Merchant and doctor

Chapter 2011: Health preservation is health preservation, and treating disease is treating disease.
Throughout the morning, during breaks between patients, Bian Mu's mind kept replaying the conversation between the two elderly people at the small restaurant, and his emotions were somewhat tinged with sadness.

Bian Mu had always instinctively assumed that the people in the neighborhood were quite accepting of him, but now it seemed that might not be the case. There were some things, some aspects, that he really needed to seriously, calmly, and rationally reflect on.

Unconsciously, Bian Mu became somewhat distracted when taking people's pulses.

"Dr. Bian?! It's my turn!" The next middle-aged female patient reminded her with a smile.

"Oh... excuse me, let me check your main symptoms... please wait!" She smiled apologetically, pulled herself together, and forced herself to stay focused. Bian Mu silently warned herself not to let her mind wander again.

Since Nurse Ye was transferred to the branch, the triage work is mainly shared by the three interns. The young intern, Xiao Liu, has a slight advantage in overall business skills and is the most diligent in studying her work. Bian Mu arranged for her to be the intern group leader and let her make decisions on some minor matters.

He was still young and had little medical experience. His life experience was also relatively simple. He screened many patients who should have declined to come to the clinic through online or offline services. Objectively speaking, Bian Mu was not willing to treat patients who were not short of money but were very concerned about their lives. In his opinion, this was more or less a waste of medical resources.

After Nurse Xiao Sun started her job, she was quite familiar with Bian Mu's medical style, being an experienced nurse. In addition, she was determined to become a doctor and wanted to get rid of her nursing hat. She was quite diligent in studying traditional Chinese medicine, not in the kind of exam-oriented study like a "small-town test-taker." In fact, she was more skilled than Nurse Ye in the initial screening of patients.

Therefore, Bian Mu's outpatient visits are relatively easier and more convenient.

The brief record of the computer triage showed that the most genuine medical need of the 33-year-old patient was: to find a way to stabilize his hemoglobin level above 120g/L. Other complaints seemed to be secondary. Since he had already made an appointment, he wanted to maximize his benefits and ask the doctor to take his body to the best condition among his peers.

Next, let's look at the occupational attributes: middle school teacher.

"No wonder... one of the three things that every industry fears, hehe... Judging from this, is this a friend of Xiao Sun? Or a distant relative or something?! Otherwise, Xiao Sun would have rejected her as a health-conscious patient in the first batch..." Bian Mu thought to herself as she browsed the triage records.

Every now and then, Bian Mu would glance up and down at the woman. Even though she knew that Doctor Bian was "observing" her, the woman still seemed a little uncomfortable.

"Ms. Cui! Your registration fee has been refunded. In our clinic, cases like yours are usually categorized as health consultations or wellness treatments. Generally, we refer similar clients to our branch clinics. Oh! Yes! Don't misunderstand, I'm not trying to raise my own price! Absolutely not! Our school of thought calls itself the 'Mathematical Medicine' school! Yes! The 'mathematical' part! When we see patients, we naturally try to differentiate them as meticulously as possible, so… please understand. Since you're here, I'll naturally provide you with a health consultation and offer some wellness advice tailored to your specific situation." Alright! Bian Mu immediately downgraded the type of consultation he was referring to.

Upon hearing this, a look of doubt appeared on the woman's face. However, due to Bian Mu's current fame, she did not express anything clearly for the time being.

"Oh, I see... I'm so sorry to have troubled you with this free clinic!" "You're too kind! May I ask what grade level you teach at?"

"Junior high school geography? What, how can this be related to hemoglobin?!" the woman asked with a smile.

"Hehe... Hemoglobin is actually just a medical indicator, and it's not a concept unique to our traditional Chinese medicine system. Our 'numerical medicine' school has always advocated the integration of Chinese and Western medicine, so we use it as an important reference for blood and qi disorders. Since you've come to a traditional Chinese medicine clinic,... if you're seeking treatment here based solely on one medical indicator, I can only categorize it as a health consultation or wellness treatment. Modern mainstream medicine believes that the core function of hemoglobin (also called hemoglobin) is to carry oxygen and transport it to all organs. This description overlaps with our concept of the harmony of qi and blood, but it also differs. The core content of the blood and qi we emphasize is not entirely about oxygen. Furthermore..." Each molecule of hemoglobin needs to bind with one iron atom. Modern mainstream medicine considers iron—specifically, iron in a medical sense—to be the "key raw material" for synthesizing hemoglobin. Looking at your routine blood tests, taking a certain dose of ferrous sulfate can raise your levels to over 130, meaning you are quite sensitive to iron supplements. However, from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, this doesn't necessarily mean you are iron deficient. It only preliminarily indicates that your iron absorption, digestion, and compensatory ability are weaker than in healthy individuals. Asking about your specific specialty is to consider whether there are any deficiencies in both qi and blood, or a single-directional deficiency; nothing more.” With a smile, Bian Mu patiently explained.

Upon hearing this, the woman's expression gradually returned to normal.

"It's not a three-year course! I rarely work overtime on weekends and holidays, and my teaching load isn't that heavy during the week, so I don't think it has much to do with my job."

"Really? That's your understanding. We might not see it that way, haha... Looking at the test report, the lowest level was still above 112, which is just mild anemia. Besides, it's only been two years since you had your second child, and the recovery period varies greatly from woman to woman. So... I suggest you observe it further. As long as there are no major unexpected changes in your work or life, maintaining the status quo generally won't lead to a worse situation," Bian Mu suggested with a smile.

"I'm still young! I'm thinking of stabilizing my hemoglobin level above 125 before I turn 45, and I absolutely can't let it drop to that dangerous level of 110! You're one of the top doctors in the city, surely you can fulfill this request!" The woman's tone was somewhat impolite at the end.

Hearing this, Bian Mu's expression remained as calm and serene as ever. However, the intern, Xiao Liu, couldn't help but look up at the woman, her eyebrows furrowing in disapproval. Seeing her like this, the other two young interns also changed their expressions. Well! These three began to stand up for their teacher, Bian Mu, feeling that the woman's demands were a bit excessive.

This is a traditional Chinese medicine clinic, not a precision manufacturing plant. What kind of standard does a patient set, especially an unreasonable request that goes beyond medical norms? Are the doctors supposed to follow your orders?! What are you thinking?! You've come to the wrong clinic! Our owner doesn't buy into this!

"That depends on how well you cooperate with your family!" Bian Mu replied calmly and without showing any emotion.

"What does this have to do with my family? You're making it sound more and more far-fetched!"

"Suppose that the average hemoglobin level of all your direct blood relatives within three generations is around 120, 115, and 112, what would you say then?" Bian Mu replied calmly.

Upon hearing this, the woman was speechless! Her medical knowledge was almost no different from that of the uneducated street vendors, and when Bian Mu asked her such a question, she was at a loss for words.

Being unreasonable doesn't mean she's very capable!