âDiu Diu is not feeling so well. Iâve called the ambulance but it hasnât arrived yet. I donât know what is wrong, he seems very uncomfortable.â An Wanâs voice was trembling.
âDid he have a sudden fever and faint?â Mo Li massaged her temples. She tried to diagnose the child through the phone. âCalm down. Let me figure out what is the problem. Take a picture of the childâs throat and send it to me.â
An Wan sent over the picture. âThere is a white membrane around Diu Diuâs throat. This is diphtheria. Help him put on a mask or you might get infected. Donât worry, this can be easily solved with a small surgery. Bring the child to the car. We are waiting for you downstairs. I will perform a circular membrane puncture on him to buy some time. When he reaches the hospital, he has to go for an incision surgery.â
Diu Diuâs throat was turning black, it meant that he was bleeding inside.
However, logically speaking, an infant would receive diphtheria vaccine at 2 to 3 months. Then after 4 to 5 months, they would receive the second shot to complete the vaccination process. Then they wouldnât be infected anymore. Diphtheria vaccine was common and it was very effective to help improve the childâs immune system. So far, the number of diphtheria infections among children in the world had dropped tremendously after the vaccine was introduced. So why would Diu Diu be infected?
An Wan ran out hugging Diu Diu. Ah Ao drove them to the nearest hospital. The hospital staff asked them routinely what was wrong with the child. Then he heard the term, diphtheria, the doctorâs expression instantly changed.
âNo! We canât allow you entry!â
âWhy? The boy needs surgery now or else his condition will worsen.â
âDiphtheria is highly contagious. We have newborns at our hospital. We canât allow you to threaten the other children!â The doctor shouted. Diphtheria was not a common disease. The only explanation was that the woman before him must have had the child under some unsightly conditions and couldnât afford to vaccinate her child. It was the only reason why her child would have diphtheria.
âDoctor, I beg you! Please save my child, he is still very young. I am sure he will not infect the other kids.â An Wan didnât expect a direct rejection. Her tears that had stopped started to fall again.
âDiphtheria is highly infectious so you have to go to a professional infectious disease hospital for treatment. He will not be treated here. If you donât want to waste time, you better leave and hurry to the infectious disease hospital.â
Mo Liâs expression was dark. She looked at the doctor who refused to help Diu Diu. The nearest infectious disease hospital was very far away. Mo Li had no other choice. She pulled An Wan out of the hospital. She took out a business card from her pocket and handed it to Ah Ao. They jumped into the car and Ah Ao drove. âThis is a research institute ran by a foreigner. I know the lead researcher. This is a private hospital so we donât need to worry about infection.â
They walked in with Diu Diu. The blond nurse was already waiting for them. When she saw them, she walked over with a smile. âMiss Mo Li, after you called teacher, he immediately arranged an operating room for you. The serum has been prepared. But we are low on manpower, you may need to perform the surgery yourself.â
Mo Li nodded directly. âNo problem.â
In the operating theater, Diu Diu lay on the table while Mo Li completed everything from anesthesia to trachea opening, from injecting the serum to suturing. Ah Ao stood up to applaud. An Wan was surprised that Mo Li was even a qualified surgeon.?Is she really just an underage girl?
As Diu Diuâs conditions became better, An Wanâs heart returned to its place.
The surgery went smoothly and Diu Diu could breathe normally again. However, oxygen was good for the development of the brain so Mo Li used the equipment to help the boy recover.
âLi Li, the fees here will be very expensive, how much is it⦠And you have to perform the surgery on Diu Diu personally. I really donât know how to thank youâ¦â An Wan saw Diu Diuâs pale face and she reached out to touch it. When she turned around, she saw Mo Li frown.
âInstead of worrying about these things, I am more concerned with how Diu Diu managed to get infected with diphtheria. Under normal circumstances, one would develop antibodies after receiving the diphtheria vaccine. Diu Diu is still young, the effect of the second vaccine injection should be there. Unless he has come into direct contact with the diphtheria virus, he would not be infected so easily.â
An Wan shook her head. âBut that is unlikely. I have had no work recently so I spent most of my time playing with Diu Diu at home. Even when I am not around, I monitor the camera at the front door. There is also a camera in Diu Diuâs room. This is not possibleâ¦â