chsdbacks Chapter 22: Nighttime Medical Visit to Save an Old Woman
Chapter 22: Nighttime Medical Visit to Save an Old Woman
Chapter 22: Nighttime Home Visit to Save an Old Man
[First paragraph]
Night fell over Qinglong Town, and the evening breeze, carrying a damp scent, swept through the streets and alleys, leaving everything quiet.
Chen Shanhe had just finished tidying up the medicine box at the Divine Turtle Temple, wiping the silver needles one by one and putting them back in their place, and was preparing to take a short rest.
He was exhausted from working all day, but before he could even sit down for a drink of water, a heart-wrenching cry suddenly came from outside the temple gate.
"Dr. Chen! Help! Dr. Chen!"
The voice was shrill and panicked, clearly indicating a life-or-death emergency.
Chen Shanhe's heart tightened, and he immediately pushed open the door and went out.
In the darkness of night, Granny Wang stumbled and ran wildly towards us, her hair disheveled, her face streaked with tears, and her whole body trembling uncontrollably.
She grabbed Chen Shanhe's arm and burst into tears.
"My husband is dying! He can't breathe, his face is purple, and he's unresponsive!"
"Two groups of village doctors came, but acupuncture and medication were all ineffective. They both said... they both said to prepare for the worst!"
Chen Shanhe didn't dare to delay, and slung his medicine box over his shoulder, speaking in a calm and powerful tone.
"Don't panic, lead the way, the faster the better."
The two walked briskly along the dirt road, the night wind whistling past their ears.
Grandma Wang cried and sobbed all the way, repeatedly calling out her husband's name, fearing that if she delayed even a moment, they would be separated forever.
The short distance felt like an eternity.
As soon as I entered the courtyard, a suppressed wail came from inside the house. The women covered their faces and sobbed, while the younger generation hung their heads dejectedly. A heavy atmosphere of despair washed over me.
Under the dim light, the old man lay on his back on the bed, his face bluish-purple and black, his lips bluish, and strange hoarse sounds coming from his throat.
His chest rose and fell weakly a few times, then he could no longer breathe and was about to die.
The old village doctor standing to the side shook his head repeatedly, his face full of helplessness, having completely given up on treatment.
The room fell into a deathly silence, save for suppressed sobs, as if bidding farewell to the old man.
[Second paragraph]
Chen Shanhe quickly squeezed to the bedside, and with a glance, he already knew what was going on.
The elderly man's airway was completely blocked by thick phlegm, cutting off his breathing. If he had delayed any longer, it would have been too late to save him.
He lightly placed three fingers on his wrist to check the pulse; the fingertips felt slightly heavy, and the pulse was weak and almost imperceptible, indicating a critical condition of suffocation due to phlegm obstruction.
"Acute sputum obstruction, airway blockage, any later and it will be too late."
As soon as he finished speaking, the old village doctor frowned, his face full of disbelief.
"I've been practicing medicine for decades, and there's no way to save someone in this situation. You're just a young man, don't try to be brave, or you'll get yourself into trouble."
The family members standing nearby also looked hesitant, caught between despair and distrust of the young doctor.
Regardless of all that, Aunt Wang was about to kneel down with a thud, placing all her hopes on Chen Shanhe.
Chen Shanhe reached out to support her, without saying a word; saving lives was the priority at this moment.
He opened the needle pouch with his left hand, took out three silver needles with his fingertips, and gave his wrist a slight tremor.
With three soft hissing sounds, the silver needles precisely pierced the three major acupoints: Tian Tu, Tan Zhong, and Fei Shu. The needles were inserted steadily without any sign of panic.
After the needle was inserted, he immediately bent down, supporting the old man's neck with one hand and pressing the heel of his other hand against his chest.
"Everyone back off! Don't block out the air!"
With a low shout, Chen Shanhe suddenly exerted force in his palm, pressing, pushing, and supporting in one smooth motion.
The old man shuddered suddenly, and a mouthful of thick, yellow, black phlegm gushed out, instantly clearing the phlegm plug that had been blocking his throat.
The next moment, the old man took a deep breath, and his bluish-purple complexion slowly warmed up at a visible speed.
The breathing changed from weak and intermittent to steady and long.
His eyes, which had been half-rolled back, slowly returned to their normal position and gradually regained their brightness.
