A Tale of Two Cities Supporting Xinjiang

The old lady had gray hair, dressed simply, and looked hesitant, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Zhou Hongmei composed herself, walked over, and asked softly, "Auntie, where do you feel unwell? Don't worry, tell me slowly."

The old lady looked up at her, then lowered her head again. After stammering for a long time, she finally said in a low voice, "Doctor, I... I have suffered from insomnia for many years. I toss and turn in bed at night and can't fall asleep. Even if I do fall asleep, I wake up easily. During the day, I have no energy, feel weak all over, and can't muster the motivation to do anything."

"Have you seen any doctors before? Have you used any medication?" Zhou Hongmei asked.

"I saw a Western doctor who prescribed some sleeping pills. They help me fall asleep, but I don't dare take too many because I'm afraid of side effects and becoming dependent on them."

The old lady sighed, "Later, I heard from my neighbor that traditional Chinese medicine can cure insomnia without the need for sleeping pills, so I wanted to give it a try, but... but I'm afraid of drinking Chinese medicine."

I've heard that traditional Chinese medicine is extremely bitter and slow to take effect. I'm getting old, and my body can't handle it. I'm also afraid I won't be able to stick with it.

Zhou Hongmei was delighted, as insomnia was one of her strengths, and quickly advised, "Auntie, don't worry, insomnia doesn't necessarily require taking Chinese medicine."

I can give you acupuncture first. Acupuncture doesn't require medication, and it's not bitter. It just involves inserting needles into a few calming acupoints to help unblock your meridians, regulate your qi and blood, and gradually improve your sleep.

She remembered what her grandfather had taught her: the most important thing in treating insomnia is to calm the mind, and acupuncture is more effective than Chinese medicine and has no side effects.

"Acupuncture?"

A hint of hesitation flashed in the old lady's eyes. "Does acupuncture hurt? I've never had needles inserted in my life, and I'm terrified just looking at those thin needles."

"It won't hurt, ma'am. It'll feel like a mosquito bite. I'll be gentle, I promise you won't suffer."

Zhou Hongmei tried to speak gently, "Let me try it on you first, just three acupoints. If you feel uncomfortable, we'll stop immediately, okay?"

The old lady pondered for a long time, then finally shook her head and sighed, "Doctor, thank you, but I'll go back and think about it some more, and discuss it with my family before making a decision."

She stood up and slowly walked out of the consultation room.

Looking at the empty clinic, Zhou Hongmei felt a tightness in her chest. She wanted to talk to Ayiguli about her troubles, but instead, she saw a piece of paper posted on Ayiguli's office door. It was written in Xinjiang script, and below it were the four words "Use Chinese medicine with caution".

Zhou Hongmei walked up to Ayiguli and couldn't help but ask, "Dr. Ayiguli, what do you mean by this? This is the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, why are you putting up this?"

"I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted to remind the patients. My mother died from poisoning after drinking so-called 'traditional Chinese medicine,' and ever since then, I've never trusted these things."

She paused, her gaze falling on Zhou Hongmei, and said quite bluntly, "Also, if you want to teach me acupuncture, don't bother. I won't learn it, and I don't want to get involved in it."

One sentence was like a bucket of cold water, completely extinguishing the last bit of enthusiasm in Zhou Hongmei's heart.

She stood there, speechless for a long time. At that moment, she suddenly understood the attitude of those patients.

Even Aygul, who is also a doctor, is so opposed to traditional Chinese medicine and lacks confidence in her own profession, let alone ordinary patients who do not understand medicine.

Zhou Hongmei pondered to herself: She came to Xinjiang with her grandfather's entrustment and ten years of clinical experience, wanting to do something practical, but the first day was so unsuccessful. How would she get through the days to come? Did her grandfather also encounter similar difficulties when he went to Xinjiang?

The next day, Zhou Hongmei arrived at the hospital early, carrying a small notebook. Remembering how deserted the consultation room had been earlier, she knew there were unlikely to be any patients at this hour. Her gaze shifted, and she noticed the nearby recreational square was already bustling with activity.

Many elderly people gathered on benches to chat and bask in the morning sunlight, while others strolled leisurely, laughing and talking, creating a lively atmosphere.

Zhou Hongmei had an idea. Based on her experience, the elderly are most concerned about their health and love to chat. This would be a good opportunity to popularize some traditional Chinese medicine knowledge and maybe make things easier.

She took a deep breath, straightened her white coat, and walked into the crowd with a smile: "Good morning, everyone! Are you all in good health? Do you have any aches or pains? I'm a doctor from the Traditional Chinese Medicine department of the nearby hospital. I can chat with you about health and wellness."

