A Tale of Two Cities Supporting Xinjiang

Zhou Hongmei winked at her, "Dr., didn't we analyze this kind of lumbar disc herniation before? Let's proceed according to your plan."

Aygul took a deep breath and pressed her fingers on Mr. Ma's lower back, searching for acupoints. "Here."

Zhou Hongmei suddenly spoke, gently touching half an inch next to the spot Ayiguli had just pressed, "You've found the right spot. A little more here, and the effect will be even better."

Aygul nodded, held her breath, and began administering the needle.

Mr. Ma cried out "Ouch!" after the first injection.

"Is this a sore and swollen feeling normal?" Zhou Hongmei asked immediately.

"Yes, yes, that's the feeling!"

No other doctor has ever been this accurate before!

Aygul's eyes lit up, and her movements became increasingly steady.

Zhou Hongmei stood beside her, handing her needles and occasionally whispering reminders like, "Three inches to the left," or "half an inch down."

Half an hour later, Mr. Ma sat up from the treatment bed and stretched his back: "Amazing! I feel so much more relaxed!"

He took out his business card and handed it to Aygul: "Dr. Aygul, my company has several elderly people with rheumatism. I'll bring them to see you next time!"

That day, a patient brought a prescription from Ayiguli to Zhou Hongmei, asking her to review it.

After reviewing the prescription, Zhou Hongmei immediately went to Ayiguli and said, "This prescription won't work; it needs to be changed."

Aygul was organizing medical records. "Teacher, we've tried this prescription for three months on 58 patients, and it was effective on 53 of them."

"I said no, and that means no!"

Zhou Hongmei opened the record book. "Look at this patient, he got diarrhea after drinking it; the medicine was too strong!"

Aygul snatched the notebook: "Then why don't we just change the dosage? Why are you rejecting it entirely?"

Several patients waiting in the consultation room looked up in this direction.

"On what grounds?"

Zhou Hongmei's voice instantly rose: "Because I'm your teacher! And if anything goes wrong with this prescription, I'll take the responsibility!"

She picked up a pen and quickly crossed out two herbs on the prescription: "Reduce Scutellaria baicalensis by three grams, and add Dioscorea opposita and Poria cocos."

"You've pulled out the tiger's teeth; now the prescription is useless!"

"Being weak is better than hurting someone!"

Zhou Hongmei handed her the revised prescription, saying, "Reorganize it; it's needed for the Corps Medical Review Meeting next week."

There were more than a dozen people sitting on both sides of the conference table, all wearing white lab coats, with an average age of over sixty.

"Dr. Xiao A, you said your rheumatism treatment is better than traditional prescriptions. In what ways is it better?"

An elderly expert with gray hair asked.

Aygul stood up, about to speak, when Zhou Hongmei chimed in, "Professor, the data is here."

She pushed a document over: "We compared 128 patients, and the new formula has an 18% higher effectiveness rate and a 40% reduction in side effects."

"But you added raw aconite."

Another expert banged on the table, "This stuff is poisonous! This young man is incredibly reckless!"

Aygul couldn't help but exclaim, "We strictly control the dosage and decoction time, and—"

"And what?"

Zhou Hongmei suddenly interrupted her: "And we are still making improvements."

The treatment plan I'm presenting today has removed raw aconite and replaced it with other warming yang herbs.

Aygul suddenly turned her head and glared at Zhou Hongmei.

Zhou Hongmei didn't even look at her, and continued to say to the experts, "This is the revised plan, please take a look."

Aygul was trembling with anger. She had no idea that Zhou Hongmei had changed the prescription behind her back!

"Hmm...that's much safer."

"But what about the results? Will they be less effective?"

"Won't."

Zhou Hongmei stated unequivocally, "We conducted a comparative experiment, and the effectiveness was retained by 92%, while the safety was doubled."

After the meeting, Aygul rushed into the stairwell.

Zhou Hongmei followed over: "What, you're not convinced?"

