The Enhanced Doctor

"This isn't good."

Liu Banxia and Xu Hui exchanged a look; they shared the same thought.

"I'll make a note of the onset time," Liu Banxia said, taking out his cellphone to start timing.

"Doctor, he was fine just a moment ago. Why is it like this again?" the child's father asked anxiously.

Liu Banxia was in a dilemma, unsure whether to administer an enema. Normally, a second blood test should be conducted. Certain diseases might not show corresponding indicators on the first blood test, as many conditions have a developmental process.

While timing, Liu Banxia felt the little one's pulse again. It was strong, and his heart rate seemed slightly elevated. Nevertheless, it was within the normal range. Anyone would experience an increased heart rate with such severe abdominal pain.

He then listened to the child's heart and lungs with a stethoscope. Everything sounded normal.

"Find anything?" Xu Hui asked once Liu Banxia took off his stethoscope.

Liu Banxia shook his head. "Still normal. Shall we prepare for an enema, followed by a stool test and a CT scan?"

"Let's wait and observe a little longer. We can't do anything with him in this state," Xu Hui stated.

Liu Banxia bit his lip; it was true. An adult could endure it, but this was a child. The pain made the little one squirm and twist his body.

The wait was heart-wrenching. Even as a doctor, watching a baby's symptoms worsen was hard to bear.

This bout of pain lasted longer; a full twenty-three minutes passed before the little one gradually settled down. His forehead was drenched in sweat, and he had a weak, sickly expression.

"Brother Xu, do you think the intestinal spasm is caused by a neurogenic disorder?" Liu Banxia inquired.

"Could it be not an intestinal spasm caused by gas accumulation, but rather gas accumulation caused by an intestinal spasm, which in turn is due to a neurogenic disorder? Although intestinal problems are the primary cause of intestinal spasms, the child just passed gas and is still in pain."

"Dr. Liu, my opinion is that we first do an abdominal CT scan to see if it's progressed to an intestinal obstruction," Xu Hui suggested.

"If there isn't any obstruction, we can proceed with any course of action. But if there is an obstruction and we can't locate it, we might delay crucial treatment."

"Yes, we need to do the CT first to be sure. I'll go with him and observe the results directly in the control room," Liu Banxia nodded emphatically.

"Let's proceed with the CT then," the child's father agreed without hesitation.

"Brother Xu, you call the CT room. I'll carry the child over; I can run, I'll be faster," Liu Banxia said.

He had a bad feeling, as if his initial misdiagnosis had worsened the child's symptoms and delayed the treatment.

Although he had followed standard procedures, and there was nothing technically wrong with his approach, there was still a personal hurdle he needed to overcome.

He picked up the little one and walked swiftly, not ran, to minimize vibrations and avoid causing the child more pain.

"Uncle, are you taking me flying?" the little one asked in his clear, young voice.

"Yes, Uncle is taking you flying to an even more amazing machine. After the machine spins a few times, you'll be as incredibly awesome as those astronauts on TV," Liu Banxia coaxed.

"Then, Uncle, please fly slower. It hurts," the little one pleaded before closing his eyes.

Liu Banxia frowned and slowed his pace slightly.

He noticed the little one's pained expression, but the child remained quiet and well-behaved. Perhaps this discomfort isn't as bad as the previous intestinal colic, he mused.

When they reached the CT room, the other patients waiting in line saw him carrying a child and didn't object to him being fast-tracked.

After waiting less than ten minutes, they finally got the child onto the CT scanner. Liu Banxia then hurried into the observation room.

The initial scan made Liu Banxia's brow furrow even more deeply.

The results were the same as the X-ray: just some gas accumulation in the small intestine. The only difference was that the gas accumulation was now slightly more pronounced, likely due to the two recent intestinal spasms.

"Why are you here in person?" Wu Bo from the radiology department asked as he walked in.

"Brother Wu, please take a look now. The child seems to have symptoms of intestinal spasms. Besides the gas, are there any other findings?" Liu Banxia asked.

Wu Bo examined the scans carefully, then nodded. "No, nothing different. You should look for other causes. Parents these days are very careful with their children; intestinal parasites are rare now, even in children from rural areas."

"Alright, I'll take him back and get an EEG done," Liu Banxia nodded.

He felt slightly relieved. Although the symptoms were still progressing, the intestinal condition hadn't worsened. A stool test isn't so necessary right now; an EEG should help determine if the intestinal spasms are caused by a neurogenic disorder, Liu Banxia thought.

Feeling a sense of urgency, he carried the child and hurried back, the father practically running to keep up.

"I got a call from Wu Bo. The EEG machine is ready," Xu Hui said when they returned to the emergency room.

"Good," Liu Banxia responded and immediately began preparing the child for the EEG.

Although the child wasn't displaying the same intense agony as with the abdominal pain, he still didn't look comfortable. His eyes remained closed, and he would occasionally wrinkle his nose.

