Chapter 2: Divorce called off and job suspended due to hyperthyroidism
With the advancement of modern technology, the medical examination report was pushed to Lin Xili's mobile phone the next morning.
Hearing the notification tone, Lin Xili woke up and, still sleepy, clicked on the download link for the attached message.
After the PDF file loaded, she browsed through the various indicators line by line and page by page: blood routine test normal, liver function test normal, electrocardiogram normal...
Until the very last section, the thyroid function section.
Free triiodothyronine 18.93 [Reference range 10-6.80 pmol/L]
Free thyroxine 62.4 pmol/L [Reference range 12.0-22.0 pmol/L]
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) <0.0001 [Reference range 0.27-4.20 mIU/L]
Thyrotropin receptor antibody 15.64 [Reference range 0-1.75 IU/L]
The report concludes with a bolded recommendation: "[Dysthyroidism; further review by an endocrinologist is recommended.]"
thyroid?
She subconsciously touched her neck and didn't feel any swelling or foreign object.
How could that be?
I happen to be off today, so I don't have anything to do.
She immediately booked an appointment with the endocrinology department on the city's People's Hospital's app.
At 9:10 a.m., she was already sitting in the consultation room.
The doctor on duty was a middle-aged woman with a gentle demeanor.
She looked at the report on Lin Xili's phone and asked:
Have you recently experienced symptoms such as feeling hungry easily, losing weight, experiencing hand tremors, heart palpitations, thirst, or becoming easily irritable?
Shaky hands?
Lin Xili instantly recalled the uncontrollable slight trembling in the dissection room.
"My hands were trembling slightly a few days ago, I was easily thirsty, and I liked to drink cold drinks. I don't think I had heart palpitations or got angry."
"Let's get a blood test first, and then do a detailed check of thyroid function (7 items) and thyroid antibodies. We can only be sure after the results are available."
The doctor ordered lab tests.
Blood drawn, wait.
The three-hour wait felt exceptionally long.
Lin Xili sat on a cold chair in the hospital corridor, watching people come and go, and for the first time clearly felt that there might really be something wrong with her body.
She was used to facing death and the silence of the autopsy table, but at this moment she felt a little uneasy about her own vital signs.
The results are finally in.
She opened the report on her phone app and went straight to the conclusion section: [Diagnosis recommendation: Hyperthyroidism.]
"Lin Xili, please go to consultation room number 18." The prompt called her name.
Lin Xili entered the consultation room and sat down opposite the doctor.
"It's hyperthyroidism, not a life-threatening serious illness, but a torturous chronic disease."
"The main problem is excessive secretion of thyroid hormones, which leads to hypermetabolism and the symptoms you just mentioned. It is not recommended to get pregnant until it is under control."
"Why?" Lin Xili asked.
"Pregnancy with unstable hormone levels poses risks to both the mother and the fetus, increasing the risk of miscarriage or premature birth, and this condition also has a certain genetic predisposition."
As the doctor spoke, he began typing on the keyboard, "I'll prescribe methimazole tablets for you first, to inhibit the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Take the medication on time, have regular check-ups, and your symptoms will gradually be controlled."
"Doctor, how long do I need to take this medicine?" Lin Xili asked, wondering if it would affect her work.
"Based on your current hormone levels, it is initially estimated that it will take two years. After that, we will decide whether to reduce or stop the medication based on the situation. Try to stay calm."
"This disease is very common. If you take your medication on time, it won't have much impact on your life or work. Just make sure you get enough rest and avoid overexertion and mental stress, as these can worsen the condition."
"I'll prescribe you a month's worth of medication first. You need to come back for a check-up every week for the first two months. You can pay at the self-service machine outside using your mobile phone, and then pick up the medication at the pharmacy window on the first floor when you feel unwell. Remember to take three pills a day, one in the morning, one at noon, and one in the evening, and come back for a check-up every week."
It's so troublesome; I have to come in for a follow-up check every week.
After leaving the consultation room with the diagnosis report, Lin Xi paid at the self-service machine and then queued up to collect a box of methimazole tablets—also known as methimazole.
Stepping out of the hospital, the sunlight was a bit too bright, and she felt a slight dizziness.
Hyperthyroidism—she silently pondered the word.
I will be on medication for two years and cannot get pregnant temporarily.
After driving home, Lin Weihua sat on the living room sofa, his face ashen.
Song Yuan stood to the side, arms crossed, looking disappointed and exasperated.
