ER

"Incoming, a family of three, wife and son in stable condition," the EMT announced in an urgent manner over the speaker. "The husband is unconscious with visible head injury on the forehead."

Li Yun watched the rhythm of the ER kicked into gear even before the arrival of the ambulance. A true ER doctor was like a conductor, leading and commanding the orchestra to perform.

"Nurse Yuen, page the ACS and neurologist," Chief Gao commanded. "Doctor Zhao, take care of the wife and son. I'll handle the husband."

Once the orders were given, everyone in the ER followed Chief Gao's directives. Doctor Zhao inspected the son, and a resident interviewed the mother. The nurses prepared equipment and items for the doctors. Chief Gao himself took the lead to inspect the husband.

Unfortunately, even with a great conductor, a piece couldn't be great with rude spectators who don't know how to appreciate music.

There were many irritated patients waiting on the side. Most residents were too busy and tied up. Some patients had waited for a while without being seen, and seeing doctors rush to help others who had just arrived easily triggered them. It didn't matter that the man was unconscious, they were also injured.

In the corner of the ER, Dr. Han, a second-year medical resident was having a tough time with a man who complained about headaches and wanted morphine shots.

"Mr. Chen, I can't prescribe you medicine until we confirm your illness," said Dr. Han.

"What do you mean you can't! I have money, and I'm in pain. You mean I have to wait for your faulty results before I can feel better?" Mr. Chen said, visibly agitated.

Dr. Han knew the man was going through withdrawal symptoms, but couldn't confront him directly. If the patients feel embarrassed or lose face, they would start to act out. Dr. Han didn't want to deal with the fallout, which may force him to call security.

"Mr. Chen, based on your medical history, I can prescribe you buprenorphine tablets," said Doctor Han.

"Those tablets make me feel worse!" Mr. Chen's hands flailed around as he narrated his frustration. "Can't you see how much pain I am going through!"

Doctor Han took a step back. Patients undergoing withdrawals were the worst type to deal with; and his eyes consciously looked around for the closest security guard.

"Doctor Han, the test results are back, and it's very serious," Li Yun said as he approached Doctor Han. "I'll handle it from here."

Doctor Han had no idea who Li Yun was, but his tag indicated that he was a resident. Doctor Han was relieved that he didn't have to talk to the rude patient and walked away. He wondered to himself how the new resident got the test results since the lab just received the test. Doctor Han shrugged his tiredness and assisted with the next person waiting in line.

After Dr. Han left, Li Yun stared at Mr. Chen with pity in his eyes. Mr. Chen could see from Li Yun's dark eyes that the results were not good.

"Mr. Chen, do you have a moment? Take a seat?" asked Li Yun, speaking in a low tone.

Li Yun slowly pulled Mr. Chen closer to the rear bed where it was quiet and closed the curtains. Li Yun heavily sighed, and sat down across from Mr. Chen, looking at him thoughtfully.

Mr. Chen felt a looming sense of doom. He had seen the looks of pity and ridicule from doctors before, but he had never seen anyone look at him with sympathy and regret.

"Doctor, what's wrong with me?" Mr. Chen asked sincerely.

The doctor avoided his gaze and looked at his side. Mr. Chen followed the line of sight to the side, where pamphlets for funeral homes were being displayed. Had the years of drug abuse finally caught up to him? Although he wanted more drugs, he also didn't want to die.

Frightened by the thought of death, he begged. "Doctor! Doctor! Please save me!"

Li Yun shook his head. "This is very serious, I don't know if any doctor in the world can save you."

"You must! I still have a wife and daughter!"

"You have abandoned them for years, why are you thinking of them now?"

"It can't be helped! They didn't understand that the pain in my head can only be cured with opioids. Who was it that prescribed it first!? You doctors! You are the source of the pain, so you must help fix it!"

As Mr. Chen was becoming more agitated, Li Yun looked calmly into his eyes.

"Mr. Chen, I believe you know far better than any doctor the source of your pain," Li Yun explained softly. "You also know the way to cure yourself, but rather than follow through with it, you continue to follow this path. You are choosing to punish the hospital for causing you to become like this, but if you were to go back to that time, would you be able to tell the hospital not to prescribe you morphine in the first place?"

Mr. Chen saw himself reflected into Li Yun's eyes and thought back to his accident.

He was a normal salaryman driving home from work. Unexpectedly, a dog jumped in front, prompting him to swerve right and into the light pole.

After his accident, he was in tremendous pain, even more so than what he was feeling now. The doctor had prescribed morphine at that time. If he had gone back in time, he would not have refused it.

"The path you should have taken is to face your wife and daughter," Li Yun advised. "You feared their disappointment and pity. However, if you don't face them now, you may never see them again."

"Doctor, what should I do?" Mr. Chen asked.

"Call your wife and daughter to assist you through this. I can have the nurse call them to pick you up. Come back in a week. Hopefully, I will be able to get other experts to help you through this. Your situation is bad, but it isn't urgent."

Mr. Chen nodded in agreement, and Li Yun asked Nurse Yuen to assist him with the release paperwork. As she assisted Mr. Chen, Li Yun continued seeing patients in non-critical conditions.

"Doctor Li, are you sure that is the ethical thing to do?" asked Nurse Yuen as the number of patients in the waiting room eased up. "Mr. Chen's blood test is back. There are drugs in his system, but it's not a critical condition."

"What do you mean?" asked Li Yun.

Nurse Yuen raised her eyebrow. "Mr. Chen thinks he is dying," she replied.

"I never said he is dying," said Li Yun.

"Oh?"

The power of subliminal messaging was sometimes more powerful than direct words. Li Yun only had to act as though Mr. Chen was dying, and manipulated where his thought process would take him.

"I only said it was serious," Li Yun cheekily replied.

"Serious?"

"Addiction is a very serious illness."

"I see, what should we do when he returns next week?"

"I don't think he will need our help next week. But if he does, can you find me a good hypnotherapist?"

Addiction, like many mental illnesses, could not be cured easily. The first and always the most difficult step was to admit that there was a problem. Mr. Chen had already taken the most difficult step, and the rest was dependent on himself and his family's support.

Li Yun didn't believe that medicine could help change a person's mentality and that only people could change and cure themselves.

Nurse Yuen tilted her neck, seeing the new resident from a new perspective, and agreed to find a therapist.