Capítulo 1227: Chapter 1227: Responsibility
“Alright! If that’s really the case, there’s nothing we can do. It’s such a pity for the child.” Bai Xiao was somewhat dejected. This child was already seven or eight months along and fully developed.
After such a surgery, it’s basically impossible to save the child.
In fact, it’s an arduous choice.
It’s equivalent to the proposition of saving the adult or the child.
Whose life sometimes leaves one powerless, and any choice is forced.
Bai Xiao turned around and felt that someone had grabbed her hand.
“She’s awake!”
The nurse exclaimed.
The patient on the bed had not woken up but still clutched Bai Xiao’s wrist firmly, tears streaming down her closed eyes and sliding down her cheeks.
“Child…”
Bai Xiao felt a pang in her heart. She was also a mother, how could she not understand a mother’s persistence and protection for her child.
This mother wasn’t really conscious; it was more of a subconscious reaction to hearing their conversation.
“We will do our best, don’t worry.”
Bai Xiao patted the patient’s hand.
That hand slipped away, releasing its grip, and then drooped.
Bai Xiao felt a sadness in her heart.
A life requiring the cost of another life to protect it, what a despairing dilemma!
She suddenly felt a bit of hatred towards herself, wondering why her special ability had changed so drastically now, why couldn’t it revive the dead like before?
At least she’d have one more method to protect this woman.
But she couldn’t.
Her special ability, on which she relied, had unknowingly changed.
Perhaps this was to tell her that no one could rely on incredible superpowers to achieve everything.
Humans are ordinary; they need to recognize themselves.
But even as ordinary people, they have the right to fight over time with death.
Bai Xiao wiped away her tears, looked up at Smith, and then at the Dean, “Dean, I suggest preparing the obstetrics and gynecology department for surgery. If something happens, we can attempt surgery to save the child. I think I have a fifty percent chance of finishing the brain surgery within an hour. If Professor Gu performs surgery simultaneously to reduce the surgery time, while also controlling the bleeding, we might be able to save this child.”
At this moment, not fighting was not her style; motherhood won over reason.
“Doctor Bai! You know what you’re saying. Should anyone be endangered, and if something goes wrong in obstetrics at the last minute, it would be severe responsibility! It could end your medical career.” The Dean admired this passionate doctor!
They all had their passionate youth, but now it was gone; they needed to consider greater benefits.
There would be more concerns.
Smith was deeply worried, “Doctor Bai, you can’t act on impulse, this will ruin you. You’re a genius and shouldn’t disregard your future for one person. You should understand that if we don’t perform the surgery, we can explain the situation to the family, but if we do and something goes wrong, it’s on us.
Because we know the potential outcome, pursuing this plan might ultimately result in neither saving the child nor the adult!”
They are responsible for the patients and themselves. A doctor who doesn’t protect themselves doesn’t have the right to call themselves a good doctor.
The decision should rest with the family, and it shouldn’t be the doctor who bears the risk.
Bai Xiao nodded, “I understand, Professor Smith. Everyone understands the reasoning, but the patient’s situation is special, you’ve seen it too. The patient came in from a car accident; the family might be either in the emergency room too or not contactable at all. Given this circumstance, the patient is still unconscious, but you’ve seen the strong awareness the patient has to protect the child.
We can only do what doctors should do: establish the best surgical plan, prepare for the worst. I’m willing to take this responsibility and make this choice because I’m also a mother! I understand a mother’s feelings.
She would rather die than lose her child.”
In that moment, there was silence.
Indeed, everyone could see the patient’s situation, and everyone understood the patient’s demands.
Everyone could see that stream of tears.
“Alright! Doctor Bai, good luck.”
Smith stepped aside.
He had no right to speak, having lost the ability to perform surgeries; what right did he have to point fingers here?
Gu Yangzhi sneered, “Doctor Bai, don’t be too self-righteous. I’m not targeting you, just stating the facts. We shouldn’t maximize the risks for this patient.”
Being unable to perform neurosurgery made him angry enough, and Bai Xiao’s decision might affect everyone.
“The patient’s condition has worsened, prepare the operating room immediately.”
Bai Xiao glanced at the patient; their breathing had weakened.
Everyone’s heart was in their throat.
The Dean gritted his teeth; with Bai Xiao and Smith taking responsibility, with many witnesses, it had nothing to do with their hospital.
“Send to the operating room.”
In the obstetrics operating theater.
Three teams were already in position.
Due to the urgency, Bai Xiao led a team to perform the craniotomy; the brain hemorrhage needed to be cleared promptly, the abdominal wound was still bleeding, and the patient was already in hypovolemic shock.
Bai Xiao had entered the surgical state.
Gu Yangzhi and his team were also debriding the abdomen.
He glanced up at Bai Xiao, her expression serious and focused under the mask.
There seemed to be a holy light emanating from her, infecting everyone who looked.
The open intracranial bleed was indeed still seeping; without surgery, the patient wouldn’t last an hour.
Gu Yangzhi lowered his head to focus on his work.
An hour and a half later, the patient was safely sent to the ICU.
Gu Yangzhi left without a word.
No one knew what had transpired in the surgery.
Bai Xiao performed the obstetric surgery personally, and the child was born successfully.
In the ensuing time, Bai Xiao worked continuously for fifteen hours, completing six surgeries, passing out after the last patient was sent out of the operating room.
She was also taken to the ward.
The patient’s child was born.
A boy, weighing five pounds six ounces, was sent to the pediatric incubator for monitoring due to premature birth.
The patient’s family finally arrived; the patient’s husband was also injured in the car accident, with a broken leg and ribs, unable to move, but the patient’s mother and mother-in-law reached the hospital.
Bai Xiao slept soundly for three days before waking up.
She woke up feeling entirely weak.
Beside her were An Zhiyuan and Bai Jingshan.
An Zhiyuan was regretful to the point of despair.
Bai Xiao checked on her own children, who were fine—the three tenacious little ones were doing great and safe.
She was finally at ease.
Back then, seeing so many patients, she couldn’t think much; in such situations, probably no doctor would overly consider themselves.
Fortunately, before passing out, she used her special ability on herself, worrying there might be a problem with the baby.
If the child had been harmed because of it, Bai Xiao would feel guilty.