164: The training arrangements for Chapter 164 have been confirmed; we'll depart on the 6th of next month.
Lu Chen didn't know what had happened over at the General Surgery Department.
He spent the entire morning in the Red Zone busy with routine patient admissions.
One thrombolysis for an acute myocardial infarction.
One resuscitation for a severe hypoglycemic coma.
Two trauma Suturings.
One hip fracture fixation and department transfer for an elderly person who fell.
The pace wasn't too fast, but he wasn't idle either.
With every patient he treated, the system quietly ticked up experience points.
The main increases were in Basic Theory of Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine Diagnostics.
The increases weren't large, but they were steady.
[gratitude points: 929→941]
12:30 PM.
Shen Xiaoning appeared at the entrance of the Red Zone carrying an insulated lunch box.
“Dr. Lu, time to eat!”
Lu Chen was writing medical records and didn't even look up.
“Put it on the desk.”
“Today I made tomato beef brisket and garlic broccoli, along with a bowl of corn and pork rib soup.”
“Mhm.”
Shen Xiaoning opened the insulated box and arranged the dishes one by one, even placing the chopsticks on his right side.
“Was that pancake you had this morning good?”
“It was good.”
“Really? I thought the batter was a bit too thin; I'll add more flour next time.”
“Mhm.”
Shen Xiaoning stood by his side, watching him write medical records for a while.
“Dr. Lu, eat first before writing. The soup won't taste good once it gets cold.”
Lu Chen finished writing the last line, put down his pen, and pulled the insulated box over.
He opened the lid and took a sip of the soup first.
“How is it?”
“Quite good, better than the day before yesterday.”
A smile immediately bloomed on Shen Xiaoning's face.
“I changed the recipe! I put too much salt in the previous one, but this time I followed the measurements strictly.”
As Lu Chen ate, Shen Xiaoning stood nearby, chatting idly about the situation in the Yellow Zone this morning.
“A little kid came into the Yellow Zone today. He's three and swallowed a button; his parents were frantic.”
“How was it handled later?”
“Sister Zhao had an abdominal X-ray taken. The button had already reached the stomach, so she said to observe and see if it could pass on its own.”
“Plastic or metal?”
“Plastic.”
“Then it's not a big problem. Just drink plenty of water and eat high-fiber foods, and wait for it to pass naturally.”
“Yeah, Sister Zhao said the same thing.”
Watching Lu Chen finish more than half a bowl of rice, Shen Xiaoning felt delighted.
“By the way, Dr. Lu, are you happy today?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because you received a silk banner! Sister Meng even took a photo of you this morning.”
“A silk banner can't be spent like money.”
“But it has great commemorative significance!”
“Commemorative significance can't be spent like money either.”
...
2:00 PM.
A car accident trauma came into the Red Zone: an open fracture of the left lower leg, double fractures of the tibia and fibula, and the wound was contaminated.
Lu Chen performed emergency Debridement and temporary external fixation, then contacted the Orthopedics Department to pick up the patient.
The Orthopedics Department sent down a young Resident Physician. Seeing that Lu Chen had handled it, he signed off and admitted the patient without a second word.
“Brother Lu, I'm confident in the wounds you handle; no need for me to re-verify.”
“You still need to re-verify; it's the procedure.”
“Then I'll take a look.”
The Resident Physician checked the wound and the fixation.
“Perfect, no issues. Taking him away now.”
3:00 PM.
Another case arrived: acute pancreatitis, severe, requiring fasting, fluid replacement, and close monitoring.
Lu Chen issued the medical orders, arranged the monitoring, and called the on-duty doctor in the Department of Gastroenterology to coordinate the transfer.
[gratitude points: 941→958]
3:40 PM.
A middle-aged man who had fallen after drinking was helped in by his family. He had a three-centimeter gash on the back of his head, and blood was all over his neck.
Lu Chen performed Debridement and an examination, ruled out the possibility of intracranial hemorrhage, and directly gave him seven stitches.
