Chapter 60: Eddie Morra and NZT-48 (5000 words) (Page 1/2)
"Nurse, get her out of here!"
After the anxious mother stopped interfering, the patient's condition quickly stabilized.
However, the situation inside the body was not optimistic.
The teenager's heart could barely beat on its own, relying entirely on a pacemaker to maintain a weak rhythm.
And other organs in the body also began to show signs of failure.
Lung function failed first, and symptoms of liver toxicity also appeared.
These symptoms all proved that the atropine treatment they had just administered was wrong!
The wrong antidote instead released a great deal of neurotoxins, worsening the patient's symptoms!
Outside the ward, Pete's face was pale. He was actually wrong?!
How could he be wrong?!
In a moment of panic, he grabbed the patient's mother's arm and demanded:
"Didn't you have an empty container of organophosphate pesticide in your yard? Why? Why isn't it organophosphate poisoning?!"
The patient's mother, already in a state of grief, was suddenly grabbed and immediately asked with a shocked expression:
"What are you talking about?"
Pete, who hadn't worked in a proper hospital for a long time, clearly hadn't realized how inappropriate his actions were at the moment. He repeated:
"I said, didn't you have an empty pesticide container in your yard? Shouldn't he be suffering from organophosphate poisoning? Why was the corresponding treatment useless?"
Only then did the patient's mother understand what the doctor in the white coat in front of her was saying.
A strong look of alarm appeared in her eyes:
"Shouldn't you doctors be the ones to know if the treatment is working? Do you realize you almost killed my son?!
Also, how did you know we had empty pesticide containers in our yard? Did you trespass on our property?
What is your name? I will definitely report this to the medical board!"
Hearing the words "medical board," Pete immediately sobered up.
He released his hand somewhat sheepishly and immediately apologized to avoid having his medical license revoked:
"I'm sorry, I was too impulsive. Please allow me to explain.
Because the source of the poison was unknown, I traced back the route the patient had taken today.
So I naturally investigated the source—at home.
And there I found a used pesticide container, which is why I thought your child should be suffering from organophosphate poisoning.
I am very sorry that the atropine didn't work."
The patient's mother's expression improved slightly upon hearing Pete's explanation, but the improvement was very limited.
It was obvious she no longer trusted the doctor in front of her.
"What was in there wasn't organophosphate pesticide at all—it was citrus oil concentrate, which isn't even toxic!
Do you quack doctors just start treatment without investigating properly?
I want to transfer hospitals! I'm calling the CDC right now."
Watching the patient's mother leave in a rage, Pete clearly understood that he had screwed up.
Since it wasn't organophosphate poisoning, it was clearly contact poisoning, not inhalation.
That is to say, David's conclusion was correct.
The poison this patient was suffering from was a different type of organophosphate, and they should have used the correct antidote, not the one Pete had insisted on!
This conclusion made him feel even worse.
The previous second, he had sworn that he wouldn't be wrong.
As a result, the actual treatment outcome slapped him in the face.
The most crucial thing was that he originally wanted to make David feel ashamed and humiliated by attacking his strengths.
In the end, he was the one who ended up feeling that way?
At this moment, he instantly didn't want to face the following scene.
Pete directly used the excuse of needing to use the restroom to avoid the subsequent consultation.
So when everyone returned to the diagnostics office, there were only four people.
House didn't have time to care where Pete went.
For him, this neurologist who had been parachuted in was like a bone stuck in his throat; he couldn't swallow it and felt uncomfortable until he coughed it out.
It was actually better now that Pete wasn't here.
"The results are obvious now. Since it's not the poison Pete diagnosed, then David is correct.
Chase, arrange for the patient to be given the correct treatment protocol."
Chase gave a bitter smile:
"Just now, Pete had an argument with the patient's family.
The patient's family no longer trusts us and refuses to allow us to perform any further treatment.
And they've already called the CDC, requesting a transfer."
House was stunned for a moment, then turned his gaze to David:
"David, you're best at communicating with patients' families, so convincing her will be up to you."
David nodded and walked towards the ward without saying anything.
Chase couldn't help but say worriedly as he watched David's retreating back:
"What if David can't persuade the patient's family to change their mind?"
House shrugged:
"Then I'm afraid we'll have to have her sign a DNR, and the patient will die while waiting for the transfer.
So you'd better pray that David succeeds."
...
When David, on whom high hopes were placed, just walked into the ward, he heard the patient's mother, who was pouring hot water nearby, say calmly:
"You're here to persuade me to accept another round of treatment, aren't you?
You don't need to say anything. I've already decided to transfer hospitals.
Your doctors only make subjective judgments based on so-called 'clues' that are completely unfounded.
I no longer believe that the doctors at your hospital have the ability to cure my son.
Your last treatment almost killed my son!
I think the doctors at the CDC will give me different opinions.
You also don't need to pretend to be sympathetic and talk about shared experiences that are completely fabricated to convince me.
I've probably read more psychology books than you've seen patients."
