Original subtitles

(Thank You, Doctor)

(Adapted from Sheng Li's novel "ICU 48 Hours")

(Episode 17)

Dr. Xiao.

Can you do me a favor?

What's wrong?

A water pipe broke at my place.

I'm going back to open the door for the maintenance workers.

But Xian Yun...

You should go. I'll keep an eye on him.

If it's convenient,

can you talk to him for me?

I'll talk to him. Go.

Thank you.

Ms. Jiang looks a couple of years older.

It's hard to get a taxi at this hour.

I'll give you a ride.

Thank you, sir.

I happened to run into Tang Hua.

She said you were in a hurry.

So I thought it'd be faster if I give you a ride...

and you can come back early to take care of Xian Yun.

Thank you.

Don't mention it.

Don't overwork yourself.

Taking care of the patients is a long-term process.

You need to know how to adjust yourself.

Think about what will happen to Xian Yun...

if you collapse.

I'll take note of that.

By the way,

I've asked the cafeteria...

to take special care of you and Xian Yun.

Once the food is ready,

Chen Zhi will bring it to you.

- Sir. - All right.

Enough of the niceties.

The Emergency Department needs you.

Take care of yourself.

Mr. Jiang.

I'm Ms. Jiang's colleague.

My name is Xiao Yan.

Your water pipe broke,

so she went back to take care of it.

She asked me to take care of you.

You must be in a lot of pain.

Everyone told me not to die.

They told me to fight this illness...

and stay strong.

However, no one asked me...

if I'm in pain.

Humans are insignificant.

Especially in the face of pain caused by serious illnesses.

We're not you.

We can't imagine how much this hurts.

However, I'm sure you understand...

that everyone hopes...

you can pull it through.

So...

Are you also here to persuade me not to give up?

We only live once.

If you give up, you'll have nothing left.

Dr. Xiao.

Do you also think that I'm a coward?

I couldn't take the pain.

I took things too hard...

and I wanted to set myself free as soon as possible.

It's not easy for you to have persevered for so long.

Moreover,

I believe...

it was not an emotional decision...

when you decided not to receive an emergency rescue.

You must have thought about it for a long time.

You agreed with me?

I think...

everyone has the right to decide their own life.

I'll try to convey your thoughts to others,

but before that,

I hope you can hang in there a little longer...

and live well.

It's not only for yourself,

but also for Ms. Jiang.

Bai Zhu.

The chief asked us for a meeting.

What meeting?

I think it's about Ms. Jiang's husband.

His condition is stable now. What's there to discuss?

You'll know when you get there.

Sir.

All right, everyone is here.

Let's have a meeting.

I want everyone to talk...

about their views on Ms. Jiang's husband,

Mr. Jiang.

The patient's condition is more stable now.

What's there to discuss?

We're not talking about the patient's condition.

We're talking about the patient's request.

The patient's request?

The patient requested that we let him die.

Can we say yes?

The patient asked not to resuscitate him.

He didn't ask to let him die.

Does it make a difference?

Of course it makes a difference.

Fine.

I'll leave this meeting to you.

I'll leave.

Dr. Bai, I haven't said my opinion yet.

You're afraid that I'm right and you can't face it, right?

Okay, go ahead.

Whether it's from a humanitarian point of view...

or from a rational perspective,

we should all respect the patient's will.

The patient has terminal cancer.

He has multiple severe internal and external injuries.

His lower extremities are paralyzed.

The pain caused by the illness is beyond our imagination.

It's inhumane to let the patient live in pain...

without considering the patient's will.

So what you're saying is...

in the future, when a patient tells us...

that it hurts so much that he doesn't want to live,

we should give up on the treatment...

and let him die, right?

Respecting the patient's will...

is not about letting the patient make his own choice.

We're doctors. We should make our own judgments.

Last night,

something happened at Ms. Jiang's house.

She asked me to take care of the patient.

I can feel that...

he didn't make such a decision...

on impulse.

Instead, it's after much consideration.

Letting him live in pain like that...

is torture for both him and Ms. Jiang.

