Surgeons Episode 41 Recap
> Surgeons Recap
Chang Dalin’s son apologized to Lu Chenxi, acknowledging the discord between them and his family. He admitted that their issues largely stemmed from fear and miscommunication. Lu Chenxi, in turn, confessed that doctors sometimes struggle to earn patients' trust and reiterated that certainty is elusive in medicine. She explained that diseases manifest differently in various individuals. He understood, admitting that had he trusted his doctor more, the conflict could have been avoided.
Before leaving, Lu Chenxi advised him to protect his arm from cold to prevent rheumatic and shoulder arthritis. He profusely thanked her and apologized again for injuring her, mentioning that Zhuang Shu had taken him to see her mother. He sincerely wished her mother a swift recovery. Meanwhile, Chu Jun noticed Director-General Jiang processing discharge papers for his father, Mr. Jiang, and tried to intervene, stating the papers were for doctors only and that Mr. Jiang was scheduled for surgery.
Director-General Jiang dismissed her, claiming a director had arranged it. Concerned, Chu Jun immediately called Lu Chenxi, who was surprised and asked for clarification. Lu Chenxi rushed to Mr. Jiang’s room, intercepting the staff as they prepared to transfer him. She confronted Director-General Jiang, insisting that his father’s critical condition required immediate surgery and that a transfer amounted to giving up on treatment. Director-General Jiang countered that it was a mutual decision and she had no right to interfere.
Lu Chenxi accused them of acting willfully, questioning if Dean Yang, as a doctor, truly understood the medical implications. Dean Yang sternly warned Lu Chenxi about her tone, but she retorted that she cared only about the patient's condition and insisted on no transfer. Director-General Jiang then suggested they discuss the matter in Dean Yang's office, asking the staff to return his father to the room. In Dean Yang’s office, Lu Chenxi was shown a photograph.
Dean Yang explained that if the picture were to be leaked, it would spark rumors that Renhe Hospital favored an executive’s family and neglected other patients, especially with Lu Chenxi, a doctor with a past record of probation and patient altercations, involved. To safeguard the hospital’s reputation, avoid misunderstandings, and protect Lu Chenxi, the hospital, in agreement with Director-General Jiang, decided to send Mr. Jiang to Beijing for surgery.
Lu Chenxi argued that all individuals involved in the picture were present, including Chang Li Sheng, and could simply speak out if anyone tried to sensationalize it. Dean Yang dismissed her logic, claiming she wouldn't understand and that this course of action was the only way to neutralize the issue. Lu Chenxi, however, retorted that she wasn't a child and knew exactly what they were afraid of.
She then turned to Director-General Jiang, stating she didn't care about his agreement with Dean Yang. She urged him to reconsider, warning that transferring his father now would delay treatment, risking complications and even death. Dean Yang accused her of threatening them, but Lu Chenxi insisted on finishing her statement. She implored Director-General Jiang to set aside his corporate identity and, as a son, make a careful decision for his father’s life.
With her piece said, she declared she would no longer interfere with his right to decide. After Lu Chenxi’s departure, Director-General Jiang apologized to Dean Yang, signaling his change of heart. Lu Chenxi, preparing for surgery, called Zhuang Shu to the operating room. He offered to assist, but she declined, revealing she had learned from Chen Shaocong that Lin Huan had visited the hospital. Zhuang Shu confirmed her visit.
Lu Chenxi expressed frustration that Zhuang Shu hadn't told her about Lin Huan's lawyer using the photo to "blackmail Yang Fan," threatening to publicize it and cause a huge commotion. Zhuang Shu admitted he hadn't known what to do. Lu Chenxi mused that she wished Lin Huan were simply another Chang Li Sheng, whose conflict could be resolved with a mere argument.
She acknowledged Lin Huan’s love for her father and the difficulty in accepting his death, understanding her belief that the hospital should be held responsible, and that a lawsuit could provide actual compensation. She clarified that Lin Huan wasn't seeking extortion but an apology. Lu Chenxi questioned Zhuang Shu about which he deemed more important: an apology or compensation.
She recognized that Zhuang Shu didn't share her deep emotional connection to the hospital and felt she shouldn't ask him to convince his sister to drop the lawsuit. However, when Zhuang Shu prompted "But?" , Lu Chenxi explained that if Renhe were to apologize and pay compensation, it would imply their culpability. To appease public opinion and maintain peace by admitting a mistake they hadn't committed would compromise medical and scientific truth and the spirit of factual reporting.
Though it might sound exaggerated, she felt it was an injustice to Renhe, to Zhuang Shu, to herself, and to all the medical staff who had treated and saved Lin Hao's father. She then dismissed her own words as possibly too much, telling Zhuang Shu to think about it as she left for surgery. During this time, Lu Chenxi commenced Mr. Jiang's surgery.
Her assistant reported that the tumor in the superior esophagus was larger than expected, having infiltrated the airway carina and part of the right lung, making the surgery more complicated. Lu Chenxi acknowledged this and proceeded with the assistant's suggestion to resect the upper lobe of the right lung before performing a carinoplasty. Meanwhile, Zhuang Shu went to Lin Huan's home.
Lin Huan found his unannounced visit inappropriate, but Zhuang Shu stated that if she still insisted on suing after hearing him out, he would not interfere further. He meticulously recounted all of Lin Hao's treatment processes since his admission, inviting them to interrupt with any questions. He explained that Lu Chenxi had provided emergency treatment for Lin Hao's combined thoracic and abdominal injuries.
