The Twelve Years: Song of the Unsung Friends

Succinctly, it is a cruel past.

Shen Xi's heart was slightly suffocated.

The little fifth master smiled and said weakly: "I have a green hill to bury my loyal bones... Sister-in-law need not be sad."

Before death, these words are naturally bold and free and easy, but after death, there is only an inch of sadness.

She stroked his short hair.

The two were considered to be people of the same age, but she always looked at him as if looking at her own brother. He has been laughing since he woke up, and the joy of long-awaited reunion is in his eyes. Why don't you need a horse leather shroud? Who doesn't want to die by their loved ones?

"I used to have a younger brother who was as old as you when I was in the old days," she said softly, "I can think of him when I see you. Now that you come back, my third brother and I can feel at ease. You are still burning. Talk less and sleep for a while."

She asked the nurse to stay in the operating room and go to the corridor to breathe.

Twenty minutes later, three of Renji's surgical experts arrived at the hospital. After the five had a consultation, they were arguing in the operating room next door.

Fu Tonglin's current situation is nine deaths, and the medicine Shen Xi gave him intravenously is already the best medicine in China. Duan Menghe's two doctors suggested increasing the dose, ignoring the side effects of the medicine, and trying to save people.

Another doctor held the opposite opinion. If the dose was increased, the side effects would be unthinkable and it might become a reminder.

"In his case, he will die within two days, what kind of reminder?" Duan Menghe insisted.

"If it's not medication, but amputation? Why don't we try this?" Shen Xi suggested.

Amputation? There are no orthopedic experts, no clinics, and no specialist hospitals.

The people do not trust the orthopedics of western medicine, and because there is no X-ray machine, the treatment that patients receive in western hospitals is limited, so it is better to go to traditional Chinese orthopedics doctors to get more help. It is difficult for ordinary people to accept large-scale operations such as amputation in non-war situations. This is the status quo, and it may change in the future, but it is not whimsical tonight.

"Dr. Shen, I have to remind you that none of the people in our room have clinical experience in this area," said one of the doctors. "I heard from Doctor Duan that you want to set up a professional orthopedics group in your hospital. , But it's just a concept, we are still exploring the initial stage."

"Besides, the patient has been infected for a long time, severely anemia, weakness, and poor cardiopulmonary function," the other also advised her, "probably the most direct result is-death on this operating table."

Only one doctor had reservations, and he supported Shen Xi.

After all, according to Fu Donglin's current situation, the hope of surviving is not high with or without amputation.

"Everyone, we have five surgeons here. Why don't we be as good as doctors in the field? In the field, amputations are not uncommon."

"War doctors are pioneers," someone retorted. "They have access to hundreds of cases every day, and their clinical experience is far greater than ours."

"But there are cases of amputation in Western hospitals in China, and there are such doctors in Hangzhou and Hangzhou."

"Even Western doctors with experience in this field in China do not exist among the five of us." Duan Menghe was not arrogantly conceited, but was telling the truth. "The best doctor this patient can wait tonight is our five. ."

Where do you go to search for surgeons with amputation experience?

And having experience does not mean that he can handle such a weak patient.

The ability to complete the operation does not mean that it can resist postoperative infection, especially the patient's wounds are difficult to heal.

Duan Menghe tried to convince Shen Xi: "The patient's blood sugar is very high, the wound is difficult to heal, and it is more likely to cause postoperative infection."

"But we don't have a special medicine right now," Shen Xi argued. "Doesn't it mean we are dying if we treat with existing drugs? It means that we are doctors and do nothing, sitting and praying for God's favor? Pray that patients can resist bacteria. Infection? At least there is a glimmer of hope for amputation, and any surgery is risky."

The argument has come to an end, there are only two paths left, and the next step is the question of choice.

Everyone looked at Shen Xi, she was the attending doctor.

