Chapter 18 — The Day I Return

“Okay, okay, just take care of business, there won't be any delay.”
I walked quickly towards the parking lot. Nguyen Tieu Ngu was sitting in the car making a phone call. Seeing my appearance when I got in the car, she immediately hung up the phone: "What's wrong?"
"My mother is hospitalized. Go to hospital number 1."
She didn't say much, just told the driver one thing: "Go faster." The car rushed out of the high-tech park and onto the ring road. I sat in the back seat, my fingers unconsciously tightening my grip on the phone. Just visited her yesterday. At that time, her face was not good - thin, yellow face, shaking hands. But I thought it was just a normal diabetes condition. Unexpectedly, on the second day…
“Don't worry too much.” Nguyen Tieu Ngu said, "Blood sugar spikes are very common, if you control them, it's okay."
“I know.”
I know. But still — My palms were sweaty. Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at hospital number 1. 7th floor, inpatient treatment area. As soon as the elevator door opened, the first person I saw was not the room number — but the man standing in the hallway. Ky Lang. He was leaning against the wall opposite room 712, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone. The moment he saw me coming out of the elevator, his body clearly tensed up. I don't look at you. Walk straight to room 712. Push the door in. In the room, my mother was lying on the bed, the back of her left hand had an IV needle inserted. Giang Ninh sat on the edge of the bed. When she saw me coming in, she immediately stood up to make room. Mom heard the noise and opened her eyes.
“Tieu Duong…” Her voice was very weak, but when she saw me, a light lit up in her eyes, “You're here…”
“Why is blood sugar so high?” I walked over to the bed and glanced at the bedside heart rate monitor. Heart rate 78, blood pressure slightly high, body temperature normal. “Did you take any medicine yesterday?”
“I drank… I just couldn't sleep last night…”
I turned my head to look at the IV bag — the insulin pump was working, saline hanging next to it.
“Is the primary care physician there?”
“Going to visit the sick, I'll be back later.” Giang Ninh replied.
I nodded, pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed. Mom's hand timidly reached over and gently touched the back of my hand.
“Don't worry... I'm fine…”
I didn't withdraw my hand. But he didn't hold her hand back.
"Mom, rest assured and recuperate. Don't think about other things."
“Okay… okay…”
Her tears began to fall again. Old people can't stop crying when they cry. I pulled two napkins from the nightstand and handed them over: "Mom, don't cry anymore, crying will increase your blood pressure." She took it, wiped away her tears, nodded without saying anything more. Ten minutes later the main attending physician returned — a female doctor in her forties, surnamed Chu. The doctor looked at the medical record, then looked at me: "Are you the patient's family?"
“Second daughter.”
“Ah.” She pushed up her glasses, "The situation is like this, your diabetes is actually not considered severe. Normally, fasting blood sugar is controlled at 7 or 8, but this time due to the stress reaction combined with too strong emotional fluctuations, and not sleeping last night, there is a problem. I suggest staying in the hospital for observation for 2 to 3 days, readjusting the drug regimen."
“Yes, what tests need to be done?”
"Tomorrow, check the fundus and kidney function again. You should also do an echocardiogram - sometimes he complains of chest tightness."
"Doctor, just arrange it. It's my expense will pay.”
Dr. Chu looked at me and nodded. Leave the hospital room. Corridor — Ky Lang is still there. This time he wasn't standing far away anymore. He walked over. Stopped about a meter in front of me.
“How is your aunt?” His voice is very low.
“Why did you come here?” I did not answer but asked the opposite.
“Giang Ninh called me.”
“Why did she call you?”