Zhuang Shu then revealed that after Lin Hao's death, he sent a sample of biopsied tissue to the Beijing CDC's microbiology lab. They inferred that the infection might be a bacterial strain that evolved from atypical mycobacteria and were culturing it in lab animals. He presented the culture results, suggesting they could be shown to her lawyer. Lin Huan, however, still fixated on why her father was placed in the same room as an HIV-positive patient.
Zhuang Shu responded that he treated all patients equally, striving his best for both her father and the HIV-positive patient, as no one in a hospital should be overlooked. He admitted to past mistakes and regrets but affirmed he never deviated from his principle of doing everything possible for his patients, even if their efforts didn't always yield perfect results. He expressed a personal desire to find out if the infection could be treated.
Lin Huan challenged him, questioning how her father, treated at the city's best hospital by top doctors, received the "most perfect, most correct treatment," yet contracted a drug-resistant organism and was the only one to die. She asked how she could accept such a reality, adding that since she hadn't studied medicine, she struggled to understand his explanations. She then challenged him directly, asking if he could accept his parents' deaths under similar circumstances.
After a moment of internal struggle, Zhuang Shu decided to share something deeply personal, requesting her discretion. He revealed that 30 years ago, his mother, a nurse at Renhe Hospital, had injected lidocaine during a resuscitation but was falsely accused by the attending doctor of administering penicillin. He recounted how his mother later committed suicide, and his little sister vanished.
He explained that at the time, lidocaine allergy was not widely known, and the incident, even if truthfully reported, could be deemed medical malpractice. The doctor, driven by a craving for fame, had unjustly blamed his mother. Zhuang Shu confessed he had been powerless for 30 years and hated Renhe more than Lin Huan could imagine.
However, he emphasized that even if the truth about his mother's case were to emerge, it would primarily serve as a reflection on medical progress, much like the then-unknown lidocaine allergy, similar to the current insurmountable drug-resistant organism strain. These, he explained, were inevitable steps in medicine's advancement, a process where some individuals, sadly, bear the ultimate cost of life. He expressed deep sorrow that this time, it was her father.
He concluded by reiterating that if she still wished to sue, he would not stop her, but he hoped she would believe they had done their utmost for her father. He added that he was still researching the bacterial strain, but until a cure was discovered, he and other doctors remained helpless. Lin Huan, tearful, expressed pity for his past but asserted it was unrelated to her father's death, declaring she never wanted to see him again.
As Zhuang Shu left, Lin Huan’s mother called out to her. She then addressed Zhuang Shu directly, revealing, "I know who you are." She recounted how when they found Lin Huan, she still recalled fragmented memories, including an older brother named Xiao Bin and a mother with the surname Zhang, who would cry in her sleep, proclaiming, "My mother didn't give the wrong injection. My mother is a good person. Don't accuse my mother wrongly."
She asked Zhuang Shu why he hadn't told Lin Huan he was her older brother. Zhuang Shu explained his desire for Lin Huan to live a blissful and normal life, even without Mr. Lin, considering her as her adopted daughter. He believed his mother would agree with his decision. Understanding his intentions, Lin Huan’s mother promised to convince Lin Huan to drop the lawsuit. Zhuang Shu thanked her.
Back in the operating room, Lu Chenxi flawlessly completed Mr. Jiang's challenging surgery. Later, Zhuang Shu waited for Lu Chenxi at the hospital. Upon seeing her, he embraced her, acknowledging their shared exhausting day, but was relieved it was finally over. The next morning, Zhuang Shu visited Lu Chenxi’s mother, whose condition was steadily improving. He updated Lu Chenxi on her mother’s progress, noting normal parameters, active brain activity, and weak responses to external stimuli, advising daily massages.
Before leaving, he informed Lu Chenxi's father about his past. Lu Chenxi later asked her father if Zhuang Shu had told him anything, and he confirmed that Zhuang Shu had shared "all about his past," adding that they "should have told me earlier." Later, Chen Shaocong visited Zhuang Shu, who seemed idle, to deliver a wedding invitation. Chen Shaocong joked about his rush to marry, attributing it to his mother’s fear of Yang Yu’s baby bump showing.
He then quietly revealed that Lu Chenxi had urged him to hold the wedding quickly because the Hospital Affairs Committee was scheduled to make a decision on Zhuang Shu's investigation that day, and she feared he might not be able to attend. Zhuang Shu stated he "more or less" knew the outcome but was truly happy to have worked with them all. Chen Shaocong affectionately told Zhuang Shu that besides "always acting in the proper way," he had few faults.
Just as Chen Shaocong left, Zhuang Shu received a distressing call: Cao Guangyi had died of illness two years prior, leaving no will, extinguishing Zhuang Shu's last glimmer of hope. In a meeting, Dean Yang announced the decision regarding Zhuang Shu’s investigation: termination of contract and early dismissal. Despite pleas from other colleagues, Dean Yang remained resolute.
He acknowledged Zhuang Shu’s contributions to the hospital in terms of modern experience and surgical techniques but asserted that foreign experts might not always suit local conditions. He described Zhuang Shu as having a "show-off personality" and disliking subordination, fearing he might bring more trouble to the hospital.
When a colleague worried about the academic perception of dismissing Zhuang Shu after only a few months, Dean Yang took full responsibility, stating he would personally explain the situation to his superiors, emphasizing the need to learn from the lesson. He then signed the dismissal papers. Two weeks later, Chen Shaocong and Yang Yu celebrated their wedding.
Amidst the joyous occasion, Director-General Jiang complimented Lu Chenxi on ""his father's"" "beautifully" executed surgery and offered her a high position at his company if she decided not to work at Renhe. Lu Chenxi declined, but when he suggested she return to Renhe, and he would ask Dean Yang to give her a high position, she replied she would consider it.