"I will communicate with the patient's family," Shen Xi said, "Doctor Duan, please be prepared for the operation. If the family member accepts the suggestion of amputation, I hope it can start immediately. If the family member receives medication, after I come back, everyone Then discuss the follow-up medication." Duan Menghe accepted.

Shen Xi walked away quickly.

The corridor was empty, so quiet that only her footsteps remained.

The door of the office was vacant, and the light of the electric lamp penetrated the crack of the door, pulling out a white triangular shadow on the ground.

She hung her hand in front of the door panel, cleaned up her mood, and slowly pushed the door open.

The four were waiting at the door.

He stood alone by the window, with a white cigarette between his fingers, and a piece of soot hung. The gray window sill was covered with the linen handkerchief he carried with him. On the handkerchief was an iron cigarette box. The blonde **** the box was covered with black spots that extinguished cigarette butts.

A handful of cigarette butts and ash.

As soon as Shen Xi appeared, the idlers quietly retreated.

Fu Tongwen extinguished the cigarette and waited for her to say.

"I have done a minor operation for debridement for him," she said as briefly as possible, "but the situation is not optimistic. Now the three surgeons in Renji are also with us. After the consultation, we have two plans. One is conservative medical treatment, but frankly speaking, we don’t have any specific drugs in this area. The side effects of the drugs at this stage are not small, but there is indeed a precedent for saving people. In Renji."

He looked at her.

"Another option is risky, amputation. But this option is also very dangerous."

"What's your doctor's opinion?" he asked, "Simpler, which one can save lives?"

"My suggestion is to have an amputation. Although it is risky, there is still a chance to give it a try. If it is delayed until the next day, I am afraid that it will not be of much use."

He did not hesitate: "Then amputate."

"But there is one thing you need to know. We don't have orthopedics here, and the doctors waiting in the operating room now have no experience in amputation. Dong Lin's physical condition is not good, and it is very likely that he will not be able to end the operation," she told frankly He said, "But I studied orthopedics in the United States, and the five of us are all experienced surgeons. I am confident to handle this operation."

If faced with the families of ordinary patients, he would definitely give up this risky operation.

Up to now, even in Shanghai, the city most heavily influenced by Western culture, few people have undergone major operations in Western hospitals except for patients who have no medicine.

The light bulbs in the room were brighter than ever before, making people unable to open their eyes.

Shen Xi and his eyes met, but the pendulum went back and forth a few times, and the second hand of the pocket watch ticked twice, as if the time was stretched infinitely.

Shen Xi wanted to say, I want to help you rescue this younger brother. It is too horrible and sensational. I am afraid that the bad news that may follow will become a heavy hammer to defeat his psychological defense. It was like returning to a train station platform in the daytime. The hot sun was scorching the earth, and the steaming earth heat made people uncomfortable. He was sweating and his shirt was soaked, but he was still talking about Si Ye's past.

She didn't want... Little Fifth Master also became a human name, the soul of the underworld.

"I accept your suggestion." He made a decision.

"The operation takes a long time. I will accompany you all the way after the operation," Shen Xi said quickly. "You don't need to be in the hospital all the time."

"Okay." He didn't have any extra nonsense and didn't want to delay her one more second.

Shen Xi returned to the operating room on the second floor.

The resident doctors and anesthesiologists who had gone back to rest were gathered. No one wanted to miss the amputation operation, especially the two doctors Renji and this hospital. Although Duan Menghe did not support the surgical plan when he was arguing, once the patient's family made a choice, he would no longer be stubborn and proceed with intensive arrangements.

Fortunately, tourniquets and other commonly used tools are not available here. There is no saw or knife for amputation.

Everyone is in trouble.

"Go borrow a woodworking saw and disinfect it," Shen Xi suggested to a resident doctor. Surgeons on the battlefield often deal with it this way. "You go to the nearby Chinese Medicine Center, Osteopathy Center, and Orthopedics Center. Anyway, you ask. Maybe they will have this thing."

The six resident doctors all took the task and left, and the carpenter saw that was taken into the operating room first.