The room was instantly stunned; even the crying stopped abruptly, and the entire room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Chen Shanhe breathed a sigh of relief, picked up his pen, wrote a note on a piece of paper, and handed it to the family member.
"This is a formula to clear phlegm, benefit the lungs, and prevent further suffocation. Prepare it tonight and drink a small half cup warm."
The prescription on paper is clear:
Prepared Pinellia ternata 9g, Poria cocos 12g, Citrus reticulata peel 6g, Glycyrrhiza uralensis 3g,
6g of stir-fried mustard seeds, 9g of radish seeds, 9g of perilla seeds, and 6g of calamus.
"Decoct twice in water, combine the liquid and drink it warm in two portions. Drink only a small half bowl at a time, and do not drink more to avoid choking and airway obstruction."
[Third paragraph]
After a deathly silence, an uncontrollable burst of ecstasy suddenly erupted in the room.
Grandma Wang rushed to the bedside, grasped her husband's warm hand, and tears welled up again, this time tears of joy.
"He's alive...he's really alive..."
The old village doctor stared in disbelief, pointing at the elderly man on the bed, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time.
In his half-life of practicing medicine, he had never seen such a dangerous illness reversed by three needles, and he was deeply shocked.
The family members crowded around Chen Shanhe, bowing repeatedly and calling him their savior and a living miracle doctor.
The old man regained his strength and spoke weakly, his voice hoarse but clear.
"Thank you so much, Dr. Chen... for saving my life."
Chen Shanhe waved his hand, his tone calm and indifferent.
"It's just phlegm blocking the airway. It may be dangerous, but once it's cleared, there won't be any major problems."
He carefully instructed, "Someone must stay by your side tonight. Lie on your side, not flat, to prevent phlegm from rising up and causing suffocation."
Do not feed or give water for three hours. Offer thin porridge the next morning. Avoid oily, sweet, and sticky foods to prevent the recurrence of phlegm.
The family expressed their gratitude profusely and immediately pulled out a thick red envelope to stuff into Chen Shanhe's hands.
This sum of money is not a small amount for the farmers; it is a real life-saving reward.
Aunt Wang was adamant and wouldn't give up until she accepted the money.
"Dr. Chen, you must accept this, otherwise our conscience will not be at peace."
Chen Shanhe gently pressed her hand down and shook his head in refusal.
"It is our duty to save lives, fellow villagers."
I'll only charge a basic consultation fee of fifty dollars; I won't charge a penny more.
Upon hearing this, everyone was filled with even greater admiration.
A doctor with superb medical skills who is not greedy for money is truly rare in the countryside.
After some refusals, Aunt Wang had no choice but to give up, looking at Chen Shanhe with gratitude and respect in her eyes.
[Paragraph 4]
After giving his instructions, Chen Shanhe, not wanting to disturb the patient's rest any longer, picked up his medicine box and took his leave.
As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard gate, the news spread, and many neighbors came running after hearing the commotion, gathering around the gate in amazement.
Some people witnessed the transformation firsthand and exclaimed in admiration, spreading the story of Chen Shanhe saving lives with three needles as if it were a miracle.
"Even the senior doctor gave him a death sentence, but Dr. Chen pulled him back from the brink in just a few moments!"
"A truly good doctor is one who is not only highly skilled in medicine but also of excellent character, who is not greedy for money or arrogant!"
"From now on, if anyone in town is sick, they should only go to Chen Shanhe; they won't trust anyone else!"
Praises rose and fell, carried by the night breeze to every corner of the streets and alleys.
Chen Shanhe did not linger and, with everyone watching, walked along the country road toward the Divine Turtle Temple.
The moonlight cast a long shadow over him, making his steps steady and firm.
He knew in his heart that this injection had not only saved a life, but also established a solid reputation in Qinglong Town.
The people have a scale in their hearts; whoever sincerely saves lives deserves respect.
Back in the temple, the lights were still on, and the faint scent of medicine lingered in the air.
Chen Shanhe put down the medicine box and gently rubbed his slightly sore wrist.
A late-night emergency rescue left me exhausted, but also at peace.
He sat at the table, gazing at the night view outside the window, his heart calm and undisturbed.
For him, healing the sick and saving lives is his sacred duty, regardless of fame or profit.
But he also understood that the Wu family and others would not let this go easily, and even bigger storms were yet to come.