Facing the patient's mother's barrage of cold remarks, David did not give up on trying.
After organizing his words, he said sincerely:
"Ma'am, I understand your feeling of losing trust in us because of the mistake caused by that doctor's unprofessionalism.
Because our attending physician, Dr. House, also suffered a misdiagnosis due to a doctor's unprofessionalism in the past, which resulted in a lifelong disability.
So regarding what happened to your son, Dr. House can truly empathize.
This isn't something I made up. I think you must have heard of Dr. House's reputation.
His leg disability was caused by an infarction in his quadriceps muscle that was misdiagnosed years ago.
I'm not saying this to gain your sympathy. I just want to tell you that we truly understand your current feelings."
After hearing what David said, the patient's mother's expression softened slightly.
She had indeed heard the rumor that House walked with a cane because of a leg injury.
Now it seemed true. This young doctor didn't need to lie about something so easily verifiable.
However, she really didn't dare to gamble her son's life on a treatment that might not be effective.
"Well, since you can understand how I feel right now, you should understand that having lost my trust, you cannot provide any treatment for my son."
David shook his head. This kind of protective mother often appeared extremely stubborn when it came to facts she had decided upon.
However, caring so much about her son's life was also this kind of mother's weakness.
So David was still confident he could persuade her. David pointed to the index on the heart monitor that was barely maintaining a heart rate of 40 and said:
"See this? Severe bradycardia. You could even say his heart is barely functioning.
Your son is only alive purely because of the pacemaker.
If you want to transfer hospitals, do you think your son can withstand the transport?
I know you want to place your hope in the CDC having a way to perfectly cure your son.
But have you ever thought about the enormous number of cases the CDC receives every day?
So when will they see your request? Three days? Or four days?
Your son is already showing signs of multi-organ failure. Can he hold on until then?
I hope you think carefully. We truly believe we know the correct treatment to cure your son.
It's just not what Pete diagnosed, but a different organophosphate poisoning.
This is pesticide residue I extracted from the jeans your son wore.
So there is physical evidence to support the diagnosis that he suffered from contact poisoning.
If it were me personally, I would stake my medical career on the fact that your son's poisoning is 100% what I've diagnosed!"
By the time he said this, the patient's mother's face no longer showed the previous resistance.
Indeed, her son was her greatest weakness.
Everything she did was just to prevent her son from being harmed and to see him stand up healthy and strong again.
And David explained the risks of transferring hospitals clearly and also explained the basis for his diagnosis with actual evidence.
The patient's mother no longer had a reason to refuse.
Her eyes welled up with tears. After a moment of hesitation, she finally nodded slightly and quietly let out a soft "Okay."
When she saw David about to walk out of the ward, she quickly went up, grabbed David's sleeve, and hesitated to speak:
"Doctor... will he... be okay?"
David, who had maintained a calm expression all this time, showed a smile at this moment and said:
"Don't worry, your son will definitely be back on his feet soon."
Looking at David's smile, the worry on the patient's mother's face also lessened greatly. She let go of his sleeve and murmured:
"That's good, that's good."
With the patient's family's consent, Chase quickly brought the correct antidote and added it to the IV drip.
Everyone then began the long waiting and observation period again.
Compared to the tense expressions on everyone else's faces, David's face seemed very relaxed.
Because he had already heard the life extension notification from the Machine, which proved that the diagnosis was indeed correct.
Including the emergency treatment this morning, he gained two days of lifespan today, bringing his remaining lifespan to 13 days and 03 hours.
As expected, the heart rate on the monitor slowly rose from 38 to over 50, and then quickly increased to 83!
This meant the patient had begun to improve.
After a while, the patient's eyelashes also began to flutter, and he gradually regained consciousness.
This scene made the mother watching over him breathe a huge sigh of relief. She couldn't help but grab the patient's hand and sob against his chest.
This feeling of narrowly escaping death often affects close relatives more deeply than the person involved.
After the patient's mother's emotions settled, David entered the room to inquire about the origin of the jeans.
Only then did he learn that someone was selling clothes for five dollars a piece from a van at the school gate.
And after asking Finch to investigate, he learned that the guy selling clothes from the van also worked in the corn fields along Route 1 when he wasn't doing the clothing business.
The dual use of the van resulted in some of the clothes being contaminated with pesticides.
Fortunately, thanks to David's report, there was no longer a possibility of this vendor selling poisoned clothing.
In addition, this report unexpectedly rewarded David with an extra day of life.
This meant that if David hadn't stopped the vendor from selling clothes contaminated with pesticides, there would have been someone else who might have died from pesticide poisoning.
This was truly an unexpected bonus.
After everything was resolved, Pete, who had been hiding somewhere, finally showed up.
When he saw the recovering patient, he immediately straightened his back and walked over:
"The patient is better, right? It's thanks to me eliminating a wrong option that he could be cured quickly.
Otherwise, if it had dragged on, the organophosphates would have destroyed all his organs.
At that point, not even God himself could save him."
None of them were impressed by Pete's self-congratulation.