With her brother and sister-in-law not around, Lin Xuenuo sat on a single sofa in the corner, playing on her phone without looking up.
Song Yuan angrily rebuked, "You still know how to come back? Look at the mess you've made!"
Lin Xili's heart tightened. "Mom, what's wrong?"
"What happened? The Xu family came to annul the engagement, just now. They've completely lost face!"
"Why?" Lin Xili asked.
"Why? Because you have hyperthyroidism!"
Song Yuan walked up to her in a few steps and almost poked her phone in the face; the screen showed her electronic medical report.
The Xu family actually sent her medical examination results directly to her parents.
Lin Xili forced herself to calm down and explained, "This is just a chronic condition that many people have. The doctor said that it can be controlled with regular medication and won't affect my normal life or work..."
"Will taking the medication affect my ability to get pregnant?" Song Yuan interrupted her.
Do you know what's most important in a marriage between wealthy families?
"It's about continuing the bloodline. Even if you can get pregnant and control it, it's easy to pass it on to your child."
"How can the Xu family accept a daughter-in-law who might give birth to a child with health problems?"
It turns out that in their eyes, she was just a commodity waiting to be sold, and would be returned immediately if any flaws were discovered.
She looked at her father, who had remained silent, with a glimmer of hope, and asked softly, "What about Xu Yanchi? What did he say?"
Lin Weihua looked up, his expression full of disappointment: "Yanchi has also agreed to annul the engagement. Xili, you have disappointed us greatly."
Xu Yanchi also agreed...
Just like his family, he couldn't accept her being imperfect even when she was not perfect.
She was unilaterally declared out of the game before she could even tell him about her illness in person.
"I'm tired, I'm going back to my room."
She didn't want to argue anymore and walked towards the stairs.
"What a waste of money raising her, she's completely useless, I should have known..."
She heard Song Yuan's exasperated voice behind her, and quickened her pace to catch up.
The next morning, Lin Xi forced himself to be energetic and arrived at the Justice Bureau on time.
She needs work to numb herself, and she needs to be busy to temporarily forget the unbearable reality.
She had just changed into her white coat when the director called her office landline.
"Xi Li, come to my office."
The atmosphere in the director's office was somewhat somber.
He pushed up his glasses and looked at Lin Xili sitting opposite him. "Xili, we've received a notice from above that you need to be temporarily suspended from your duties without pay for a period of time."
Lin Xili asked in confusion, "Suspended from duty? Why?"
"We have received your medical examination report. The bureau has taken into account the special nature and extremely high importance of the work of the forensic department, which is related to the truth of the case, and cannot tolerate the slightest carelessness."
"Your diagnosis is hyperthyroidism. Common symptoms of this disease include hand tremors, emotional instability, and palpitations. These can all affect the accuracy of your anatomical procedures and the objectivity of your judgment."
"Doctor, the doctor said that medication can control the symptoms, but it makes me feel like I have a terminal illness. My hand only trembled slightly once, and I can definitely..."
"Xi Li, this is the rule." The director's attitude was firm, showing no leniency whatsoever.
"We must be responsible for our work, and we must also be responsible for your health."
"Once your condition is completely stable and the doctor issues a certificate, you can apply for reinstatement. Until then, the work of the forensic department will be handled by Wen Qing and the others."
She just didn't understand. The doctor had said that taking the medicine wouldn't affect her life or work, neither her family nor her job. She was just an easily discarded object.
He returned to his office, dejected, and began packing his personal belongings.
Wen Qing leaned closer and whispered, "Xi Li, they're making a mountain out of a molehill. There are so many people with thyroid problems these days."
"The main reason is that high stress and unstable emotions make one more susceptible to it. Medication can control the levels, so why should one be suspended for this?"
Lin Xili twitched the corners of her mouth, but couldn't utter a word.
"Xi Li, if you're feeling down and want to change your environment to relax, why don't you come and stay in my hometown, Lixiang Town, for a while?"
"Although our place is a small rural town, the environment is quite nice, nestled against the mountains and by the water."
"There's someone in my village who also had hyperthyroidism. He was treated at our local clinic, and I heard that after six months of treatment, his test results were much more normal. And..."
She blinked, trying to lighten the mood.
“My mom said that Dr. Huo from the health center is really handsome, and she even wanted to introduce him to me before.”
"But as you know, I spent twenty-five years struggling with exam questions before finally getting into the city's Bureau of Justice. I don't want to go back."
Lychee Township Town...Health Center...
Lin Xili listened silently without responding, feeling a sense of irritation.
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