Most of the elderly people are simple and honest. They were a little curious about the Han Chinese girl who took the initiative to talk to them, but they didn't put up any defenses.

"You look unfamiliar, young lady. Are you new here?"

"Yeah, we're just killing time anyway, let's chat!"

Zhou Hongmei pulled up a chair and sat in the middle, chatting with everyone, from daily diet to daily routines, gradually steer the conversation toward physical health.

After chatting for a short while, she discovered a pattern: almost all the elderly people here had a common ailment: arthritis.

"Girl, you have no idea how dry and cold the climate is here. The wind feels like knives, and in winter, my legs ache terribly!"

An elderly man frowned, his face contorted in pain. "It's so difficult to even take a single step. Sometimes the pain keeps me awake at night. I toss and turn all night, wishing I could have my leg amputated. It's unbearable suffering!"

An older woman next to her immediately came over and nodded, her tone full of helplessness: "That's right! I've had arthritis for over ten years, it's a chronic condition."

I've taken a ton of Western medicine, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs non-stop, and even tried acupuncture a few times, but it just keeps coming back. It only gets better for less than three months before it flares up again. It's so exhausting!

"Me too!"

Another old man chimed in, "I heard people say that applying medicated plasters is effective, so I bought several boxes. I ended up smelling strongly of medicine after applying them, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect. The pain is still there."

The elderly people poured out their grievances one after another, their faces etched with undisguised exhaustion.

Some said they couldn't get out of bed because of the pain on rainy days, some said they couldn't take care of their grandchildren because of leg pain, and others complained that they spent a lot of money on medical treatment but suffered a lot.

Zhou Hongmei listened attentively, quickly jotting down notes in her notebook, feeling both surprised and delighted. Arthritis is a chronic disease, which happens to be one of the strengths of traditional Chinese medicine!

Acupuncture unblocks the meridians, massage relieves muscle tension, and when combined with topical Chinese herbal plasters, consistent use over a period of time will definitely show noticeable results. It's much more reliable than simply taking Western medicine.

Seeing the elderly people's suffering, her disappointment from previous setbacks in promoting traditional Chinese medicine vanished instantly, and a surge of energy ignited in her heart: if she could cure a few typical cases and let everyone see the effects of traditional Chinese medicine with their own eyes, she wouldn't have to worry about them not believing!

In that time, it will not only help the elderly relieve their pain, but also open up new avenues for the promotion of traditional Chinese medicine, allowing locals to gradually accept it. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?

Zhou Hongmei cleared her throat and said sincerely, "Grandpas and grandmas, traditional Chinese medicine is actually very effective for treating your arthritis."

My grandfather was a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, and I studied under him for several years, successfully treating many patients like you. Acupuncture and massage, combined with specially formulated topical ointments, eliminate the need for oral medications, minimize side effects, and address the root cause. With consistent use, pain can be significantly reduced, and recurrence may even be prevented.

No sooner had she finished speaking than the old man who had been rubbing his knee became worried. "Young lady, are you telling the truth? I've tried acupuncture before, and it hurt so much I was grimacing, but it didn't help at all!"

"Yeah, does traditional Chinese medicine require drinking herbal medicine? That stuff is too bitter, I can't drink it!" another middle-aged woman chimed in with her doubts.

Zhou Hongmei was prepared and explained with a smile: "Grandpa, the pain from acupuncture is because the technique is not right. My technique is light, and when I prick you, it's just like a mosquito bite, not painful at all."

Moreover, I don't need you to drink Chinese medicine; it mainly involves acupuncture, massage, and topical ointments, which is very convenient and won't interfere with your daily walks and chats!

Seeing the skeptical looks on everyone's faces, she continued, "How about this, I'll give everyone a free massage today. Who wants to try it first? See how it works. If you like it, we can talk about treatment later, okay?"

The elderly people looked at each other, but no one stepped forward. The old man who had just complained about the pain of acupuncture hesitated and said, "Free massage? Well... shall I try it?"

Zhou Hongmei immediately nodded and said with a smile, "Grandpa, please sit down and relax. I'll massage your knees and legs for you, and you'll know how comfortable you feel in a little while!"

As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeves and gently massaged the old man's knees with both hands, gradually increasing the pressure and accurately targeting the acupoints.

After only a few minutes of massage, the old man sighed comfortably, "Hey? Young lady, your technique is quite good. It feels warm and soothing, and the painful areas seem to have eased a bit!"

Upon hearing this, the other elderly people became interested and gathered around, their eyes less skeptical and more expectant.

Zhou Hongmei was secretly pleased. It seemed that her visit to the square for science popularization had not been in vain. The first step in promoting traditional Chinese medicine had finally taken shape.