Chapter 24 - Empathetic People Aren't Suitable to Be Doctors

In an old residential area, in her rented apartment, Wang Jieqiong praised the traditional Chinese doctor, Lu Ming, saying, “Jingjing, this traditional Chinese doctor is quite remarkable.”@@novelbin@@

After experiencing pure music on a cassette Lu Ming provided, she commented, “Now that I’ve listened to the serene music on this cassette, I truly feel much more relaxed.”

Following her treatment by Lu Ming, Wang Jieqiong decided to search the internet for a nearby second-hand market. She planned to explore there, and if she couldn’t find what she needed, she’d buy online. Surprisingly, she stumbled upon a Bubugao brand Walkman in the second-hand market, which she purchased for 15 yuan.

She started playing the soothing music Lu Ming had given her on the Walkman. Li Xuejing, preoccupied with setting up her livestream account, responded absently, “Alright.” In her short livestream, she quickly gained 5,000 followers, and the number of viewers exceeded 10,000, an experience she had never had before. She felt like she had discovered the secret to attracting traffic, particularly related to traditional Chinese medicine.

Li Xuejing immediately created a group for her fans, consisting of people who lived near Lu Ming’s clinic and were interested in experiencing traditional Chinese medicine, even if they didn’t have serious illnesses. She explained, “After all, most people have never encountered authentic traditional Chinese medicine, so they are quite inquisitive about it.”

“Hui Shu, I have a small favor to ask. For our Five Sound Therapy, please find an online store to create several hundred CD copies for now.”

At 6 p.m., after finishing with his last patient, Lu Ming left the consultation room and instructed Lin Zhenghui at the counter, “Alright, young master, I understand.”

Lu Ming then drove to the hospital to assist one of his interns who needed help. Due to rush hour traffic, it took nearly an hour to reach the hospital. Upon arriving, Lu Ming inquired about the situation.

Ruan Tianchen, an intern doctor on duty at the emergency room, informed him, “The patient in bed 16 is a child with congenital heart disease. He was admitted due to recurrent respiratory infections, and he’s been experiencing constipation lately, not having a bowel movement in a week.”

Lu Ming asked, “Is that all?” He believed that prescribing some laxatives to stimulate bowel movements would be a straightforward solution.

Ruan Tianchen shared, “I thought the same way, but the child’s mother refuses to administer the medicine.”

Lu Ming realized he was asked to mediate in this situation, which was not something he had anticipated.

“It’s probably just me. Most people would likely scold you,” Lu Ming said, rubbing his forehead. He recognized that not many doctors invested the time to mentor interns as he did. Many doctors allowed interns to handle things independently, with only occasional guidance. Finding a dedicated teacher was rare.

Lu Ming then entered the ward, where a young boy lay in the bed, and his mother, Sun Kaili, sat nearby. Lu Ming introduced himself, saying, “Hello, sorry to bother you. You’re Chu Wenjie’s mother, Sun Kaili, right?”

Sun Kaili looked at him and replied coldly, “Yes, what’s the matter?”

“Chu Wenjie has been experiencing some constipation lately, so we were thinking of giving him some medicine,” Lu Ming tried to approach the situation delicately.

Sun Kaili simply stated, “No need.”

Lu Ming realized that dealing with this stubborn and illogical parent was challenging. He decided to concede, “Alright,” and nodded, signaling Ruan Tianchen.

Ruan Tianchen was puzzled by Lu Ming’s swift departure. As they reached the elevator, Ruan Tianchen couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked, “Teacher, why did you leave like that? Are you not going to try to persuade her further?”

Ruan Tianchen was puzzled by Lu Ming’s abrupt departure and sought further clarification. Lu Ming decided to impart a valuable lesson, saying, “I’m going to give you a lesson, and it might sound a bit harsh. You can’t change the thoughts of stubborn patients’ families, especially those who won’t listen to reason. For those you can’t persuade, it’s best to let go. You’ve already fulfilled your duty to advise them, and whether they follow through is their choice. What you need to do next is prepare for possible consequences.”

He continued, “Let me ask you, what might happen if the child continues to suffer from constipation?” Ruan Tianchen considered the question and responded, “Constipation can lead to complications such as colitis, hemorrhoids, rectal cancer, and so on. But in this child’s case, due to congenital heart disease, it could also affect his heart. In severe cases, it could even be life-threatening.”

Lu Ming nodded in satisfaction, recognizing Ruan Tianchen’s solid theoretical knowledge. He emphasized, “So, what you need to do is be prepared to rescue a patient with congenital heart disease in case of an emergency and be prepared for potential complications the child might experience.”

As the elevator arrived, they continued their conversation in silence. When they reached the first floor, Ruan Tianchen hesitated and asked, “Professor, so you won’t persuade her anymore? Isn’t it like watching the child jump into a fire pit?”

Lu Ming paused briefly before responding, “Let me give you another lesson. Put away your sympathy, don’t empathize with the patients. Otherwise, you won’t last long.” He explained that while patients might need care and empathy, doctors also needed to maintain a degree of emotional detachment to cope with the challenges of their profession.

Ruan Tianchen, understanding the wisdom in Lu Ming’s words and said, “Understood.”

After dealing with matters at the hospital, Lu Ming returned to his clinic. The next morning, he woke up feeling something was amiss outside. Suspicious figures were lurking around the clinic. When he opened the clinic’s doors, he was surprised to find a substantial influx of patients for the day.