We can't relate to how hard it is for him,

but we should respect his choice.

It's the greatest respect for life.

He got carried away for a moment...

because he was in pain and he couldn't take it anymore.

But as doctors,

we can't give up the patient's life because of his moment of weakness.

Dr. Bai.

Choosing death doesn't mean he's weak.

Every life has its own value.

A patient who's about to die...

has the right to decide...

to live in pain...

or to die with dignity and value.

Dignity? Value?

In my opinion,

to be alive is the greatest dignity and value.

If that's not the case,

why did you try so hard to save Fang Nan back then?

You said it yourself.

Doctors are a bunch of people who race against death.

Sometimes, we win.

Sometimes, we lose.

Sometimes, we're doomed to fail.

However, we still have to do our best until the very end.

This is the best way to respect life.

But what are you doing now?

Standing at the starting line,

you surrender to death and admit defeat.

What a coward.

- What I said about... - That's enough.

I don't think we need to discuss this further.

Jiang Xian Yun is my patient.

I have the final say in his treatment.

- Dr. Bai. - Bai Zhu.

Xiao Yan.

About your argument just now,

I was very touched.

- I believe everyone... - Sir.

Let's say Jiang Xianyun is your patient.

What would you do?

My choice...

is probably the same as Bai Zhu.

What about you guys?

I think I'm the same as Dr. Bai.

I'm the same as them.

Me too.

Xiao Yan.

Maybe in your opinion,

staying alive and living are two different things.

But here,

there's an old saying.

It's called living is better than dying.

There's no right or wrong with these two choices.

It could be...

that the treatment concepts of East and West are different.

In traditional Chinese medical concepts,

keeping the patient alive...

is the most important thing.

There's one more thing.

We should also consider the will of the patient,

including his family.

Don't you agree?

You came back from abroad.

You've given us a lot of new perspectives.

- That's... - Sir.

Thank you for telling me all this.

However, I feel devastated right now.

It's not because you all can't accept my ideas.

It's just that I feel terrible...

thinking that Jiang Xianyun...

will continue to live in pain.

I'll get back to work.

Hello.

I'll be right there.

Don't move.

- Don't... - What happened?

He's pulling out all the tubes on his body.

Help me.

Restore venous access.

Infusion of 5mg Valium.

It could be a pneumothorax.

Prepare for closed chest drainage. Double-check the ultrasound.

Okay.

Dr. Bai.

What's going on?

What happened?

He pulled out all the tubes.

It could be a hemopneumothorax.

We need to do closed chest drainage now.

Xian Yun.

What are you doing?

Ms. Jiang, let's go out first.

Come in.

He's fine for now.

Xian Yun.

Ms. Jiang.

I'm not trying to criticize you,

but the patient is in such a condition...

and you shouldn't have left him alone.

Yes. I was careless.

No, it's my fault.

Ms. Jiang went to pay the bill and she asked me to look after him.

However, I was too busy taking another patient's temperature.

- I forgot about it. - All right.

I'm not trying to hold you responsible.

Fortunately, the patient is fine.

But you must never leave his side...

from now on.

I won't let him have any more problems.

Ms. Jiang, I'm sorry. I...

It's fine.

It's not your fault.

Get back to work.

I know you love your husband very much.

I also understand your feelings for each other.

However,

we're both professional medical staff after all.

So...

I know what you want to tell me.

Dr. Xiao.

I know...

you think of me as a friend.

That's why you're telling me this.

Yes.

We should know better than ordinary people...

how painful they are now.

In the end...

But I'm just an ordinary patient's family now.

I want my husband to live.

I'm fine.

Get back to work.

Dr. Xiao.

Are you sure you can watch the patient give up just like that?

For many patients,

this is also an option.

Before this,

I thought we were the same.

It's normal that we have different medical philosophies.

That's right.

It's different for everyone.

It's normal to have different philosophies.

But from now on,

please don't apply your ideas to me and my patients.

You're picking a fight with Xiao Yan again.

I saw you two getting closer some time ago.

I even thought you've come to your senses.

