When people have free time, they tend to become lazy, and when they become lazy, they tend to get tired.
Because she was bored, Liu Zhi started to doze off after sitting in the office for a while.
She walked from the elevator waiting area on the east side to the window sill on the west side, making two round trips before returning.
Just as we were about to sit down, the phone rang.
A pregnant woman with cerebral hemorrhage caused by gestational hypertension was brought to the neurosurgery emergency department.
Liu Zhi immediately called for an emergency consultation and formulated a corresponding treatment plan.
The pregnant woman's situation was also unusual. She felt unwell in the evening, experiencing symptoms such as headache and vomiting, and took a taxi to the community health station. By the time she arrived at the health station, she was already somewhat disoriented, and the on-site doctor immediately called for emergency medical assistance.
The pregnant woman was already unable to speak in the ambulance; she could only point to her abdomen with tears in her eyes.
When she arrived at the affiliated hospital, she was still in this position, her lips moving.
When Liu Zhi came to check on her, she grabbed Liu Zhi's hand, her eyes red-rimmed.
Liu Zhi understood what she meant; she was pleading with the doctor to save her child.
That gaze made several nurses who had been working in the emergency room for a long time turn their backs.
The nurse used the pregnant woman's phone to call her husband, but no one answered after three or four attempts.
Imaging screening revealed that the pregnant woman had a thalamic hemorrhage of nearly 40 milliliters.
In this situation, most patients would choose surgical treatment.
Currently, the pregnant woman is unconscious, her family cannot be contacted, and the necessary signatures cannot be obtained, making the situation extremely difficult.
Time was ticking away, and if it dragged on any longer, the patient's vital signs would fluctuate.
After much searching, the nurse finally contacted the patient's friend, who then contacted the patient's parents.
The patient's parents live in a province far from the capital, and it will take them seven or eight hours to get here.
There is a six-hour golden period for the treatment of cerebral hemorrhage. If this period is missed, the patient may suffer serious sequelae.
Ten milliliters of thalamic hemorrhage can lead to hemiplegia or even more serious complications.
Thalamic hemorrhage that ruptures into the ventricles has a very high mortality rate.
After discussing it, the executives reported it to the institute leadership.
During this time, the nurse finally contacted the patient's husband.
After communication, it was learned that the patient was 39 weeks pregnant. She had been pregnant four times, but this was her first time giving birth.
The wait was long and agonizing.
The moment the notification was received, the consulting doctor immediately issued surgical orders, and the nurses immediately prepared for emergency surgery.
The cesarean section and the procedure to remove the intracranial hematoma were performed simultaneously.
On New Year's Eve, Director Shen rushed to the hospital from his home. Liu Zhi once again served as his assistant.
At 8:10 p.m., the patient was wheeled into the operating room.
With two lives at stake, the doctors proceeded with even greater caution and care than before.
The surgery initially went smoothly, and the baby was successfully delivered via cesarean section. Dr. Shen then proceeded with the hematoma removal surgery in an orderly manner.
Unexpectedly, the patient suffered a sudden massive hemorrhage after the cesarean section.
"Your blood pressure is too low," said Deputy Director Zhang. "Go to the blood bank immediately to get more blood."
"Have her family members arrived yet? Xia, go outside and check. If they arrive, quickly explain the situation."
The surgery is still ongoing, and the doctors are closely monitoring her vital signs.
Director Shen has great composure, and Liu Zhi's mind is already somewhat disturbed.
"Put on the ventilator!" Deputy Director Zhang urged. "And call for anesthesia!"
The heart monitor issued a warning that the patient's heart had stopped beating.
Liu Zhi, who was nearby, immediately began CPR. She stared at the monitor, desperately performing chest compressions.
The defibrillator arrived, and Liu Zhi stepped aside.
One defibrillation, two defibrillations, three defibrillations.
My heartbeat has finally returned.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The obstetrics and gynecology department and the neurosurgery department each sent a doctor to communicate with the family—that is, to issue a critical condition notice.
The woman's husband sat listlessly in the waiting area, with her parents-in-law beside him.
The visitor was a police officer, his peaked cap placed beside his chair, his hands covering his face.
"The situation is quite serious now," said the obstetrician. "She suffered postpartum hemorrhage and her heart stopped once. She was only saved after three defibrillation attempts."
