Chapter 33: Big Sister, Let’s Not Pressure Our Teammate!“Three hearts?”
“This doesn’t make sense. How can a person have three hearts?”
Luo Sanmei’s initial reaction was disbelief because it exceeded her current knowledge. Nevertheless, she quickly realized she was in a hospital, and there was no apparent reason for the doctors to deceive her. After all, what could they possibly gain from lying to her?
For a moment, Luo Sanmei’s mind seemed to freeze, and she fixed her gaze on Lu Ming, waiting for a logical explanation.
Lu Ming placed the images on the table and pointed to them individually.
“Observe here, here, and here.”
“All of these areas contain heart tissue.”
“Hence, your son has three hearts.”
Luo Sanmei squinted her eyes. While she couldn’t decipher the medical terminology, the patterns in the images were undeniable, with one even showing a heart in the left chest area.
“So, are you saying my son has three hearts?”
“Why is this happening?”
“How can my son possibly possess three hearts?”
“Do you think, Doctor, that my son…?”
She couldn’t utter the last word, “perish,” out loud. After all, her child was right there, and she didn’t want him to overhear.
“At this point, we’ve only used an X-ray to establish the possibility of three hearts,” Lu Ming explained calmly. “To understand the impact on his health, we need to conduct more tests and closely monitor his condition.”
“I recommend transferring him to the emergency department for round-the-clock observation by specialists who can document his condition.”
Lu Ming intended to conduct additional tests on Shen Ruicong to discern the cause of his condition. Lu Ming’s emotions at the moment were rather intricate. He felt sympathy for the child’s predicament and excitement at encountering such a complex medical case.
People tend to relish challenges, especially when they fall within their expertise. The thrill of surmounting obstacles was akin to solving that final, perplexing math problem during an exam and getting it right.
“Emergency department?” Luo Sanmei’s heart raced, brimming with anxiety.
Luo Sanmei was acquainted with the significance of the emergency department. It was typically reserved for critically ill patients. Was her son’s condition genuinely that critical?
“Yes, the emergency department offers better treatment conditions,” Lu Ming clarified. “In case of any unexpected developments, the medical staff can respond more swiftly there.”
Luo Sanmei clenched her lip, her eyes darting around as if she were torn. After a moment, she crouched down, taking Shen Ruicong’s arms.
“Ruicong, can you be a good boy and wait for Mommy here for a little while?” She asked. “Mommy and this doctor need to speak privately outside for a few minutes.”
Luo Sanmei desired a confidential conversation with Lu Ming regarding her child’s condition.
“Is it a secret?” Shen Ruicong inquired.
“Yes, it’s a secret,” Luo Sanmei affirmed. “Mommy says secrets are meant for just two people, and others shouldn’t eavesdrop.”
“Alright, Mommy, you can go. I’ll wait right here,” Shen Ruicong replied, blinking his innocent eyes with a hint of cheerfulness.
“Chaozi, please watch the child,” Lu Ming instructed.
Observing this, Lu Ming asked Gu Yongchao to take good care of Shen Ruicong and left the examination room with Luo Sanmei. Outside the examination room, Luo Sanmei turned to face the wall. Her shoulders rose and fell with her breathing as if she were trying to calm her nerves. Lu Ming didn’t disturb her and allowed her time to compose herself.
After a while, Luo Sanmei turned to face Lu Ming.
“Doctor, please tell me the truth,” she implored. “What are the odds of my son surviving?”
Lu Ming felt somewhat powerless. Almost every seriously ill patient or their family members would inquire about how long the patient had left or what the chances of survival were.
Lu Ming comprehended their concerns, but when it came to questions of probability, he couldn’t provide any assurances. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ɴ0velFɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.
“I’ve only seen one X-ray image, and we haven’t completed all the necessary tests yet,” Lu Ming explained.
“So, I need to observe the situation longer before providing more information.”
Lu Ming’s words were indeed truthful. With just one X-ray image, it was impossible to discern much. Especially in complex cases like this, a battery of tests might be required.
To put it bluntly, the collection of test reports could be weighed in kilograms!
Upon hearing this, Luo Sanmei turned around again, facing the wall. Her whole body trembled, and Lu Ming knew she was crying. Lu Ming didn’t interrupt her. Sometimes, crying was the simplest way to release emotions and stress. It was okay to cry, whether you were a man or a woman. Crying was not a crime.
After a while, Luo Sanmei used both hands to wipe away her tears. Then she turned back to face Lu Ming.
“I understand,” she said. “Let’s transfer him to the emergency department. But I have one more question: how much will it cost to treat this illness?”
Lu Ming couldn’t help but smile wryly inside. It was another question that patients and their family members frequently asked. This question was asked by almost everyone who came to the hospital. Indeed, worrying about the cost of treatment was a valid concern. After all, it was possible to spend all one’s savings without curing the illness.
If the expenses were too high, some people would rather leave the money for their loved ones than end up with nothing.
But for a child like Shen Ruicong… the costs would undoubtedly be astronomical. A conservative estimate would start in the hundreds of thousands.
“As for the money,” Lu Ming continued, “I’ll be honest with you. It will cost a lot, probably several hundred thousand.”
Luo Sanmei’s eyes widened in shock. Several hundred thousand? She probably hadn’t even seen that much money in her previous life!
Even if she were to sell herself, it wouldn’t be worth several hundred thousand. Where could she get that kind of money?
Seeing Luo Sanmei’s anxious and helpless expression, Lu Ming reassured her, “I can help you apply for the maximum possible reduction in fees. In addition, for rare cases like this, we may establish a special expert team to tackle it. When that happens, the expert team will receive special funding, which will be used for your child’s treatment at no cost. If it’s still not enough, we can also initiate fundraising efforts. By pooling resources from various sources, we should be able to raise enough.”
Lu Ming’s words brought a glimmer of hope to Luo Sanmei. While the situation was undoubtedly challenging, knowing that there were options and support available made it easier to bear. Hearing this, a spark of hope reignited in Luo Sanmei’s eyes. She was willing to follow Lu Ming’s guidance and do whatever it took to save her son. Her life and her child’s life were now entrusted to Lu Ming’s hands.
However, Lu Ming couldn’t help but be shocked by the unspoken implications in her words. It seemed she was willing to go to any length to save her child, and even if the worst were to happen, she was prepared to follow him into the unknown.
Lu Ming couldn’t help but think, “Big sister, the ‘game’ has just begun! You can’t start by ‘pressuring your teammate’ right away!”
However, he maintained a calm and reassuring demeanor as he replied, “Don’t worry, we’ll do our best to help your child.”
“Let’s start by transferring him to the emergency department and getting the necessary tests done. We’ll take it one step at a time.”
With that, Lu Ming and Luo Sanmei returned to the examination room to inform Shen Ruicong of the next steps in his treatment.