Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 909 908 Improving a Hospital Bed?
Ding Jianhui has been spending a lot of time by the bedside lately, looking haggard with messy hair and bloodshot eyes.

After leaving the ward, Ding Jianhui took out a cigarette and offered it to Tang Zhitong, but Tang Zhitong didn't smoke it. He lit one for himself and said with a self-deprecating smile, "I quit for a few days a while ago, but I didn't expect to pick it up again. I've been relying on this stuff to get by lately."

"How about I come and take your place for two days, so you can go back and get some rest?" Judging from Ding Jianhui's appearance, he probably hasn't had a good night's sleep lately. There's no stretcher bed provided for caregivers in the ward, so even a strong man like him probably can't take it after a few days.

"Thank you, but no need. My mother doesn't have much time left, and I want to be with her on her final journey." Ding Jianhui shook his head. He had been prepared for his mother's condition, but he hadn't expected it to deteriorate so quickly.

"That's fine too." Tang Zhitong was at a loss for words at this moment. He could comfort people in many situations, but when faced with life and death, his words seemed rather pale.

"By the way, was it you who helped me get this transfer?" Although his mother had asked Director Ye in person the day before yesterday, and Director Ye denied it, Ding Jianhui still felt that this matter was related to Tang Zhitong.

There are only three inventors of the foot buckle. I have no connection with Gu Yong. Why would he help me improve for no reason?

Ding Jianhui thought and thought but had no clue. When he saw Tang Zhitong today, he couldn't help but ask him directly.

"It's somewhat related. They actually wanted to tell me through you that once this matter is settled, I need to inform the person who handled it. As long as it's settled, don't worry about it." Tang Zhitong was thinking of having a chance to speak openly yesterday, but since Ding Jianhui brought it up today, he didn't hide it from him anymore.

"This matter... oh dear, I..." Tang Zhitong really admitted it, and Ding Jianhui became at a loss. He thought that all of this was because of his grades, but he couldn't deceive himself. What kind of grades could lead to such a meteoric rise?
"Brother Hui, this is what you deserve. If you hadn't put so much effort into improving it, the foot buckle wouldn't have had the chance to be released." Tang Zhitong roughly understood what Ding Jianhui wanted to say, and patted his forearm to ease his embarrassment.

"When my brother arrives, I'll have him stay here with you for a while. I'll go back and prepare some things to send over to you." Ding Jianhui realized that Tang Zhitong had asked someone to create this opportunity for him, which would leave him in a big debt of gratitude, so he wanted to do his part.

"No need, you don't need to worry about this, I'll handle it." Tang Zhitong shook her head. Ding Jianhui's promotion was indeed handled by Aunt Tian, ​​but it was essentially an exchange where she didn't want to owe her a favor. Once she asked, Aunt Tian felt at ease and didn't care whether she returned the gift or not. Even if she did, it shouldn't be too much; a little fruit or snack would be enough.

"No way. You've already done me a favor, there's no reason for you to contribute anything more. Otherwise, my mom will say I'm being unreasonable." Ding Jianhui shook his head firmly.

Just as Tang Zhitong was about to try to persuade him again, Ding's mother woke up and called for her son from inside.

Because the sound was low, neither Ding Jianhui nor Tang Zhitong heard it. It was the person accompanying him in the next bed who heard it and called out to Ding Jianhui.

"Mom." Upon hearing that his mother had woken up, Ding Jianhui immediately threw away his cigarette butt and ran into the ward.

"Water," Ding's mother said weakly.

"Let me help you up first." Upon hearing this, Ding Jianhui, just as his mother had hugged him back then, carefully stretched his arms behind his mother's neck, and then used a little force to lift his mother's upper body slightly.

Tang Zhitong placed a quilt from the foot of the bed behind Aunt Xie.

"Mom, Xiao Tang has come to see you." Ding Jianhui put his mother down and spoke to her first.

"Little Tang, sit down." When Ding's mother saw Tang Zhitong, she forced a smile on her withered face and laboriously raised her hand.

"Auntie Xie, you're too kind." Tang Zhitong's bottom barely touched the edge of the bed as he took Auntie Xie's hand. Her hand was very cold, a stark contrast to the sweltering summer heat outside the window.

"Thank you for your help with Jianhui's matter." As Ding's mother spoke, she applied a little more pressure to her hand, trying to show her gratitude.

“Auntie Xie, Hui and I hit it off immediately. We help each other and make progress together.” Tang Zhitong placed his other hand on the back of Aunt Tian’s hand in response to her firm touch.

"You're a good boy." Ding's mother smiled, then turned her head slightly to look at her son beside her and instructed, "Jianhui, you must do your best in Xiao Tang's affairs from now on."