I didn't expect it to turn out this way again.

If we walk different paths, we can't work together.

Well, you don't have to do so.

After all,

it's just a difference in medical philosophies.

Just a difference in medical philosophies?

You were at the meeting, weren't you?

It's a human's life.

She's giving up a life.

Honestly, I agree with your decision.

But what Xiao Yan said is not wrong either.

From what I know,

many doctors abroad...

will make the same choice as Xiao Yan...

when encountering such a situation.

That's why the usage of feeding tubes overseas...

is much lesser than ours.

I don't care about overseas cases.

I don't care about others.

Anyway,

I won't give up on any patient.

But you didn't have to make things more difficult, right?

Both of you are the backbone of the EICU.

Conflicts will affect our work.

Do you really think you're Mom Lu?

Hey.

Hey.

The water is warm. Have a sip.

Let me rub your belly.

How is he?

Come to me if you have any questions.

Xian Yun.

Have some more water.

I heard...

Ms. Jiang's husband is in a bad mood.

No matter what Ms. Jiang says to him,

he doesn't respond.

In the past, it was pain.

But now, his eyes are filled with hatred.

Ms. Jiang is having a really hard time.

I don't even know...

if Dr. Bai did the right thing by saving him.

I don't like Bai Zhu,

but this time,

I think he did the right thing.

We can't just let him die.

Dr. Xiao.

About what you said earlier,

I can understand it rationally.

But emotionally, it's too hard.

Saving people is also a doctor's instinct.

Also, if he dies like this,

I feel so bad for Ms. Jiang.

A long time ago,

I talked to Ms. Jiang about this.

She said,

"To us,"

"life and death are never a matter of one person."

Stop thinking about it.

Let's eat.

Do you regret it?

I'll regret it if I don't save him.

Maybe Xiao Yan is right.

No one can relate to how hard it is for him.

His illness...

is torture...

to himself...

and to Ms. Jiang.

Dad.

I think you should get it checked.

You promised.

I'm here to get some medicine.

You're changing your mind now? I'll get going then.

Dad.

Look, we're already here.

Just listen to me.

Let's go for a checkup. All right?

I'm not sick.

Why should I go for a checkup?

I don't think you're sick either.

You don't think I'm sick?

Why did you bring me here for a checkup?

Are you very rich?

Isn't it just for peace of mind?

Think about it.

Once the test results are out,

I'll know that you're fine.

Isn't that a relief?

Let me tell you.

In this hospital,

even if you are not sick, they'll say you're sick.

Then it'll become a serious illness.

- That's enough. - Dad.

You're avoiding medical treatment.

You have to believe in doctors and science.

Believe in whom?

Doctors nowadays only care about money.

Dad, if that's the case,

I won't go to work anymore.

I'll follow you every day.

Why would you follow me?

You should focus on your work.

You're my dad.

I can't let anything happen to you.

You don't want to get a checkup.

Then I'll have to follow you every day.

If something happens,

I can be there to take care of you in time.

It's up to you.

When your mom was alive,

she always said that I was stubborn.

I think you're more stubborn than I am.

You're as stubborn as a mule.

Fine. I'll go for a checkup.

Where do you feel unwell?

I feel fine anywhere.

Why don't you ask her?

I'm sorry, doctor.

Here's the thing.

In the past few months, my dad has been feeling nauseous.

Sometimes, he even vomits a lot.

Has he had a checkup before?

He had an examination in our hometown's hospital.

They said there was a stomach polyp.

Then he had surgery to remove the polyp.

After the surgery, he's still nauseous and vomiting...

and it's getting worse.

After removing the polyp,

I don't think it'll cause nausea and vomiting.

That's right.

That was why I brought him here for a checkup.

How about this?

I'll run a few tests on him.

Let's see how it goes.

I knew it.

We have to pay to check again.

There's so much to check.

You can't find anything and it cost money.

Here's the thing.

These tests are necessary.

We can only make the most accurate judgment...

through the test results.

- Fine. - Doctor, don't listen to my dad.

He's afraid of spending money.

