinces on and off. When he returned to the provincial capital, he wanted to leave just like that.
Xia Hua was unwilling. He found Gao Shaojie and wanted to use the least invasive method to see if he could extend the old man's life.
A small amount of chemotherapy plus radiofrequency ablation shrunk the tumor tissue. Although it was not completely cured, it seemed that his life would be extended by about another year.
This was the result Xia Hua wanted.
However, an unexpected situation occurred.
Two months ago, Xia Hua's father was found to have esophageal cancer again. (Note 2)
The cruelest thing was not to fall into the abyss of despair from the beginning. It was to give a certain amount of hope. Things seemed to be getting better, but in fact, they would inadvertently become worse in an instant.
He could die of illness, but he could not starve to death. This was Xia Hua's bottom line.
The old man refused chemotherapy. This time, he even refused the following lung surgery, although the radiofrequency ablation did not bring him any substantial harm.
When people were desperate, they would always give up and hope that all the bad things would end sooner.
He refused all treatment, not even sugar or saline.
Old Master Xia was already unconscious. At this time, Xia Hua left him the PICC tube. He always felt that there was still a way. If it ended like this, Xia Hua would not be willing.
Although letting go was a good idea and the old man would suffer less, as long as his children could do something, who would be willing to let go just like that?
Knock, knock, knock. There was a knock on the door.
Xia Hua rubbed his face with his hands to make himself more energetic. He stood up and opened the door. Seeing Gao Shaojie, he forced a smile and whispered, "Professor Gao, let's talk outside."
"Xiao Xia, I've seen the radiographic films." Walking out of the ward, Gao Shaojie said, "It's a little late, and the old man still has a heart disease. It'll be very difficult to remove the esophageal stent."
"Professor Gao, how confident are you?" Xia Hua asked.
"If you can accept sudden death on the operating table, I can give it a try," Gao Shaojie said.
Xia Hua was somewhat conflicted.
As a doctor, he had told the patient's family countless times in this manner of explanation.
However, when he became the patient's family member and their identities were swapped, he immediately felt that this kind of explanation could be said to be the most asshole kind of communication.
But this was the truth, and Gao Shaojie was telling the truth. He knew it in his heart.
Long-term malnutrition, heart and lung failure, esophageal malignant tumor located near the heart.
Once the esophageal stent was opened, the malignant tumor would definitely touch the heart.
Small compressions could cause arrhythmias and other complications. This was what Professor Gao Shaojie said.
Xia Hua's expression was very ugly. It had been too long since he had relaxed and rested, and he had overdrawn his energy and stamina.
"Little Xia, just do your best. You, on the other hand, have a good rest. Don't make you sick. "Gao Shaojie patted Xia Hua's shoulder gently and comforted him.
"Professor Gao, I know. As for the risk … "Xia Hua was about to say that he could bear it, but at the last moment, he paused.
Gao Shaojie also knew Xia Hua's thoughts. He sighed and said, "I'll ask Old Liu. What do you think?"
"Professor Liu Zewei? Where did he go? "Xia Hua asked.
"He went to study with Boss Zheng. He's the doctor you met on the plane when you took your old man out to play last year," Gao Shaojie said.
For the past six months, Xia Hua had devoted all his energy to his father's treatment and care. He did not know much about other things.
"Then I'll have to trouble you," Xia Hua said gratefully.
Although he had doubts about why a professor of Liu Zewei's level still needed to study, it was only a fleeting thought. He no longer thought about this kind of thing that had nothing to do with him.
Gao Shaojie comforted Xia Hua a little more, then took a picture of the radiographic films and sent it to Liu Zewei.
Old Liu's level had probably skyrocketed after studying for a few months. Gao Shaojie's feelings were a little complicated. Should he go to study?
…
…
"Boss Zheng, Old Gao sent over a radiographic film. Do you want to take a look?" After Liu Zewei finished looking at the radiographic films, he had a headache. He thought that it was very difficult to treat.
However, after staying in the Imperial Capital for a long time, he habitually gave the final diagnosis to Zheng Ren.
"Oh? What patient? " Zheng Ren used the afternoon to bask in the sun and go to the System library to read. When he heard Liu Zewei speak, he came out to ask.
"Late-stage lung cancer, late-stage esophageal cancer," Liu Zewei said concisely before sending the radiographic films to Zheng Ren.
Zheng Ren took his phone and opened the video information.
The lung CT showed that the patient's lung cancer seemed to be treated well. He had undergone tumor reduction surgery.
The so-called tumor reduction surgery referred to a method that could not be surgically removed but reduced a part of the tumor to extend the patient's survival period by six to twelve months.
The mediastinal lymph nodes had already metastasized. Zheng Ren estimated that the patient's survival period was about six months, which was the longest expectation.
Late-stage lung cancer did not seem to be fatal at the moment. The fatal thing was that there was a 6x3cm tumor in the middle and lower esophagus that had almost blocked the esophagus.
The upper gastrointestinal tract did not use barium solution that was difficult to swallow and had poor fluidity. Instead, it was taken orally.
Even if it was a liquid, it was not very smooth. There was only a small gap. It was hard to say whether the super-smooth guide wire could pass through this narrow section.
If it was completely blocked, the esophageal stent would definitely not be able to go in.
This patient could not be conflicted and hesitant for long. At most, it would only be about a week.
Moreover, a week was a more forceful statement. Zheng Ren did not see the medical record, so he did not know how long the patient's tumor would grow.
If it was a more aggressive esophageal tumor, it was possible that the esophagus would be completely blocked in about three days. There would be no chance for the esophageal stent to be placed.
Of course, this was only one of the problems. The main problem was that the tumor was near the heart. After the stent was placed, the tumor would affect the heart to a certain extent.
Chapter 172: The first time Boss Zheng went to the Imperial Capital, he met the doctor on the plane who brought an old man with late-stage lung cancer with him.
Note 2: It's an old patient of mine. He had lung cancer surgery in early 2011 and esophageal cancer surgery in June 2011. After the surgery, he recovered well. However, in 2017, he climbed a mountain at an altitude of 4,000 meters. His heart and lung function were damaged. Now, he has asthma.
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