The stern-faced man's eyes immediately welled up with tears.
"Currently, the cesarean section and the surgery to remove the intracranial hematoma are being performed together. When she was brought in today, the brain hemorrhage was already nearly 40 milliliters. The intracranial surgery is not going very smoothly."
For the first time, Liu Zhi felt that her words were as cruel as knives.
"Do you understand what we mean?" the OB-GYN said. "You need to sign something here."
The man's trembling hand took the pen and wrote his name stroke by stroke.
"Doctors..." he choked up, "Please, please."
"We will do everything we can to save him."
The man wiped away his tears with his sleeve and watched the doctor leave.
The operating room door closed once more. The whole family was plunged into sorrow and grief.
The atmosphere in the operating room was somber. Director Shen frowned, staring at the wound.
The mother's blood pressure had dropped to 50, and she had lost several thousand milliliters of blood.
Experts from obstetrics and gynecology and anesthesiology arrived, and the atmosphere became tense for a moment.
At 9:20, the mother's heart stopped beating for the second time. The monitor's alarm sounded again.
Liu Zhi's back was covered in cold sweat. He performed CPR five times, but the monitor still showed a straight line.
Four minutes passed, six minutes passed, ten minutes passed.
Every time Liu Zhi performed CPR, the image of the mother, tears welling in her eyes, holding her hand and pointing to her lower abdomen, would involuntarily appear in her mind. And outside the operating room, the police officer's red-rimmed eyes would also flash through her mind.
Half an hour has passed.
The mother's breathing and heartbeat stopped, her blood pressure dropped to zero, and her pupils began to dilate.
At 10:00 AM sharp, Deputy Director Zhang and Director Shen emerged from the operating room.
They need to explain the situation to the family members and have them sign a death consent form.
At 10:20, the doctors gradually emerged from the operating room.
Liu Zhi took off her surgical gown and mask, and sat in the corridor for a while.
The woman's family did not cry loudly or weep uncontrollably. Despite their grief, they expressed their gratitude to the doctor.
As Liu Zhi closes her eyes, the scene of the rescue will reappear in her mind.
Thinking about these things, Liu Zhi was overwhelmed by grief.
This wasn't the first time she had witnessed death. But this time, it was the one that affected her the most.
On this Lunar New Year's Eve, a time for family reunion, a husband lost his wife, and a child lost his mother shortly after birth.
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Author's Note:
The professional knowledge presented here comes from the internet and oral accounts from relevant professionals; please do not rely on it too strictly. If there are any errors, please point them out and I will correct them. Thank you!
Chapter 19 Object
For some reason, Liu Zhi felt like crying.
At first, my eyes felt sore and my throat was sore, but later the tears just started flowing uncontrollably.
Liu Zhi hunched over, covered her face with her hands, and held this posture for a moment before choking back tears.
The failed rescue attempt was merely the trigger; Liu Zhi knew that her breakdown was caused by a combination of factors.
She felt so ashamed and tried her best to control herself, wiping away her tears with her palms.
Suddenly, a pair of hands embraced her.
The embrace was off-white, carrying the fragrance of lavender.
Liu Zhi knew who she was, and it was precisely because he knew that he dared not look up.
In the empty corridor, Meng Yang stood, embracing Liu Zhi.
Through her surgical cap, she stroked Liu Zhi's hair again and again, her mood somber.
Liu Zhi's shoulders trembled slightly, and her suppressed sobs brought tears to Meng Yang's eyes as well.
Meng Yang hugged Liu Zhi even tighter, and Liu Zhi gripped Meng Yang's clothes so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
Most of the time, Liu Zhi hid her tears in her heart, swallowed her frustration, and pretended to be indifferent to hide her helplessness.
She appears invincible, but in reality, all it takes is a warm embrace to strip away her armor.
Meng Yang's embrace was the final blow that destroyed her defenses.
After an unknown amount of time, Liu Zhi finally regained her composure. She looked up and met Meng Yang's reddened eyes.
Neither of them spoke, tacitly choosing not to mention what had just happened.
"Shall we go back?" Meng Yang asked Liu Zhi.
Liu Zhi nodded; she didn't really want to talk.