Just run the tests.

I'll bring him there to get them done.

Okay.

I told you.

I'm not sick, am I?

But there are still some problems with several indicators.

For example, protein and blood sodium are relatively low.

Yes.

That's what the doctor said...

when we checked in the hospital...

in our hometown previously.

Low blood sodium may indeed cause nausea and vomiting.

What causes it?

There are many possibilities.

The most common one is problems in the liver and lungs.

Doctor.

My lungs and liver are fine.

There's nothing wrong with me.

Dad, listen to the doctor first.

Doctor, what happened to my dad?

Don't worry.

It's just an example.

Based on the test results, I don't see anything abnormal.

But just in case,

I suggest you get a thoracic and abdominal CT scan.

After all, CT scans are clearer.

I don't want to get CT scans.

I won't do the CT scans.

- Let me explain it to you. - Doctor.

There's radiation in the CT scan, right?

It causes cancer.

It's true that there's radiation in the CT scan.

But the examination time is short.

The radiation level is very low.

Even if it's low, it still has radiation.

At first, I wasn't sick.

What if I get sick after the scans?

Whose fault is this?

Hospitals all over the world use CT scans as routine inspection.

It's perfectly safe.

So you don't need to worry about that.

That's right, Dad.

Listen to the doctor.

Let's do a CT scan.

Isn't the test result showing that I'm all right?

Why do I need a CT scan?

I'll include it in the treatment plan first.

- Okay. - No, doctor.

Wait for a while. Don't waste your time.

Didn't you just want us to spend more money...

after all the hassle?

I'm not doing it.

I have things to do.

Dad.

Dad, don't go.

Your medical records.

I'm sorry, doctor.

Go get your dad.

If he still feels unwell, be sure to come back for a checkup.

Okay, thank you.

What are his symptoms?

He won't do a CT scan no matter what.

He has been nauseous and vomiting.

His protein and blood sodium are low.

Other tests found nothing.

You're still not feeling well?

Doctor.

My dad is still nauseous.

He throws up several times a day.

How about this?

Let's do the last tests again.

In addition, I still recommend...

doing a thoracic and abdominal CT scan.

I don't want a CT scan.

No.

Dad.

Stop calling me.

If you want me to live two more years,

then don't force me take the CT scan.

It's just a CT scan.

What's the big deal?

Who cares?

I don't want a CT scan.

Dr. Xu.

Dr. Xiao.

I think this gentleman's concern...

makes sense.

How about...

you do the other checkups...

and let the family pay first?

Okay, I'll do the other checkups first.

Come on, let's go pay the bill.

Let your dad stay here.

He'll wait for you.

Okay. Thank you, doctor.

Dad, wait for me.

Dr. Xu.

Get me some water.

Okay.

Doctor.

Don't you also want me to get a CT scan?

I can tell...

- Thank you. - It's not like...

you don't have any medical knowledge.

You actually know it well whether a CT scan...

is harmful to your body...

and how harmful it is.

You don't want to do the CT scan.

You have your reasons, right?

I'll tell you this then.

I don't think you should hide it from us doctors...

from all perspectives.

Think about it.

We don't know anything.

You keep coming to the hospital.

You're doing the same checkups over and over again.

It's a waste of money and time.

It's meaningless.

She's right.

I don't even dare prescribe medicine for you.

Doctor.

I'm not...

an unreasonable man.

What you just said makes sense.

If I tell you this,

can you keep it a secret?

Don't worry.

We will respect your wishes.

Well,

I have terminal lung cancer.

So it's the substances...

secreted by the lung cancer tumor body...

that causes the decline in blood sodium and protein.

Low blood sodium...

makes you feel sick and want to vomit.

I know.

Just take a CT scan and you could tell.

Your daughter doesn't know about it.

I didn't tell her.

That's a serious illness.

She'll find out sooner or later.

She'll find out as long as she can.

That's all the more reason for you to tell her.

I can't tell her.

I only have one daughter.

Her mom passed away when she was young.

She's always been sensible.

She's very filial.

We're not locals.

