Zhou Qiqi was even more puzzled: "But... I just heard you two saying 'impossible' and 'too rare' at the door..."
Upon hearing this, the old military doctor burst into laughter and patted his apprentice's shoulder forcefully:
"Hey! We're saying this case itself is rare! Not that the old man's condition is serious! On the contrary, the old man's current condition is a blessing in disguise, it couldn't be better!"
He glared at his apprentice:
"You little rascal! Were you so busy researching this rare case that you didn't explain things clearly to the family? Look how scared you've made that woman!"
The doctor was over forty years old, but next to his master, he still acted like a junior apprentice. Realizing what had happened, he scratched his head sheepishly and said apologetically to Zhao Damei:
"I'm so sorry! I was so focused on this rare case, and it seems... it seems I didn't explain the conclusion clearly enough. The old man is indeed doing very well, so there's no need to worry! And... and he'll probably never be confused again!"
In a dramatic turn of events, Zhou Qiqi and Zhao Damei exchanged a glance, both surprised and delighted, hardly believing their ears.
Zhao Damei hurriedly asked, "Doctor, what... what exactly happened? Could you explain it to us in detail?"
The doctor looked at his mentor, and the senior expert took over, pointing to the X-rays on the wall, and explained earnestly:
"Well, the examination results show that the old man is fine elsewhere in his body. The key issue is that he has an arachnoid cyst in his brain."
Fearing the family members might not understand, he explained further:
"Simply put, it's like a small blister has grown in his brain. You said that he was sometimes well and sometimes not, and when he was confused he couldn't recognize people. That's because this small blister was pressing on the surrounding brain tissue and blood vessels."
He pointed to several subtle shifts and distortions on the film:
"Look here, and here too. The blood vessels are compressed and slightly displaced, and their shape has changed. It's like an electrical wire being pressed down by something, so the signal can't be transmitted well, and people get confused."
Zhao Damei nodded repeatedly and said:
"Yes, yes, yes! At first, my father-in-law would occasionally suddenly realize he couldn't keep up and forget small things. He would be confused for a while and then he would be fine, so we didn't take it seriously at first. But later, the periods of confusion got longer and longer. Before this hospitalization, he could be confused for several hours without being fully conscious!"
"That's right!"
The old military doctor nodded.
"If this pressure continues and intensifies, the 'electrical wire' might completely break, and the person might... well, in short, the situation will only get worse."
He abruptly changed the subject, his tone filled with surprise:
"But! Unexpectedly, the old man's jump off the cliff turned out to be a lucky accident; he cured his own illness!"
"Oh? What do you mean?"
Zhou Qiqi asked in surprise.
The senior expert pointed to the changes in the location of the cyst on the scan:
"Look! It turns out this little blister was pressing on a nerve or blood vessel on the left side. And then! Because of that impact you mentioned, it was 'poof' and moved!"
He pointed to the new location:
"Now this place isn't pressing on any important nerves or blood vessels! So, naturally, the old man won't have this dementia anymore! Isn't this a blessing in disguise?!"
The old military doctor put down the X-ray films and sighed:
"It's extremely rare for a cyst to shift due to an external impact and end up in a perfectly harmless location! I've been a neurosurgeon my whole life, and the only time I've ever seen a similar situation happen was during the war when a regimental commander was jolted by a shell! That's why my apprentice was so confused and made such a fuss!"
These words, presented in a simple and easy-to-understand way, clearly explained the complex medical issues.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiqi and Zhao Damei clasped hands together in excitement, their faces beaming with relief.
However, Zhao Damei was still a little worried, and after hesitating for a moment, she asked.
"Doctor, this little blister in my father-in-law's brain, it's not pressing on the nerves anymore, but it's still inside... What exactly is it? How serious is it? Does it need... surgery to remove it?"
Her palms started sweating at the mere thought of the words "surgery".
The old expert waved his hand.
"Don't panic, girl. I've checked this thing. It's benign. It doesn't cause trouble or put pressure on your nerves. So it's a good thing. We can just coexist peacefully with it. There's no need to do anything special to it."
He added in a relaxed tone,
"As long as the old man keeps a cheerful mood, doesn't get too stressed or tired, and is especially careful not to bump his head, he'll be fine! He just needs to come back and let us see him every now and then."
Hearing the expert's affirmative words, Zhao Damei finally felt a huge weight lifted from her heart. She thanked him repeatedly, too moved to say anything more.
The two walked out of the office, their steps much lighter.
When they returned to the ward, Zhang Guoqiang was sitting by the bed, tucking the old man in.
Upon seeing them return with a thick stack of medical reports, he quickly gestured with his lips and lowered his voice, saying:
"How did it go? We'll talk about it outside. The old man was worried about the outcome and didn't sleep well all night. He just dozed off."
Zhao Damei, however, couldn't suppress a smile, shook her head, and said in a light voice:
"No need to go out! It's great news! It's fantastic news! Wake Dad up and let him know this good news. I guarantee he'll sleep even better and more soundly!"
Zhang Guoqiang was skeptical, but he still gently woke the old man.
Zhao Damei sat down on the edge of the bed, held the old man's hand, and told him and Zhang Guoqiang everything the old expert had said.
When the old man heard that the "confusion" that had tormented him for so many years had actually been cured, he could hardly believe his ears.
Zhang Guoqiang was both surprised and delighted.
After all, the old man was always an issue between the two of them. Now that the old man is better, the obstacle between them has been greatly reduced.
The family couldn't help but hug each other excitedly.
Watching this heartwarming scene, Zhou Qiqi quietly left the ward and gently closed the door behind her.
Shen Huaichuan had been waiting quietly outside the door. When she came out, he naturally took her hand.
Throughout the journey, Zhou Qiqi's lips never curled into a smile. Back in her room, she couldn't help but sigh:
"Thank God! I never expected it to turn out like this. It's truly a blessing in disguise! My rescue was totally worth it!"
Shen Huaichuan put his arm around her shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Well, it's a stroke of luck amidst misfortune."
Both of them were genuinely happy for Zhao Damei's family.
However, while she was happy, Zhou Qiqi also urged Shen Huaichuan to pack his things. The doctor had come this morning and said that she was fine and could be discharged.
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