"Kiddo, listen to Uncle, okay? Try not to wrinkle your nose for now; Uncle is doing an examination," Liu Banxia said softly, leaning close to the little one's ear.

The little one nodded and obediently stopped wrinkling his nose.

Performing an electroencephalogram can take varying amounts of time. The routine one Liu Banxia was conducting in the emergency department would only take about ten minutes or so.

He had asked the little one not to wrinkle his nose to see if the action was voluntary or a neurological reflex. The EEG results already showed mild diffuse abnormalities.

It's confirmed now; wrinkling his nose is a voluntary response. So, the child's intestinal spasms could indeed be caused by a neurological disorder, he concluded.

"Alright, you can open your eyes now. Uncle is going to check your vision," Liu Banxia said to the child again.

Although the little one was usually very obedient, this time he didn't listen. Instead, he shook his head forcefully, his eyes squeezed shut.

"Can you tell Uncle what's wrong?" Liu Banxia asked.

"It's too bright, I can't open my eyes," the little one said in his clear voice, then sniffed, his nose twitching.

Liu Banxia turned and saw that the child's nose was indeed sharp; the boxed lunch Liang Xiaolin had brought was sitting nearby.

However, I can't let him eat anything right now, Liu Banxia thought. His condition is still unclear; I need to figure this out first.

But when he turned back around, he paused, then quickly looked back at the boxed lunch. The ends of two chicken drumsticks peeked out from one of the boxes, and the enticing aroma of braised chicken wafted from it.

"Brother Xu, I think I might know what's going on," Liu Banxia said to Xu Hui, a brilliant smile spreading across his face.

"What is it?" Xu Hui asked in surprise.

"Neurological symptoms, abdominal pain, photophobia, and elevated porphobilinogen in the urine test," Liu Banxia said with a smile.

"Damn, that could actually be it!" Xu Hui exclaimed, his composure faltering.

"Doctor, do you know what the illness is this time?" the child's father asked, becoming agitated.

"Almost. We just need to take our little friend to pee. After he pees, and then happily gnaws on a big chicken leg, his illness should mostly be resolved," Liu Banxia said, smiling.

"Uncle, can I really eat a chicken leg? Mommy doesn't let me," the child asked.

"Of course, you can. Uncle is a doctor, so Mommy has to listen to Uncle too. Now, let's play another little game. Come hide under Uncle's white coat," Liu Banxia said, taking off his white coat and draping it over the little one.

The little one was curious and peeked open his eyes. He saw Liu Banxia's big face up close and found it quite amusing.

Then Liu Banxia, holding the little one under the white coat, headed to the restroom. Even when collecting the urine sample, he kept the child covered.

Back from the restroom, Liu Banxia took the little one to the break room to lie down. Then, he took the child's freshly collected urine sample and placed it in direct sunlight.

Before long, the urine's color began to gradually darken, eventually resembling strong tea.

Xu Hui, who had been watching alongside, clapped Liu Banxia firmly on the shoulder. "That settles it. We can confirm the diagnosis now."

"Doctor, does my child have a terminal illness? Why did the urine change color like that?" the child's father cried, on the verge of breaking down.

"This is a genetic disorder called Acute Intermittent Porphyria. Its main symptoms are photophobia, abdominal pain, abnormal urine color, and some neurological manifestations," Liu Banxia explained.

"The urine changing color in sunlight is primarily due to the ultraviolet rays in the sunlight. The child's sensitivity to light is also due to this. During our initial examination..."

"Doctor, just tell me if there's a cure or not. I don't care how much it costs," the child's father interrupted.

"First, let the child eat some meat to whet his appetite. Then, we'll give him some glucose water to supply the calories his body needs. In the future, try not to be overly restrictive with his diet," Liu Banxia said.

"This episode occurred because the child isn't fond of vegetables and therefore ate less. This led to an imbalance in his body's stored energy and electrolytes, triggering the attack. If a similar situation occurs in the future, promptly give him foods rich in carbohydrates, like grains, fruits, and root vegetables."

Ding! Task: Unexplained Abdominal Pain - Completed.

Experience Gained: 300 points. Diagnostics Skill Proficiency: 400 points.

Task Rating: Perfect. Bonus Experience Gained: 500 points. Bonus Diagnostics Skill Proficiency: 600 points. Glory Points: 10.

"So, if he just eats well at home, he'll be fine?" the child's father asked incredulously.

"It's not quite that simple. Whenever the child feels unwell, you should take him to a hospital for a urine test. Even if it's not our hospital, you can go to another. Just make sure to inform them of the child's condition," Liu Banxia said.

"Let's eat first, and we can talk while we eat. I'll explain this condition to you in detail. It's not as serious as you might imagine, but it does carry certain risks."

The child's father nodded vigorously.

Right now, I can only do whatever Dr. Liu says, the father thought. The urine changed color just as he said; what's there to doubt?