We're not well-off.

After my daughter graduated from college,

she stayed in Shanghai to work.

It wasn't easy for her to save this much money.

Look.

She's almost 30.

She's so busy that she doesn't even have time to date.

If she knows I have lung cancer,

she'll definitely try her best to treat me.

Doctor, as you know,

terminal lung cancer is incurable.

By then, all the money will be gone...

and I'll be gone too.

What about my daughter?

Instead of spending the money on this hopeless illness,

I might as well...

let my daughter save the money to buy a small house...

and marry a good guy.

At least, she'll have someone to rely on.

I understand how you feel,

but you need to be treated.

You can't give up just like this.

I can't be cured anyway.

What's the point of spending money?

That's my daughter's...

hard-earned money.

Nevertheless,

I still suggest you get a CT scan...

and a series of lung cancer-related tests.

Don't worry.

We'll respect your wishes.

We won't tell your daughter about this.

We just want to make sure.

Because even if it's lung cancer,

there's a possibility of misdiagnosis.

Yes.

Let's check again.

It could be a misdiagnosis.

All right.

Come here in the afternoon.

We'll arrange the tests for you.

They are the most effective indicators...

to diagnose lung cancer.

It won't cost much.

I'll do as you say.

I'll check again.

The bill has been paid, doctor.

Dad. Let's go for a check-up.

Remember.

Don't forget what the doctor said.

Okay.

Doctor.

Thank you.

Dad.

What did the doctor say?

As usual,

they told me to watch my diet.

I'm sure there are a lot of people doing tests there.

Let's go.

Whenever I'm in a situation like this,

I don't know if I should...

persuade the patient to continue the treatment.

What if the money is spent and the patient dies?

Is that the right thing to do?

We're doctors.

We just need to be more insistent.

Do your best to save the patient's life...

while respecting the patient's wishes...

as much as possible.

In fact,

I think the choice of this old man...

is no different from the choice...

of Ms. Jiang's husband.

No. I think there's a difference.

Tell me about it.

This old man chose not to get unnecessary treatments,

while Ms. Jiang's husband chose not to resuscitate.

Doctors might be able to accept a patient...

who has no chance of survival to not be treated,

but it's hard to watch a patient die without rescuing him.

Rationally, they are no different.

But the problem is humans are never rational animals.

It's always emotions and instincts that have the upper hand.

Doctors are humans too.

After all, we have undergone many years of professional training.

We have to be rational.

Why are we discussing such a serious question?

Right.

How did you figure out that old man has a story to tell?

That's normal.

Behind one's stubbornness,

I'm sure they all have skeletons in their closets.

Bai Zhu is a typical example.

You're so insistent on your philosophies.

Is there a reason too?

When that old man comes this afternoon,

please let me know.

All right.

Doctor.

How is it?

You have hairy, glass-like nodes in both your lungs.

Your mediastinal lymph nodes are enlarged.

It's basically certain that it's lung cancer.

I'm sorry.

The diagnosis of your local hospital is very accurate.

This is fate.

But doctor,

I have to thank you.

Let us prescribe you some medicine.

There's no need.

This can't be cured.

I don't want to waste the money.

I only prescribed you cheap medicine.

It's not very effective,

but it can relieve the pain.

Well, I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Sometimes,

when it hurts,

I feel like dying.

Give it to me.

Let's go.

I'll pay the bill with you and get the medicine.

Thank you.

Doctor.

Thank you.

You can take the medicine according to the manual.

Come back if you don't feel well.

Thank you, doctor.

The doctors here...

- are all good people. - Dad.

Why did you come to the hospital alone?

Aren't you busy?

I'm done with the checkup in the morning.

There's something I don't understand,

so I came to ask the doctor.

Didn't the doctor say...

you're low on protein and blood sodium?

Was there anything abnormal?

What don't you understand?

Well...

Here's the thing.

There are many reasons for low protein and blood sodium.

Your dad doesn't know, so he came to me for advice.

What are the reasons, doctor?

Some people are just born with it.

Their protein and blood sodium are low.