"I understand, Mom." Ding Jianhui's eyes were filled with tears. He knew that his mother was trying to build a relationship between the two of them, and he also knew that his chances of helping Tang Zhitong were slim. Tang Zhitong was capable of helping him get promoted, so why would she need his help?
"Xiao Tang, Jianhui has done some things wrong, please criticize him more." After instructing her son, Ding's mother turned back and looked at Tang Zhitong with hopeful eyes.

Although Ding's mother was seriously ill, she knew very well that the two families were not close, and it was already good enough that she could help once. There was no reason for her to keep asking for help. However, as a mother, she was really worried about her son.

Besides her eldest son, Ding Jianhui, she has three other children, all of whom are in school. Her eldest son is unmarried and has no outside support, so she has no choice but to shamelessly pull strings and ask for help for her son.

"Auntie Xie, don't worry, I will do my best." Faced with a mother's deep love for her child, Tang Zhitong couldn't bring herself to refuse, so she agreed regardless of whether she could do it or not.

Hearing Tang Zhitong say this, Ding's mother smiled with relief, her grip loosened, and she closed her eyes.

"Mom?" Ding Jianhui was startled when his mother closed her eyes. Although he was mentally prepared, his heart still skipped a beat.

"Aunt Xie is asleep." Tang Zhitong was still holding Ding's mother's hand, and he could feel her pulse through his fingers.

"Oh, it's good that you're asleep, it's good that you're asleep." Ding Jianhui put down his water glass, raised his arm to wipe away his tears, and his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was put back down.

Tang Zhitong tucked Ding's mother's hand under the blanket, stood up, and said, "Brother Hui, you stay with Aunt Xie, I'll go back first."

"I'll see you out." Ding Jianhui tucked the blanket around his mother and followed Tang Zhitong out of the ward.

"Don't take what my mom said to heart." As soon as he left the ward, Ding Jianhui tore the "contract" that his mother had forcibly imposed on him to shreds. His mother wasn't the type to cause trouble, and neither was he.

"Brother Hui, I promised Aunt Xie, so I have to do my best. If you need anything, just let me know, and I'll do what I can. If I can't, we'll figure something out together." Tang Zhitong liked Ding Jianhui's personality; he wasn't one to ask for favors easily, but he also remembered kindness very well.

If Ding Jianhui were to really use this as a pretext, Tang Zhitong felt that he would instead try to shirk responsibility and deny the matter.

Moreover, Director Ye should have anticipated this situation. If she didn't support it, she would have stopped me when I said I was coming to visit yesterday.

After leaving the Public Security Hospital, Tang Zhitong began to think about the hospital bed.

Ding Jianhui helping his mother up just now gave Tang Zhitong an idea. Even terminally ill patients need to get up, whether to rest or to be fed, and their upper body must maintain a certain angle with the bed. If family members have to help the patient do this every day, not only will the family members be tired, but it may also cause secondary injury to the patient, which is definitely not the hospital's intention.

With this in mind, Tang Zhitong turned a corner and decided to go to the hospital to inspect the hospital beds in person.

Although the Public Security Hospital has beds, Tang Zhitong doesn't know anyone there. If he goes back, the Public Security Hospital will definitely take him in, but communication will certainly not be as direct and frank as if he had someone he knows.

Because of the compilation of the "Barefoot Doctor's Handbook", Tang Zhitong had nod-by acquaintances with many doctors in the medical field, but most of these doctors came from the 301 Hospital.

Those with whom he had a fairly good relationship included Luo Qingquan, Lü Lixian, and Yan Xiongfei's wife, Wang Huiru.

Both Luo Qingquan and Wang Huiru worked outside the city, and it would take Tang Zhitong at least half an hour to cycle there, which was far less convenient than the maternity hospital near Qihelou.

"Xiao Tang? Did you bring Xiao Wang for a check-up?" Lu Lixian was busy and her first thought when she saw Tang Zhitong was that she was having a prenatal check-up, but when she looked for Xiao Wang, she didn't see her.

"No, sister-in-law, I came to see the hospital beds." Tang Zhitong told Lü Lixian what she had seen at the Public Security Hospital, and finally asked, "Are the hospital beds here adjustable?"

"The hospital beds are all pretty much the same, just a flat board without any height adjustment. But the operating tables in the operating room have the function you mentioned. Please wait outside for a moment. I'll see these patients first, then I'll take you around to see them." Seeing that some patients were already peeking into the room, Lü Lixian made the arrangements.

"Okay, thank you for your trouble, sister-in-law." Tang Zhitong was easy to talk to. She had just managed to get in by persuading her to cut in line, so she couldn't take up too much of her time.

Tang Zhitong waited for an hour or so.

The wait was a bit long, and Tang Zhitong counted the crying sounds out of boredom.

In hospitals, it's inevitable that people will cry, but this place is different from other hospitals.

In other hospitals, cries signify the passing of a loved one, while here, cries mostly signify the birth of a new life.

Almost everyone goes through these two kinds of crying once, or even several times, until no one is willing to have children...

