Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Just like with mixing, there are some things you can't really learn from books without practical experience. In this category of knowledge, the content of books is more like supplementary knowledge or basic teaching materials.
A major area in this category is medicine. Without sufficient clinical experience, simply reading various medical books and journals...
Henry had memorized human anatomy diagrams and meridian acupoint diagrams perfectly, but everything else was a complete mess.
The only place it's probably useful is for treating obvious external injuries like bleeding and fractures. With its X- X-Ray Vision, it can pinpoint bleeding points instantly; the only remaining issue is how to stop the bleeding.
However, Audrey Hepburn's condition was certainly beyond the comprehension of the Kryptonians' Kryptonian medical skills. She was transferred from Switzerland to New York...
The patient was then referred from New York to Los Angeles, where a consultation with doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center finally revealed the lesion.
Sitting in the examination room, the attending physician was explaining the patient's condition to Ms. Audrey Hepburn and Robert Wolders. Although Henry, the assistant, was in the corridor, he was still using his Super Vision and hearing to listen to the doctor's report.
"Ms. Hepburn, after our laparoscopic examination, we confirmed that it is an extremely rare type of abdominal cancer. We call it ' Pseudomyxoma Peritonei,' or PMP for short."
This disease is most commonly caused by primary appendiceal cancer. Cancer cells produce large amounts of mucus or gelatinous ascites, which slowly grow over several years and metastasize to the small intestine in the form of a thin film coating, forming a tumor.
"Tumors can cause tissue fibrosis, hindering the function of digestive organs. If left untreated, the resulting tumors and mucus will fill the entire abdominal cavity, compressing organs and causing damage to the function of the colon, small intestine, stomach, and other organs."
Fortunately, the cancer is currently in the early stage of the second stage, which means that the tumor has left the primary site and begun to grow to other parts of the body, but has not yet spread to the lymph nodes.
"In other words, we are optimistic about the treatment outcome. As long as surgery is performed to remove the affected area, followed by chemotherapy, there is a very good chance of a complete cure."
What If...?, without treatment, this cancer can lead to scurvy, intestinal obstruction, or other complications even before it spreads throughout the body.
Both could be fatal.
"Therefore, from a doctor's perspective, we would recommend that you take active treatment measures. As long as the postoperative condition is good, returning to your previous healthy state is not a major problem. However, considering the possibility of recurrence, regular follow-up is still necessary after surgery."
The attending physician explained the entire situation clearly and concisely, without any beating around the bush. After all, they had sought medical help everywhere before finally finding their medical center.
At this point, asking the patient to leave and keeping only the family to explain the situation is too late. If it were so easy to treat, the other hospitals could have handled it already, so it's better to be straightforward and clear about the situation.
Both Audrey and Robert were unusually calm.
Audrey Hepburn had seen many storms in her life, including her childhood experiences with war, which gave her a profound understanding of life and death. Even though she had to face it herself this time, she remained calm.
Robert Wolders, having already experienced the tragedy of his first wife, Mailer Oberon, passing away in 1979, didn't feel much emotional distress regarding Audrey Hepburn's illness. He believed that as long as she followed the doctor's orders, the rest was up to fate.
Without much thought or consultation, Audrey Hepburn resolutely declared, "Doctor, I'm willing to have the surgery."
"Alright, then we'll schedule Ms. Hepburn's surgery for two days from now."
Nurses then wheeled Ms. Hepburn back to her private room.
In fact, Audrey Hepburn had been admitted to a ward at the medical center since the start of her examinations. Then a series of tests were carried out in quick succession.
Unlike typical hospitals, where you order a test and then schedule it separately, only to have to register again and have your appointment scheduled afterward, and if you still have concerns, you can have more tests done and go through the whole process again.
It's fair to say that just going through all that back and forth of examinations, diagnoses, re-examinations, and re-diagnoses could kill a patient with bad luck halfway through, before any treatment even begins.
However, the medical center is very efficient. Once you get a number, aside from the unavoidable time spent on analysis and testing, the doctor will explain the results to the patient as soon as they are available. It's like having a dedicated doctor serving only one patient.
In fact, this is pretty much the case; the doctor-to-patient ratio at the medical center is extremely low. It is precisely because of this that the quality of medical care is so high. Those who can get an appointment are either very wealthy or powerful, or have very unusual symptoms that pique the interest of the doctors here.
The reason the surgery was scheduled two days later, given the speed of treatment at the medical center, is because abdominal surgery requires patients to fast. Otherwise, food residue could potentially affect the patient, and doctors also don't want to be doing the work of septic tank cleaners.
Back in her hospital room, Audrey Hepburn briefly told her assistant about her condition. After all, it wouldn't be good to be completely unaware of someone who was always by her side.
After listening, Henry asked, "Boss, should I notify the others?"
The woman thought for a moment and said, "Please inform Sean and Luca for me. No need to inform the others."
Audrey Hepburn's two children—he was arguably the most important and closest man in her life. As for other ex-husbands,
I don't want to bother any of my friends, ladies.
Henry, of course, had no objections. He left Robert, the man closest to the lady, behind and went to make phone calls to contact people.
But in fact, Audrey Hepburn's movements were still being watched by many people. Although she didn't attract paparazzi or news media, Henry's pager (BBCa11) was almost constantly ringing.
Having spent over a year by Ms. Hepburn's side, I know almost everything about her friends, from their closeness to their distance.
So, as was the lady's usual practice, Henry only replied to her close old friends. However, he only told them that Ms. Hepburn was receiving treatment at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and said nothing more.
Only Sean Farrell and Luca Dottie were informed that the surgery would take place in two days.
These two gentlemen were certainly not indifferent to their mother; they inquired in detail about her illness. Henry relayed to the two gentlemen what Lady Hepburn had told him earlier.
Almost at the end of the phone call, both young men decided to book the fastest flight to Los Angeles as soon as possible.
For Sean Farrell, a Europe filmmaker, it was a matter of simply leaving whenever he wanted. But Luca Dottie was still a university student and needed to ask for leave first.
However, this part is none of Henry's business. Those two young masters are adults and can handle their own affairs. Besides, he is just an assistant, not the Hepburn Family's butler, so he doesn't need to meddle in such matters.