I think that's what happened to your dad.

It's nothing serious.

What medicine did you prescribe my dad?

It's mainly for nausea and vomiting.

There's also medicine for hyponatremia.

Dad.

You can ask me...

to come to the hospital with you in the future.

You're out of breath after just a few steps.

It's not safe to do it alone.

All right, my dear.

I got it.

(Emergency Department)

His condition is stable now.

But he's still not cooperating.

He won't talk either.

I don't know what to do with him.

Hey, this is my car.

I'm having my car washed. I'll hitch a ride.

Don't you know how to take a taxi?

Your house is so far away.

I'll need to take a detour.

Stop it, please.

Let's go.

Say what you want to say.

I don't have anything to say.

What do I have to say?

Well,

Dr. Xiao and I took a patient.

He's an old man.

He has terminal lung cancer...

and he's keeping it from his daughter.

He doesn't want her daughter to spend money on his treatment.

He can't be cured.

He doesn't want to be a burden to his daughter.

Dr. Xiao and I think that we should respect his opinion.

We didn't tell his daughter about his condition.

I think Dr. Xiao is right.

We have undergone many years of professional training.

We should try to be rational...

and not let our instincts and emotions take over our heads.

Are you...

betraying us?

I don't want you to suffer.

Ms. Jiang's husband whines day and night.

He's in so much pain.

It's hard for anyone to watch.

It's even harder for Ms. Jiang.

But in my opinion,

you're the one who suffers the most.

You saved him...

so that he could avoid the pain of death.

But now, you made him suffer even more.

That's not what you want.

It's also something you can't accept.

You did nothing wrong,

but your patient is in more pain and despair.

That's why...

I think you feel bad more than anyone else.

I didn't do anything wrong,

so I don't feel bad.

Facing your pain head-on doesn't make you weak.

But it does let some people take advantage of it.

Are you having persecutory delusions?

Ms. Jiang.

Xian Yun is asleep?

Why are you here?

I really want to sleep like this forever.

Here's the thing.

My relative from the countryside...

gave me some bitter gourd he grew himself.

They are green and pollution-free.

I'll send them to the cafeteria...

and ask them to make some for Xian Yun every day.

Thank you, sir.

I'm dying,

but I still have to suffer every day.

Well, if Xian Yun doesn't want to eat it,

I'll tell them not to cook it.

No, sir.

That's what Xiao Bai said.

He needs to eat something cool.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

I'll get going then.

Take me for example.

When I was working as a rescuer without borders,

I remember the medical conditions were very bad.

We often encountered problems...

when the equipment was not in place...

and we couldn't do anything about it.

For patients...

Dad.

You're on TV.

Come here.

There's also Ms. Xiao Yan.

You...

Come on, Dad.

Get over here.

But they have the most advanced equipment in the world.

The best treatment can be given to the patients right away.

I also hope that I can spread it...

to the entire Shanghai...

and even the whole country...

through the EICU of Tongshan Hospital.

Dad, why does your face look so big on TV?

Can't you talk nicely?

The TV uses a 16 to 9 aspect ratio.

If you're on it, your face will be bigger than mine.

You're lying.

Ms. Xiao Yan looks good on TV.

The most common cases are severe lung infection,

acute exacerbation...

of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,

pulmonary embolism,

and thrombosis.

Various peripheral nerves and muscles...

As for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction,

a temporary installation is required.

Dr. Xiao. You look so good on TV.

Both you and Dr. Bai could be in an idol drama.

A sad love story.

That's a good idea, Lin Zhi.

Yes.

It's time for rounds.

Don't talk nonsense.

That's not necessarily nonsense.

What nonsense?

An idol drama.

It's a sad love story.

What drama are you talking about?

Let's go for a house call.

Your book is upside down. Here, keep this.

Dr. Bai.

You did well on the show.

You're not that bad yourself.

You lived up to my expectations.

Bai Zhu.

Ms. Jiang's husband wants to talk to you.

What's there to talk about?

I won't agree to it anyway.

He said it's not what we talked about last time.

You should come.