Shen Xi had never used this thing before, for fear of lack of strength. When I was studying in the United States, the teacher once said that the amputation saw was stuck in the bones. She gave this task to two Renji colleagues to explain the methods and possible problems.

Shen Xi was the chief surgeon, and Renji's two doctors were assistants, and the remaining one was with Duan Menghe all the way.

Anesthesia and blood transfusion are ready.

The tourniquet was fixed, and she was holding a scalpel, cutting through the skin and subcutaneous tissue under the eyes of everyone... to cutting off the blood vessels and nerves, and the **** turned up-

In the operating room, time has no scale.

The sound of bone sawing was like sawing on each of their doctors. Two doctors who had never been experienced in orthopedics saw the femurs under the guidance of Shen Xi's theory. At the moment of successful severing of the sick limb, Duan Menghe took the lead in high-fiving and thanked several doctors for their cooperation in completing the first successful amputation in this operation.

After the limb was severed, Shen Xi continued sutures.

By the time the operation was completed, it was already late at night. The difficulty of Duan Meng and the first dangerous speculation passed, and Fu Donglin did not die on the operating table. Shen Xi immediately asked the nurse to go to his office to inform Fu Dongwen that the operation was successfully completed.

She accompanied Fu Tong to the ward to observe the bleeding from the wound.

The resident at the bedside was originally the resident who took over the care, but besides her, no one knows how to deal with complications after amputation. She just guarded the hospital bed and kept going.

At first, there was heavy bleeding, and then hematoma. By forty-eight hours after the operation, she hadn't closed her eyes once, and hadn't left Fu Tonglin on the hospital bed for a moment. Two resident doctors accompany her. The young and strong youth can't stand it anymore and will take a short rest. In order to help each other sober, she and the other began to chat softly, talking about their experiences in studying medicine. When one woke up, another person dozed off.

Only she was awake, like a clockwork doll.

Seventy-two hours later, she entered the period of high incidence of postoperative infection in her experience.

In the past, it was this stage that Shen Xi feared the most, and it was this stage where he could do nothing. All medicines were used, and the rest was fate. The man on the hospital bed was unconscious, didn't know that he had been amputated, and still murmured that his right foot hurts...

She soothed softly, wiping sweat from the roots of his hair with her palms.

Behind him, a person approached, Duan Menghe.

She hadn't seen him since the operation. It was assumed that other patients were in condition and he went to deal with it.

"Father Fu Dongwen," Duan Menghe said after a long pause, "passed away this morning."

...

Shen Xi thought he was hearing a hallucination.

My mind was dumbfounded, I subconsciously looked at Fu Donglin on the bed, but what appeared in my heart was Fu Dongwen's face.

how come……

Waves have not calmed down, and the younger brother is still in danger here, and the long-ill father died there.

"He has left the hospital and went to the mansion to arrange the funeral. This is what he asked me to tell you. Don't worry if you can't contact him for the time being," Duan Menghe said. "When Fu Tong comes here, the situation is stable, he will Come to the hospital."

"Ok...thank you."

Duan Menghe stared at her for a while, as if he had something to say, but one last sentence: "I am in the hospital dormitory these days. You can find me at any time."

The ward returned to quiet, and Shen Xi looked out the window, the sun was flourishing.

The Fu family was declining, but it was also a big family. The funeral must be cumbersome. In addition, Fu Dongwen is now as powerful as this day, and there will be many people who make friends through this funeral, and he will definitely be very busy. Shen Xi has no experience in this aspect, only the pain of losing his father, worrying about his body, there is nothing to do.

Fortunately, God took shelter. On the night of the third day after surgery, the person in the bed finally had time to wake up.

Shen Xi made preparations to give him psychological counseling, but his reaction to his amputation was completely beyond her expectation. He stared at his missing place for a full minute before accepting the facts. In this minute, what has he thought about? Shen Xi couldn't guess.

