Thank You Doctor Episode 1 Recap
> Thank You Doctor Recap
In 2018, deep within the West Asian desert, a rescue vehicle raced across the sandy terrain. Inside, a 28-year-old woman, nine months pregnant, was in critical condition due to a massive prenatal hemorrhage, exacerbated by an astounding thirty units of Oxytocin administered at a local hospital. She was on the verge of shock when Chinese aid doctor Xiao Yan rescued her and brought her to a field hospital.
Upon arrival, Xiao Yan quickly briefed her fiancé, Lin Zhiyuan, also a doctor there, on the patient’s alarming heart rate and pre-shock state. Lin Zhiyuan immediately prepared for a Cesarean section, with Xiao Yan performing the surgery. The pregnant woman’s uterus had ruptured, leading to severe bleeding. Despite transfusing 6000 ml of blood, the bleeding continued, prompting Lin Zhiyuan to suggest a hysterectomy as the safest option.
However, Xiao Yan, with remarkable composure, located and sutured the ruptured arteries, stopping the hemorrhage and ensuring the birth of a healthy baby. Later, resting in the hospital courtyard, Lin Zhiyuan expressed his concern about Xiao Yan’s risky decision to preserve the patient’s uterus. Xiao Yan explained that in this region, a woman’s value is deeply intertwined with her ability to bear children, and losing her uterus would condemn her to a life of shame within her community.
She emphasized that doctors must address not just the physical ailments but also the human impact behind them. Lin Zhiyuan then proposed they return to Shanghai for a vacation, envisioning a peaceful life in his hometown, Smoke Alley. Xiao Yan, touched by his sentiment, playfully chided him for not having an engagement ring.
The following morning, Lin Zhiyuan knelt before Xiao Yan, presenting her with a bouquet of wildflowers and a ring he had kept for a long time, formally proposing marriage. Their joyful moment was cut short by the sound of gunfire as armed militants brought in a comrade who had been shot. Xiao Yan immediately began treating the new patient.
When the operating room lights failed due to a power outage and faulty backup wiring, Lin Zhiyuan bravely ventured out amidst the explosions to retrieve a headlamp from an ambulance. He was struck in the lower abdomen by shrapnel but downplayed his injury, insisting Xiao Yan continue her critical surgery. Xiao Yan successfully removed the shrapnel from her patient, using the last of their 1500 ml blood supply. She then rushed to Lin Zhiyuan, only to discover his grave condition.
He revealed that the shrapnel had pierced his liver, leading to massive blood loss, and sorrowfully confessed he wouldn't be able to take her back to Smoke Alley. Handing her the ring, Lin Zhiyuan succumbed to his injuries. Overwhelmed with grief, Xiao Yan desperately tried to revive him, but her colleagues gently intervened, confirming his death. Meanwhile, at Tongshan Hospital, cardiac surgeon Bai Shu meticulously brewed his handground coffee, ensuring he arrived precisely at 1:30 PM for an emergency meeting.
Dean Jiang had convened the meeting to discuss the surgical plan for Chen Chuan Shu, an 83-year-old renowned linguistics expert suffering from a rare primary malignant cardiac tumor. Most specialists advocated for conservative treatment, citing Mr. Chen's advanced age and the high risk of a complex surgery involving extra-corporeal circulation. They worried about the elderly patient’s ability to survive the procedure and the potential negative impact on the hospital’s reputation if it failed.
Bai Shu, however, strongly argued for immediate surgical removal, asserting that a doctor's duty is solely to cure the sick and save lives, not to dwell on risks or patient preferences. He confidently claimed he could flawlessly perform the surgery. Dean Jiang ultimately decided to honor Mr. Chen’s wish for conservative treatment, emphasizing the importance of respecting patient autonomy.
After the meeting, Dean Jiang, Bai Shu’s former mentor, privately reminded him that doctors are not infallible and that a surgical failure would be a mere career setback for Bai Shu but a final goodbye for the patient and their family. He urged Bai Shu to cultivate empathy and view illness from the patient’s perspective, acknowledging the human element beyond the disease, explaining that doctors are not mechanics fixing inanimate objects but dealing with living, thinking, feeling people.
Bai Shu, however, stood firm, recalling Dean Jiang's past teachings about the relentless pursuit of a cure at all costs and asserting that a true doctor should be like a perfect, rational machine, unaffected by factors outside the disease. Later, Chen Chuan Shu experienced a sudden cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. Bai Shu immediately initiated CPR, and the medical team successfully resuscitated him. Afterward, Bai Shu spoke with Mr. Chen’s wife, Wu Xiuzhu, and grandson, Chen Yan.
He explained that the malignant tumor had partially obstructed the superior vena cava entrance, causing blood circulation issues and massive pericardial effusion. He warned that the tumor was worsening and could rupture the heart at any moment, leading to massive pericardial bleeding and ultimately cardiac arrest, urging them to consent to immediate surgery.
During a subsequent visit, Bai Shu subtly tried to persuade Chen Chuan Shu by discussing his unfinished specialized text on Shang and Zhou language and cultural evolution, a life’s work he deeply regretted leaving incomplete. Bai Shu proposed that a successful surgery would grant him the time needed to finish it. Mr. Chen admitted he had considered surgery but worried about the impact on Wu Xiuzhu if he didn't survive, prioritizing her well-being.
Bai Shu reaffirmed his confidence in successfully performing the operation. Wu Xiuzhu and Chen Yan then entered the room. Chen Yan, protective of his grandfather, sternly told Bai Shu that the family had decided on conservative treatment and threatened to request a change of attending physician if he continued to press for surgery. As Bai Shu left, he encountered Xu Yiran, who mocked him for failing to convince the family.
Zheng Yajie, a colleague, quickly defended Bai Shu, loudly expressing her unwavering support and affection for him and disparaging Xu Yiran. Despite the family’s firm decision, Bai Shu remained convinced that surgery was Mr. Chen's only hope, believing they would eventually come to understand. Later, while Chen Yan was out, Wu Xiuzhu found Mr. Chen's unfinished manuscript. She tried to persuade him to undergo surgery, appealing to his lifelong dream of completing the book.
However, Chen Chuan Shu remained resolute, prioritizing his wife's happiness over his own ambition, fearing she would be left alone if he died on the operating table. Wu Xiuzhu countered, arguing that if they had a chance at treatment and chose to abandon it, her heart would ache even more.