They ignored him completely and clocked out to leave work.
Watching the group who completely ignored him, Pete's face alternated between red and white, finally turning into a heavy snort:
"Dare to ignore me? Just you wait, when this hospital gets a new chairman, I'll see how arrogant you still are!"
...
After work, David still received a notification from the Machine that someone was following him.
However, David merely glanced at Michael's location and decided to ignore it.
As expected, this guy was quickly 'invited' into an alley by Michael, who was tailing David from behind.
Five minutes later, Michael walked out of the alley, rubbing his slightly reddened knuckles.
Twenty-five minutes later, a figure covered in bruises stumbled out, leaning against the wall, while also talking on the phone indistinctly:
"Pete... he hired a bodyguard."
Pete's roar from the other end of the phone was clearly audible even from a distance:
"You useless idiot! Can't you follow more carefully! Do you have to make me spend money and call in favors?!
Useless! Completely useless!"
Just as the follower was about to explain, a hand took the phone from his ear. It was Michael, who had returned.
Michael showed a professional smile and calmly said into the phone:
"Hello, this is professional security personnel. Your actions have seriously threatened the life and safety of my client.
Therefore, this is the final warning. If there is a next time, I guarantee you won't see tomorrow's sunrise."
After speaking, Michael threw the phone on the ground and crushed it under his heel.
Then, looking at the follower whose face was swollen like a balloon, he gestured at the injuries and said:
"Sorry, I went a bit hard this time. I'll be more careful next time.
Actually, I'll try to finish the job completely, then you won't feel any pain at all."
Seeing the smile on Michael's face, the follower rolled his eyes and pretended to pass out.
Michael wasn't fooled. He took out a marker and drew a crude cartoon on his bruised face.
Then, after confirming his associate's location, he hurried over.
Meanwhile, David had already knocked on the door of a run-down apartment.
The door was opened by a disheveled, bleary-eyed Eddie Morra, who clearly had just woken up from being passed out drunk.
Eddie looked at David with a puzzled expression:
"Can I help you?"
David smiled and took out a wad of cash, saying:
"Yeah, if you invite me in to talk, I will pay you a thousand dollars so you can cover last month's rent."
Eddie's eyes immediately lit up.
For the sake of money, he had no reason to refuse.
"Please come in. It's a bit messy, just find somewhere to sit."
David walked into the apartment and looked at the dirty, chaotic room, immediately realizing that at this time, Eddie hadn't even encountered the first NZT-48 pill yet.
In other words, he had come too early. The confident, brilliant, almost superhuman Eddie he needed had not yet emerged.
It seemed his plan would have to be slightly postponed.
"Okay, so what do you want to see me about?"
Eddie asked, but his eyes were actually fixed on the wad of cash in David's hand.
Because he had completely burned bridges with his ex-girlfriend Melissa who had been promoted to editor.
The advance payment for the manuscript had long been blown through.
Unable to write a single word, he naturally had no source of income.
He was desperately broke right now.
David smiled again and handed over the cash.
Eddie immediately licked his finger and began counting.
And David's words sounded at the right time from the side:
"I'm not looking for the current you, but the future you.
Eddie, you're going to run into your former brother-in-law very soon.
He's going to give you a pill that he claims is a cognitive enhancement drug that's FDA approved and about to hit the market.
I want you to take that pill and then remember our conversation today.
Then, when you encounter trouble, remember to contact me. I will provide you with serious backup."
Eddie, who was happily counting the money, looked up at David sitting in his desk chair with a confused expression.
He didn't understand what David was talking about, nor did he know how David knew he had a brother-in-law.
They had lost contact a long time ago. Thinking about it now, they hadn't seen each other for at least nine years.
No matter what this strange person in front of him was thinking, he had no intention of giving back the money he had received.
But he didn't expect that David, after saying that, didn't plan to stay long and actually just left.
This left Eddie completely bewildered.
Are there really people in this world who just show up, give you money, and then leave?
Could it be that he hadn't sobered up yet?
But the dollars he held in his hand were solid and real.
Eddie watched David walk down the narrow stairwell in a daze. Was this some new type of scam?
Eddie shook his head, sat back down at his computer desk, and stared at the open Word document for a whole afternoon.
Finally, looking at the gradually darkening sky outside, Eddie decided to go grab a drink.
Walking down the street in Manhattan, Eddie was lost in thought about what had just happened when suddenly a well-dressed man next to him, wearing designer sunglasses, stopped in his tracks.
Then he took off his glasses, turned around, and called out with a look of surprise:
"Eddie Morra?"
Hearing this familiar voice, Eddie turned around in shock.
Only then did he realize that the well-dressed man with slicked-back hair who had called out to him was indeed his former brother-in-law, Vernon!
Eddie's pupils contracted sharply.
What the hell was going on?!
Was it a setup? Or did that guy really predict this scene?!
[Reader Event Active]
500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter
10 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter
Thanks for reading!
20+ advance chapters on P1treon Soulforger