On the battlefield, the officers who have seen countless comrades-in-arms and brothers flying skeletal have long been accustomed to losing part of their bodies, and even smiled palely at her: "It was my sister-in-law who saved my life."

After saying this, he said: "I want to see the third brother, is it convenient?"

Shen Xi hesitated for a while, and said with a smile: "You are still in the dangerous period of postoperative infection, another seven days."

Wait a moment, he just went through his life and death catastrophe, and when he passed the dangerous period safely, he would tell his father about his death.

Fu Tonglin seemed to agree calmly. In the second half of the night, she and the doctor changed their shifts and entered the ward at three in the morning. He saw his red eyes in a daze. When she appeared, he turned his head and looked out the window. I wanted to use the excuse of looking at the night to cover up, but from the position of his hospital bed, all I could see was the curtains drawn.

"Do you want to see the moon?" Shen Xi slammed when he was embarrassed and opened the curtains for him.

Fu Tonglin said in a low voice, thanking her for giving herself the opportunity to cover up.

On the tenth day after the operation, he was out of the high-risk period of infection.

Shen Xi transferred Fu Tonglin to the care of the resident doctor, took a hot bath, and borrowed the electric fan of the doctor next door. He wanted to take a nap on the sofa and wait for Fu Dongwen. But as soon as the head touched the soft pillow, he fell into a drowsiness.

Waking up from the heat, the sweat from his wrists soaked the bronzed sofa.

"I've been to see Dong Lin. There is nothing important today, you can sleep for a while." Fu Dongwen was talking.

The two-hour nap did not effectively relieve fatigue, but made her feel uncomfortable from the inside out.

She felt that the cushion pressed on the back of her neck was getting in the way, so she took it off and put it on the sofa. The shadow in front of him changed from virtual to real. Fu Dongwen was sitting in her office chair, facing the sofa, looking at her and smiling.

The vines on the window sills are draped in the sun, and the green is white. Shen Xi likes the sight of the vines piled up outside the window. He never allows people to trim them, and even floods in this summer. The branches and leaves are mixed and the sun is blocked. A moment with plenty of light.

She looked at him from the sofa, with her back facing the window. The large green area was a natural oil painting background.

His smile is the first move of dawn, making her feel like in a dream.

"My throat is uncomfortable," she said softly, "you ask someone to go to the internal medicine department to help me get a bottle of syrup, saying that Dr. Shen often asks for it."

Fu Tongwen complied, and when he came back, he sat down.

"Your father—"

He truncated softly: "It's also a kind of relief, both for my father and for me."

The pocket watch was in the palm of the hand, turning it upside down. On the day my father died, he didn't feel anything during the day, and he sat in bed that night. Look at the time every second, and every minute counts past. Before the old father left, he couldn't remember the grievances of his rebellious son taking possession of the property. He shook his hand and called in "Dong language, Dong language", which was dying and homesick.

The Fu family said that only Fu Dongwen was the only one who counted. In the end, the white-headed man begged him to be the black-haired man, wanting to return his soul to his homeland, the fallen leaves to his roots, and also want to gather his children to send him the last time.

Fu Dongwen's attitude is consistent and he doesn't want to talk more.

It's just that the bereavement of his father is a major event, and Shen Xi thinks he should say something. But his attitude of refusal to discuss was too tough, and Shen Xi gave up. The past few days have passed, and the saddest time has passed. It is rare that he is smiling today. If he is clumsy, he should not deliberately mention it. Better to stay with him quietly.

She went from lying on her side to leaning, watching Fu Dongwen put away his pocket watch, and noticed that his clothes had not changed, and there was no black veil on the sleeve of the white shirt: "Did you not wear filial piety? Or did you not wear black veil?"

Neither the old customs nor the simple etiquette advocated by the government should be the case.

"It should be worn," he seemed to be asked, and said quietly for a while, "in the early years I used to honor my father and son and be filial piety for three years. Today I can no longer wear it."