For him now, this kind of Suturing required no thought at all; his hands completed it automatically.
The drunk man's family was moved to tears of gratitude. Lu Chen told them to go through the formalities and finished up.
[gratitude points: 958→967]
It was at 967 now.
Only 33 away from a thousand points.
Lu Chen glanced at the system panel and closed it again.
It was close, but he couldn't rush it.
4:20 PM.
The Red Zone had a rare lull.
Lu Chen sat at his workstation and opened the Advanced Course in Emergency Medicine, continuing to study the theory.
[Basic Theory of Emergency Medicine (proficient level): Progress 3/100→4/100]
It increased by one point.
There were no shortcuts to improving theoretical knowledge; it could only be done through gradual accumulation.
While he was reading, his phone vibrated.
A message from Director Li Sen.
[Director Li Sen: The training has been confirmed. You'll depart on the 6th of next month. The hospital will cover the airfare and accommodation. Get ready.]
[Lu Chen: Okay, Director Li.]
[Director Li Sen: Also, your paper has received a good response in academic circles. Two experts from other hospitals have already added me on WeChat to ask about you.]
[Lu Chen: Who?]
[Director Li Sen: One is the director of the Emergency Department at the Provincial Second Hospital, and the other is a deputy director of a trauma center at a Grade A tertiary hospital in Beijing. Both said your treatment plan for loculated pericardial effusion was very enlightening.]
[Lu Chen: Thank you for letting me know, Director Li.]
[Director Li Sen: Don't just thank me. Keep up your performance. A paper is a stepping stone, but skill is the foundation.]
Lu Chen put down his phone and continued reading.
5:00 PM sharp.
Shen Xiaoning appeared in the Red Zone right on time, again carrying an insulated box.
“Dr. Lu, dinner! Today is sweet and sour pork ribs and stir-fried seasonal vegetables!”
“Did you make sweet and sour pork tenderloin today?”
“No, you said last time that ribs were better than tenderloin, so I made ribs.”
“Mhm.”
Shen Xiaoning arranged the food and saw the textbook spread out on his desk.
“Reading again? Aren't you tired?”
“I'm not.”
“Liar, you've been working since seven this morning.”
“I'm used to it.”
Shen Xiaoning pouted but didn't say anything more.
She knew Lu Chen's personality; there was no use saying anything, he would just keep doing what he needed to do.
Lu Chen began to eat.
The sweet and sour pork ribs indeed tasted much better than last time. The sweet-to-sour ratio was just right, and the meat was fried until crispy.
“It's delicious.”
Shen Xiaoning's eyes lit up.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Then I'll make it twice a week from now on!”
“Don't go to too much trouble; you need to rest too.”
“It's no trouble at all. Cooking is a great way to relieve stress.”
After Lu Chen finished eating, Shen Xiaoning packed up the insulated box again.
“Dr. Lu, I'm getting off work early today, so I'm heading back to the dormitory first. Don't go to bed too late tonight.”
“Mhm.”
“Seriously, don't stay up too late.”
“I know.”
Shen Xiaoning hesitated, then added another sentence.
“I'm leaving then?”
“Go ahead.”
“Okay, then goodnight.”
“It's not even night yet.”
“Then I'll give you a goodnight in advance.”
Lu Chen glanced at her.
“Goodnight.”
Shen Xiaoning ran off with a smile.
Sun Ji walked out of the Resuscitation Room and clicked his tongue twice as he watched Shen Xiaoning's receding figure.
“Brother Lu, what's with you?”
“What do you mean?”
“That girl is so good to you; can't you say a few more heartwarming words?”
“I did. I said it was delicious.”
“Do you call that heartwarming? That's a food review.”
Lu Chen ignored him and closed his textbook.
“Aren't you going to see your patient?”
“I already checked; the vital signs of the patient in Bed 3 are stable.”
“Then go finish up today's medical records.”
“As you command, Brother Lu.”
Sun Ji slipped back to his workstation with a grin.