Chapter 27 He even prepared lunch.
After paying the fees, Lin Xili, the girl, and seven or eight other patients waited together in the small room that used to be on the first floor.
This time, no one spoke; they simply gripped the receipts in their hands tightly.
Not long after, Huo Nanchen and Dr. Zhang Jie came downstairs.
Huo Nanchen held a list and a notebook in his hand, while Dr. Zhang Jie collected the receipts from everyone's hands.
Huo Nanchen stood before the crowd, his gaze calmly sweeping over each face.
"Listen up, everyone."
His voice wasn't loud, but he made sure every patient could hear him:
"Let me reiterate the precautions for taking iodine-131."
"First, when drinking medicine, move slowly and hold the cup firmly. Be careful not to spill a drop, not even a drop should get on your lips."
He paused briefly to make sure everyone was listening attentively before continuing:
"Second, after you finish the medicine, don't throw away the cup immediately. Use the mineral water next to you to pour in about half a cup."
"Shake it to rinse off any remaining medicine from the cup before drinking it. This will ensure an accurate dosage."
"Third, you may feel unwell after taking the medication. For example, you may experience neck swelling, nausea, or weakness."
"These are normal drug reactions, don't worry. If you feel really uncomfortable, or if you have any questions, feel free to call us."
"The health center's number and the instructions are all written on it."
He explained everything in great detail, one point after another.
"Fourth, you cannot eat anything for two hours after drinking the medicine."
"You can eat normally in two hours."
"A six-month abstinence from seafood is required and must be strictly followed."
"Other things, including iodized salt, don't need any special dietary restrictions. Eat more meat and freshwater fish to supplement your nutrition."
Upon hearing this, everyone visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
It's quite troublesome to abstain from iodine for a month. If they had to abstain for half a year, they would have to cook for themselves. It's okay if they don't eat seafood, since they can't afford it often.
"Fifth, you must come back for a follow-up thyroid function test three months later."
"This is the ultimate criterion for judging the success of the treatment."
"Also, remember not to get pregnant within six months. If you want to get pregnant after six months, you must get a doctor's approval after a follow-up consultation."
Finally, he emphasized the word "protection".
"After you get back, memorize every word on the list."
"For the next two weeks, stay away from the elderly, children, and pregnant women. Maintain a safe distance of three meters. This is the bottom line."
"It's okay to have contact with adults, don't worry too much. Go back to work as usual and get some rest."
"It's best to sleep in a room by yourself."
"Remember to flush the toilet twice after using it during the first two weeks."
He reviewed all the key points again.
"We'll go in order of the list later. Once we've finished our drinks, we can go straight home."
"Remember, wait two hours before eating."
"Don't drink hot water, and don't press or touch your neck."
After giving their instructions, Huo Nanchen and Dr. Zhang went into the small room first.
Dr. Zhang Jie opened the medical records and began checking the list.
Next, Huo Nanchen put on professional gloves and picked up a syringe.
The medicine was extracted from a metal container marked with a radiation symbol.
His movements were practiced, precise, and without a single unnecessary movement. His expression was focused, as if everything around him had disappeared.
The atmosphere outside the door instantly became even more tense. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the small bottle in his hand.
"Li Xiulan," Huo Nanchen's voice came through.
"arrive!"
A middle-aged woman stepped forward in response, her outstretched hand trembling slightly as she took the small paper cup.
She drank it in small sips as instructed.
He picked up the bottled water, rinsed the cup, drank it all in one gulp, and finally threw the paper cup into the designated yellow trash can.
"Next up, Wang Jianguo."
...
The names on the list were crossed out one by one.
Finally, it was Lin Xili's turn.
She took a breath and stepped forward.
Huo Nanchen handed him a paper cup.
The liquid in the glass was a very light pink color and crystal clear.
This is iodine-131.
She had seen it in her forensic medicine textbook, but never imagined she would actually drink it herself.
This thing is, after all, a radioactive substance.
She took the cup, her fingertips touching the paper cup, which was slightly cool.
She followed the example of the person in front of her and slowly drank the liquid.
It has no taste at all; when you drink it, it's no different from plain water.
After finishing her drink, she picked up the mineral water bottle and poured a little into it.
With a slight flick of the wrist, the pink residue swirled in the glass.
She tilted her head back again and drank it all up.