Tang Zhitong only entered Lü Lixian's office again after there were no more patients queuing outside Dr. Lü's office.

"Are you getting impatient? I don't know why, but there are quite a lot of patients today." When Lü Lixian saw Tang Zhitong come in, she knew there were no more patients outside, so she got up to lead Tang Zhitong to the ward.

"It's okay, no rush." ​​Tang Zhitong grinned, but it was only insincere that he wasn't in a rush. The people waiting to see the doctor were either women with some kind of discomfort or pregnant women with big bellies. Apart from a very few husbands who accompanied them, Tang Zhitong was the only man all alone, which seemed a bit strange in the maternity hospital.

Lü Lixian first led Tang Zhitong to the operating room, which had obviously just been used for surgery and had not yet been cleaned up: "The hospital has regulations that prohibit entering the operating room once it has been cleaned up in order to avoid infection. I can only bring you here to see it in person."

"It's alright, this is fine." After the nurse removed the sheets from the hospital bed, Tang Zhitong lifted the mattress, began to observe the structure of the operating table, and tried out the lifting mechanism.

The operating handles for raising and lowering the operating table are located on both sides of the table. The principle is not complicated; it is the same as Tang Zhitong's idea—a simple torque transmission.

"Sister-in-law, will these crank handles get in the way during the surgery?" Tang Zhitong asked, pointing to the crank handles on the side as she cranked the bed back up.

"It's not friendly to doctors of my height. Sometimes we bump into each other, but there's nothing we can do. That's how operating tables are. We just have to be careful." Lü Lixian joked about her height. Because she's not tall enough, she sometimes has to lean forward, and her legs inevitably bump into each other. Fortunately, the crank handle has an anti-reverse device, otherwise it could easily cause secondary injury to the patient.

"I guess it's to save on materials." Although the operating table has several adjustable positions, the principle is not complicated. When Tang Zhitong squatted down just now, he looked down from the edge of the table and saw that the transmission rods were all placed nearby.

"Possibly, given the limited conditions."

"Sister-in-law, shall we go to the ward for another look?" Tang Zhitong had no intention of improving the operating table. Some units were already making these things, and improving them would be a redundant investment. Given the current shortage of supplies, it would be good enough if the new type of hospital bed could be successfully promoted. They couldn't be greedy.

The situation in the ward was much better. Lü Lixian took Tang Zhitong to an empty bed and let him do whatever he wanted with the blankets.

"It's really rudimentary." Tang Zhitong looked at the bed board, which was made entirely of wooden planks, no different from a typical single bed. However, it wouldn't be difficult to modify. He could simply add an iron frame to the bed board, rivet it in the middle, and add a lifting mechanism underneath.

“Only in the simplest way can there be room for improvement,” Lü Lixian said with a smile.

"Hehe, the key is whether we can sell them. Sister-in-law, do patients in our hospital get up frequently? Are there any cases where the condition is more serious and they can't move around?" After looking at the beds in the maternity hospital, Tang Zhitong felt that it was unlikely that they would replace them all. Right now, there was not only a shortage of supplies, but also a lot of financial problems. This problem probably wouldn't explode until next year.

When the time comes, the higher authorities will issue a direct document prohibiting government agencies from purchasing office and related equipment such as sofas, flowers, and desks. In short, make do with what you can, and prioritize saving money.

The best outcome right now is that the hospital will replace some of the beds, and the lift-up beds will only be used for seriously ill patients, which is still very possible.

“Our hospital doesn’t have many, but we do have some. Some patients have even had their stitches reopen and bleed because they forced themselves to get up. Other hospitals have more of this need. If we could use the kind of beds that are used in operating rooms, I think the patients and their families would be very grateful to you.” Lü Lixian had been in college for five years and had not only interned at the obstetrics and gynecology hospital, but also had a lot of contact with other hospitals, so she knew what the situation was like inside the ward.

"Hey, why thank me? It's the hospital that upgraded the equipment out of consideration for patients. We should thank the hospital. Besides the frequent need to raise and lower the upper body, how often do you need to lift your legs?" Tang Zhitong thought of the hospital beds he had seen in his future life. Those beds had two cranks at the foot of the bed, one to control the raising and lowering of the head of the bed and the other to control the raising and lowering of the foot of the bed.

“Our hospital does have this need. Many pregnant women experience leg swelling in late pregnancy and need to elevate their lower limbs.” Lü Lixian nodded affirmatively, paused for a moment, and then added softly, “This situation has become more and more common recently.”

"Hmm." Tang Zhitong responded softly. Recently, this situation was not only caused by pregnancy, but also by malnutrition.

In that case, let's include both functions.

However, forget about electric or hydraulic systems. The operating rooms are all purely mechanical, and the hospital beds will have to be purely mechanical too. Although it will be a bit tiring to crank them and there might be some squeaking noises, we have to make do with what we have at the moment due to limited resources.

(End of this chapter)