"What right do you have to change my prescription! That's my hard work!"

"Your life's work?"

Zhou Hongmei sneered, "If your hard work causes someone to die, who will be responsible?"

"Let me tell you, if I hadn't removed the raw aconite today, this proposal wouldn't have passed the review at all!"

She pulled a document out of her bag: "Take a look at this."

Aygul took it; it was an official document—"The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Rheumatism Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines (Trial Implementation)." Their prescriptions were printed in black and white, followed by a list of five hospitals: Shihezi, Kuitun, Karamay…

"Approved...approved?" Aygul was stunned.

"Approved."

But it's using my modified version.

Not convinced? If you're not convinced, then produce results to prove that you were better than before.

Starting next month, five hospitals will begin trial operations simultaneously.

You're responsible for following up and giving me a weekly report.

"Aunt Zhang, have you finished your medicine? Does your leg still hurt?"

Aygul held the phone in her left hand while her right hand quickly made notes in the follow-up records of rheumatism patients.

There were five stacks of medical records on the table, each labeled with a different hospital.

"It still hurts, but I can fall asleep now."

The voice on the phone said, "Dr., that hot compress method you mentioned last time really works!"

"Then I'll adjust your prescription and add two ingredients to relax muscles and improve blood circulation."

Aygul opened the new prescription sheet. "I'll have my student deliver the medicine to your house tomorrow."

After hanging up, she dialed another number.

Nurse Xiao Wang poked her head in: "Doctor, it's time to go home. The cafeteria is almost out of food."

"You guys eat first, I still have over twenty phone calls to make."

At nine o'clock at night, Zhou Hongmei returned from her rounds and saw that Ayiguli's clinic was still lit up.

She pushed open the door and saw Aygul asleep on the table, still holding the telephone receiver in her hand.

Zhou Hongmei gently pulled out the receiver and hung it up, glancing at the follow-up records which were already filled into three large notebooks.

The latest page reads: "A total of 1037 follow-up visits have been conducted, with a repeat visit rate of 89% and a satisfaction rate of 94%..."

She took off her white coat and covered Aygul with it, then turned off the lights and went outside.

She is my teacher.

The year-end summary meeting was packed with people.

The dean read out the list of award recipients: "...Dr. Ayiguli developed and promoted a rheumatism treatment formula, established a patient follow-up system, and served more than a thousand patients annually."

After deliberation by the Party Committee of the hospital, it was decided to award the title of "Key Personnel of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shihezi".

Applause erupted. Aygul walked onto the stage and accepted the certificate.

The host handed her the microphone: "Dr. A, please say a few words."

Aygul looked down at the audience and her gaze found Zhou Hongmei in the corner.

"This prescription was actually first proposed by my teacher, Dr. Zhou Hongmei."

She also taught me the follow-up methods.

Her voice trembled slightly, "At today's review meeting, she changed the formula behind my back, and I hated her so much at that moment."

The audience fell silent.

"But now I know," Aygul continued, "a good doctor not only cures the disease, but also makes the method of treatment go further."

When traveling a long distance, one cannot be in a hurry.

"So this certificate should be given to my teacher."

The audience erupted in applause. Zhou Hongmei stood up to leave, but was stopped by someone next to her.

After the meeting, the two met in the corridor.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Zhou Hongmei said with a stern face, "What would I do with the certificate? I don't need it."

Aygul smiled and said, "What do you need? I'll earn it for you."

Zhou Hongmei thought for a moment: "We need a helper."

Next month, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps will be sending a team of TCM experts to the countryside. You're coming with me.

"You're ordering me around again." Aygul pouted, but her eyes shone.

"What's wrong with ordering you around?"

Zhou Hongmei turned and walked towards the consultation room. "If you don't want to be bossed around, grow up quickly so you can boss others around in the future."

Aygul followed up: "Then you have to teach me how to order people around."

"Of course I'll teach you."