My Dear GuardianĀ Episode 19 Recap
> My Dear GuardianĀ Recap
Xia Chu, recently transferred to the ER, found herself struggling to adapt to the demanding environment. She confided in Liang Muze about a young patient, Liu Ran, who was suffering from paraquat poisoning. Xia Chu explained the horrific progression of the illness, detailing how Liu Ran's liver would fail, followed by pneumonia, atelectasis, pulmonary edema, and pulmonary fibrosis, ultimately leading to a suffocating death while remaining conscious.
She mentioned the extremely low survival rate, which depends on a minimal dosage (less than ten milliliters), timely gastric irrigation, blood filtering, and a stroke of luck. Frustrated, Xia Chu expressed her inability to understand why an eighteen-year-old, pretty, and popular university student would attempt suicide after a simple meal, especially since Liu Ran refused to disclose how much poison she had consumed, and her father was equally unclear.
Liang Muze, observing the situation, suggested sexual harassment as a possible underlying cause, which deeply unsettled Xia Chu. Prompted by Liang Muze's words, Xia Chu rushed to Liu Ran's bedside, where Dr. Song was attempting to question the girl about the ingested amount. After Dr. Song had to leave, Xia Chu sat by Liu Ran, patiently reassuring her that she had done nothing wrong and that the fault lay with those who had harmed her.
Moved by Xia Chu's empathy, Liu Ran finally broke her silence, pleading for help and revealing that she hadn't swallowed the paraquat, having spit it out due to its unbearable taste after holding it in her mouth. However, Xia Chu knew the grim reality: paraquat's potency meant it could still penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream. Despite the immense difficulty, a comprehensive treatment plan was formulated, offering Liu Ran a sliver of hope.
During these challenging days, Liang Muze consistently brought freshly baked cakes, experimenting with different flavors, including a durian-flavored one he made because she liked it, to the hospital for Xia Chu. One evening, Xia Chu found her cake still warm and realized Liang Muze must be nearby. She quickly found him at the hospital entrance and called out to him. Liang Muze asked if she was heading home, but Xia Chu shook her head, explaining Liu Ran's worsening condition.
She expressed her frustration, blaming herself and questioning why such a deadly poison existed. Liang Muze offered a comforting perspective, explaining that nothing in the world is inherently good or bad, giving examples of how guns can kill but also stop killing, and how heroin can lead to death but morphine can alleviate pain. He stated that it is misuse that turns something benign into a harmful tool, like paraquat which was originally invented as an effective herbicide.
He encouraged her not to dwell on a world without paraquat, but to focus on making the best and right choices in the moment, comparing her resolve to Don Quixote, a great knight who might fail but would never be defeated. His words brought Xia Chu some relief, and she returned to her duties with renewed determination. Later, the hospital convened a special meeting to discuss Liu Ran's critical condition and devise an effective treatment strategy.
A doctor proposed utilizing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), also known as an artificial lung, under Zhang Yichi's team. However, Zhang Yichi voiced strong reservations, citing the exorbitant cost (seventy to eighty thousand for initial use, plus ongoing ICU and potential lung transplant expenses) and the extremely high risks involved. He believed the chances of saving Liu Ran, even with ECMO, were very low, and he worried about the ECMO team's newly established reputation being affected by a high failure rate.
He argued for prioritizing patients with better chances of direct benefit from ECMO. Xia Chu passionately countered, asserting that doctors are not gods and have no right to condemn any patient. She insisted on giving Liu Ran a chance, suggesting that refusing treatment might stem from a fear of failure rather than genuine concern for the patient. Dr. Song, however, reminded Xia Chu of the need for absolute safety and not to rely on miracles when forming hospital treatment plans.
Undeterred, Xia Chu approached Liu Ran's father privately, explaining the ECMO procedure, which pumps blood outside the body for oxygenation and then returns it, effectively taking over heart and lung function to buy time for a potential lung transplant. She also laid bare the immense risks: the uncertain wait for a suitable donor, the increasing likelihood of complications with prolonged use, and a success rate of less than thirty percent, all at a staggering cost.
Despite the bleak odds, Liu Ran's father, desperate to save his only daughter, agreed to the procedure, expressing his willingness to try anything for even the slightest chance. Dr. Song, upon learning of Xia Chu's unauthorized discussion with the family, reprimanded her for violating protocols and for giving false hope to a family unable to bear such a financial burden.
Xia Chu defiantly argued that Liu Ran's father had a right to know all available options, and that the value of his daughter's life was not for them to determine. Eventually, Xia Chu's unwavering conviction swayed Zhang Yichi. After a team discussion, he and his ECMO team decided to "take a gamble" and proceed with the ECMO treatment. As Xia Chu prepared to finalize the arrangements with Liu Ran's father, tragedy struck.
While rushing out to raise money for the ECMO, he was involved in a severe car accident and succumbed to his injuries at the hospital despite frantic efforts to save him, his last words pleading for his daughter's life. The ECMO treatment for Liu Ran was immediately put on hold. Distraught but refusing to give up, Xia Chu contacted Mi Gu, a reporter, hoping media coverage could help raise funds for Liu Ran.
Liang Muze, aware of the father's death and Xia Chu's despair, sought to comfort her. Xia Chu agonized over whether her decision to inform the father about ECMO had inadvertently led to his death, questioning if she should have shielded him from the harsh realities or made the decision for him.
Liang Muze shared his own experience from his first mission, recounting how his psychiatrist had told him that one could only make the best decision in the moment, based on the circumstances, and that even if regret followed, it was okay because he had done his best. He then offered Xia Chu his bank card, urging her to use it to help Liu Ran and not to be burdened by guilt. Xia Chu, initially hesitant, accepted his offer.
Liu Ran's uncle arrived at the hospital, intending to discharge her due to the overwhelming medical costs. Xia Chu, however, intervened. She committed to personally covering the upfront costs of the ECMO until compensation from the accident came through, and she pledged to initiate online crowdfunding for the subsequent expenses, with media support from Mi Gu. Zhang Yichi and Dr. Song, initially calling Xia Chu foolish for her self-sacrifice, were ultimately moved by her unwavering commitment.
They both agreed to contribute to the crowdfunding, urging Xia Chu to hold onto her passion and never be easily defeated. Meanwhile, Xia Guang Yuan, Xia Chu's father, had become increasingly withdrawn and sleepless, deeply affected by a data leak in his project. His wife, Miss Lan, noticed his distress and tried to get him to open up, but he simply told her not to worry. Shortly after, he called the Department of Security at his research institute.
Later, Xia Chu called her mother, Miss Lan, who reassured her that her father was well but mentioned her own persistent leg pain exacerbated by weather changes. Miss Lan emphasized that Xia Chu should take care of herself, reminding her that her parents were her steadfast support, giving her the strength to face any challenges. With Mi Gu's help, a short video promoting Liu Ran's crowdfunding campaign was launched. Exhausted from work, Xia Chu had neglected her personal hygiene.
Mi Gu playfully teased her about her unwashed hair, warning her that men would be repelled. Xia Chu, with a hint of embarrassment, then sheepishly admitted to Mi Gu that she had hugged Liang Muze the previous day and wondered if he had noticed her unwashed hair.