The empty paper cup was thrown into the yellow trash can with the warning sign.
The whole process is simple, quick, and causes no physical discomfort.
Is that... the end?
Lin Xili stood there, her mind blank.
She even felt that it was simpler than going to the living room to get a glass of water.
The root cause of her being dumped and suspended from her job...
The solution is to drink this small half-cup of pink water?
Then go home, wait three months, and come back for a follow-up checkup?
Everything seemed so incredible.
"You can go back now." Huo Nanchen's voice pulled her out of her daze.
He glanced at her, his eyes calm and expressionless. His demeanor was as if he had just completed a routine medical procedure.
Lin Xili nodded mechanically, and silently followed the other patients who had finished their medicine out of the room.
Standing under the longan tree in the yard, sunlight streamed through the leaves.
She subconsciously raised her hand, wanting to touch the location of her thyroid gland.
Just as her fingertips were about to touch her skin, she suddenly remembered Huo Nanchen's instructions, and her hand fell limply to her side.
Just then, my phone vibrated slightly in my pocket.
She took it out and unlocked the screen; it was a WeChat message from Huo Nanchen.
I'll take you home around 1 PM.
Looking at this message, Lin Xili suddenly felt a surge of warmth in her heart.
It felt so light, yet so real. This is what it feels like to come to the clinic with a family member by your side.
She replied with one word: 【Okay.】
At exactly one o'clock in the afternoon, Huo Nanchen appeared beside her on time.
The two walked towards the parking lot, one after the other.
Huo Nanchen opened the driver's side door, only to see Lin Xili walk around to the back of the car.
He frowned slightly. "Not sitting in the front?"
Lin Xili stopped and placed her hand on the door handle of the back seat.
She felt like she was now a mobile source of radiation.
Although he said it would be fine for adults, it's always safer to keep a distance.
She didn't want to be a burden to him.
"I just drank some medicine, so it's better for me to sit in the back seat, somewhere away from you!"
Huo Nanchen looked at her and sighed softly.
"I said, it's okay for adults to come to the front."
Since he had said that, Lin Xili had no choice but to withdraw her hand, open the passenger door, and get in.
The car started and drove smoothly on the country road.
Inside the carriage, it remained quiet, with only the low hum of the engine and the sound of the wind rushing past the window.
"I've already explained it to Grandma."
Huo Nanchen suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
"I've explained your situation during this period, as well as the things you need to pay attention to."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xili immediately turned his head.
What she feared most was causing trouble for Grandma Huo.
"You don't need to be nervous." Huo Nanchen glanced at her thumbs, which were twisting together.
"The effective range of iodine-131 rays is no more than 4 millimeters."
"It has almost no effect on tissues other than the thyroid gland. It is not hereditary and will not affect future pregnancies."
"The vast majority of patients who have taken the medicine continue their normal lives and go to work as usual."
"You just need to pay special attention to the details of protection."
He paused, then gave her more specific and reassuring guidance.
"You can go out and move around normally; you don't have to lock yourself at home."
"For absolute safety, when you see elderly people, children, or pregnant women, keep your distance. Just keep a distance of one or two meters."
"As for other adults, there is no problem with normal social interaction."
Huo Nanchen had said these words before she took the medicine, and now that he was repeating them in private, she felt that the last bit of gloom in her heart had disappeared.
"Yes, I understand," she nodded in response.
Just then, Huo Nanchen said something else.
“You took your medicine at 12 o’clock. I’ve already spoken to the owner of that restaurant last time.”
"Have him deliver your lunch to you promptly at 2 PM."
Lin Xili was completely stunned. She turned her head to look at Huo Nanchen in astonishment, momentarily speechless.
He... even arranged her lunch? And the timing was so precise.
Take the medicine at 12 o'clock, and you can eat 2 hours later, at 14 o'clock.
The food was delivered right at the end of her fast. He even remembered that she preferred the restaurant to have relatively clean and light flavors.
In the past twenty-six years of her life, had she ever had such an experience?
In the Lin family, she had to be sensible, know her place, and be discreet.
In the Xu family, she was a commodity to be sold; they only cared whether her physical attributes met the standards.
She opened her mouth, her throat tightened, and finally she uttered two words very softly:
"……Thanks."
Huo Nanchen didn't seem to care about her thanks, and just gave a soft "hmm".
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