"Let's go see the patient first."

Zhao Heng thought for a moment and said to Li Haiyang.

He didn't agree immediately but decided to see the patient first, then talk to the patient's family before making a decision.

"Alright, let's go, Dr. Zhao."

Li Haiyang nodded.

Soon, the two of them arrived at a ward. As soon as they entered, Zhao Heng saw a frail old man lying on the hospital bed. Despite the severe hardships of illness, the old man's complexion was very poor, but Zhao Heng noticed a special aura in him.

This special aura was something Zhao Heng had never seen in others. To describe it, it felt like an indomitable spirit forged through a hundred battles; just by quietly being there, it instantly brought a sense of solemnity.

This feeling, seeing this old man, Zhao Heng felt as if he was looking at an old soldier.

Sitting beside the bed were a kindly looking old lady and a middle-aged woman, presumably the old man's wife and daughter.

Seeing Li Haiyang bringing Zhao Heng in, the old man immediately said, "Dr. Li, I've told you, I don't need treatment, I want to be discharged immediately."

His tone was firm, leaving no room for refusal.

Hearing the old man say this, his wife and daughter looked helpless and heartbroken.

Seeing the old man so determined, Li Haiyang felt troubled. From a doctor's perspective, of course, he wanted the patient to receive the best possible treatment.

But the reality is very complicated.

Zhao Heng glanced at the old man, then exchanged a look with Li Haiyang and said, "Here's the thing, Sir, our hospital currently has a medical research project that needs volunteers, so I wanted to ask for your opinion."

With this, Li Haiyang and the old man's wife and daughter suddenly brightened up.

Right, why didn't they think of this approach?

The young doctor brought by Dr. Li was quite resourceful!

The old man's wife and daughter couldn't help but think.

Li Haiyang also looked at Zhao Heng with newfound admiration.

"Medical research? What's this research about?"

Upon hearing Zhao Heng's words, the old man immediately asked.

"It's an experimental project aimed at reducing pain in terminal cancer patients. If successful, it could greatly benefit many cancer patients as well as the nation."

Zhao Heng thought for a moment and said.

Since he'd opened this topic, he decided to follow through.

"With my condition, I can still contribute to the country?"

The old man said with some hesitation.

"Yes, of course. Your condition is the perfect clinical sample."

Seeing that the old man seemed open to the idea, Zhao Heng quickly nodded and said.

"Use me for the trial! Dr. Li, why didn't you tell me about such a good thing before?"

The old man nodded decisively, even somewhat reproaching Li Haiyang for not considering his illness seriously.

What was on his mind was that he could still contribute to his country.

"The project only came out recently."

Li Haiyang was taken aback by this but quickly responded.

Subsequently, Zhao Heng expanded on this "project" with the old man for a while until the old man was convinced that participating in this project and doing "the trial" could truly make a contribution; only then did he nod in satisfaction, and Zhao Heng could call out the old man's wife and daughter to discuss further.

In the doctor's office, Zhao Heng, Li Haiyang, along with the old man's wife and daughter were present. At this point, Zhao Heng mainly wanted to understand the situation in more detail.

Although he had already convinced the old man to accept treatment, on the family's end, Zhao Heng wanted to confirm once again.

"Dr. Zhao, we're really troubling you."

As soon as they sat down, the old man's daughter spoke.

Just now, Zhao Heng had gone through much effort to persuade the old man to accept treatment, and she had seen it all.

"It's a doctor's duty, not trouble at all. But have you truly thought it through?"

Zhao Heng asked seriously.

This intrathecal analgesia treatment is the latest medical technique, and as of now, it's not covered by insurance; meaning it is entirely out-of-pocket, and the cost is high.

The expenses are so high that it can't even extend the patient's life, merely reduce the pain in the patient's final days.

Because of this, many patients are unwilling to accept it.

"Dr. Zhao, we've thought it through."

The old man's daughter nodded firmly.

If she didn't give her father this treatment, she would never be at ease for the rest of her life.

As for the cost, she gritted her teeth, she could bear it.

"As for the expenses, this treatment certainly isn't cheap. However, because it's the latest treatment, it has been introduced to the market but lacks sufficient practical clinical data. For this reason, it might be possible to apply for some fee reduction from the medical device company."

Zhao Heng pondered and said.

The earlier conversation with the old man had truly moved Zhao Heng. Since he left the ward, Zhao Heng was thinking about how he could help this family.

Seeing how determined the old man's daughter was, Zhao Heng was more resolved in his thoughts.

After all, these are matters concerning the patient. There's no harm in taking advantage of the medical device company's offerings.

Of course, such matters must be directly discussed with the patient's family.

"Dr. Zhao, is this possible?"

Hearing what Zhao Heng said, the old man's daughter stood up excitedly.

The old man's wife was also full of excitement.

"It's highly likely to be feasible. Wait for my updates."

Zhao Heng said.

He did not say it with absolute certainty; in clinical practice, no doctor would say anything with absolute certainty to patients.

When Zhao Heng said highly likely, it actually meant it could be done.

"Thank you, thank you so much, Dr. Zhao."

The old man's daughter bowed deeply and said.

"Please, stand up. Someone like your father shouldn't have to suffer such pain in his final moments."

Zhao Heng was a little stunned by the old man's daughter's bow and immediately helped her up and said.

After this, Li Haiyang let the old man's wife and daughter return to the ward.

"Dr. Zhao, thank you so much for today."

Li Haiyang looked at Zhao Heng and sincerely said.

As a doctor in a hospital, Li Haiyang usually wouldn't have to say such things to Zhao Heng.

But what Zhao Heng did earlier exceeded his expectations, not only solving the problem but doing so very appropriately.

"Dr. Li, don't be so formal with me."

Zhao Heng waved his hand and said.

"But this old man, he struck me as a veteran."

After a pause, Zhao Heng added.

"Yes, indeed, the old man has seen combat. Dr. Zhao, you wouldn't know, but in all my years as an oncologist, I've never met someone with such tenacity. You must know how painful late-stage liver cancer can be. Yet, I've never heard the old man utter a moan, he's always toughed it out."

Li Haiyang said with some emotion.

"Truly incredible determination!"

Zhao Heng was also quite moved.

As a doctor, he understood more deeply how unbearable the pain of terminal liver cancer was for the human spirit.

It can be said, the suffering a liver cancer patient endures before their death, even the doctors can't help but feel heartache when they see it.

Initially, in the completeness of liver cancer, patients will experience extreme emaciation; describing it as "skin and bones" is no exaggeration. Secondly, they will suffer from extreme loss of appetite, severe nausea, vomiting, intense liver area pain, severe abdominal distension, difficulty breathing, systemic bleeding, and other symptoms.

For a regular person, encountering just one of these pains is torturous enough, let alone liver cancer patients who go through all these sufferings.

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