2018-08-21

【Aiden in English】

        I've heard plenty of demonic college anecdotes. In some ways, the stories line up with the Marine Corps, terrifying experiences by banding together strangers into bonds stronger than bullets. In this case, it appears college years make bonds strong enough to even survive the test of time.

        You know, normally meeting old friends at a hospital isn't a good thing. However, when most of them work as clinical scientists or doctors, it's understandable to greet each other on the main floor of a packed hospital lobby. Whereas people surrounding us were waiting for an opening for a doctor or rushing to see a hospitalized relative, mom saw a friend and ran in for a hug with all smiles. I wouldn't say time didn't alter their friendship, and some people didn't recognize one another after 30 years apart. However, after a brief ice-breaking period, I saw a warmer connection appear, even as a stranger standing mentally as far away from the center of attention as possible. This also might be the first time I've seen someone talk over my mom, not by force, but by a subtle shift in voice. I was very impressed.

        The same process as yesterday, a bit of catch up a conversation and a few words directed my way as if I didn't speak Chinese, then a quick tour of the workplace of Hospital for Skin Diseases & Institute of Dermatology in Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Luckily, this wasn't some boring office building. While it may be an office building in some areas, in others it includes a laboratory, diagnostic rooms, hospital, ward, library, lounge, and pretty much anything regarding the research and treatment of skin. Leprosy, Venereal, Lupus, sarcoma, you name it. It makes the place quite interesting to touch, considering anything from the lab bench to the elevator button had potential transmittable disease cells waiting to jump onto my skin. Then again, the chances of touching something on the street have the same chance of catching a disease. 

        We continued to explore the other clinical bldg., which was the more hospital-ish, visiting a young doctor and watching her reduce scar tissues after surgery with a needle for a bit. I won't go into detail. 

        Having good friends who have other friends really does get you good places. For instance, a friend phoned the chief nurse that we came to look around the ward. She had a talent for explanations and also took us for a one-on-one tour. This area enjoyed cosmetic surgery, well at least helping people with skin diseases, as evident by an entire floor of 18 beds given to skin patients aged from children to the elderly. During the summer, local Chinese residents appear to have many skin issues, from cancer to fungi with various causes. In the brief span of sixty minutes, I think I've learned more about skin than the entire marking period in sixth-grade science. Even then I don't know if that serves the chief nurse justice.

【紅霞譯文】

        我聽過很多有關大學惡作劇的傳聞，令人不由得想起海軍陸戰隊，新生軀體被膠帶纏綁得比子彈還要瓷實，情節危言聳聽，言外之意，大學時代朝夕相處建立起來的親密友情經得住時間考驗。

        你知道，在醫院約見老朋友通常沒啥好事，然而當要見的人大多數不是從事臨床研究的科學精英就是經過門診錘鍊出來的醫務專家，會面地點設在人潮如流的掛號大廳也就不足為奇，我們身邊擠滿了前來就醫的病人或專程探視的家屬，媽媽一瞧見朋友立刻開心地迎上去擁抱對方，很難說歲月改變不了友誼，如同歌里流行的段子：“歲月是把殺豬刀，紫了葡萄，黑了木耳，軟了香蕉。 時間是塊磨刀石，平了山峰，蔫了黃瓜，殘了菊花。 經歷是個開礦廠，挖了山丘，損了鑽頭，黑了河溝”。卅年的離別真讓他們中有些人認不出彼此，可重逢沒多久，他們很快熱乎起來，甚至波及到毫不搭噶的圈外人，這大概是我破天荒頭一次看到有人跟媽媽說話不是語氣高揚餘音豪邁，而是輕聲細語娓娓道來，令我感受至深。

        與昨個兒相同，權當我不會說國語，頂多簡單交流幾句，任憑各方指揮，馬上去參觀一處工作場所──中國醫學科學院皮膚病醫院及研究所，幸好不是乏味無聊的寫字樓，集辦公間、實驗室、診療區、醫院、病房、圖書館、休息廳以及其它皮膚研究治療於一體的重要基地，針對麻風、性病、紅斑狼瘡、肉瘤等你能想到的疾病，結果手能觸及的地方變得十分有趣，從實驗室台面到電梯按鈕，只要碰到這些玩藝，傳染病也許真能竄到我的皮膚上，道理跟隨便觸摸馬路上的東西極有可能致病一樣。

        我們繼續考察另一幢臨床樓，這裡更帶醫院味道，期間拜見了一位年輕醫生，為的是現場觀摩她對病人進行皮下注射以求減少術後疤痕組織，具體操作毋庸贅述。

        朋友多好辦事。就拿今天來說，一位朋友給護士長打電話告知我們想要了解國內病區情況，她不僅最大程度地將自己積累的豐富經驗傳授給我們，而且還帶我們逐一走訪各個病房。護士長負責整容手術這一片，至少可以對皮膚病患者提供幫助，該層樓共有十八張床位，病人群體下自兒童上至老人，年齡各異。夏季是南京地區皮膚病高發時段，從癌症到各種病因引起的真菌感染屢見不鮮，短短六十分鐘裡，我覺得自己所學到的皮科知識要比初中一年級整個科學課多得多，不知這種比較對護士長是否公平。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2017: Strasbourg Kouglof, France(法國斯特拉斯堡—奶油圓蛋糕)

2017: Strasbourg—Crossroads of EU, FRA(法國斯特拉斯堡—歐洲十字路口)

2017: Strasbourg—Petite France, France(法國斯特拉斯堡—法蘭西縮影)

2017: Strasbourg the Capital of Europe, FR(法國斯特拉斯堡—歐洲首府)

2017: Strasbourg Cathedral, France(法國斯特拉斯堡大教堂)

2017: Kehl the Rhine Throat, Germany(德國凱爾—萊茵河咽喉小鎮)

2017: Strasbourg, FRA/Mercedes-Benz, DEU(法國斯特拉斯堡與德國奔馳廠)

2015: Forbidden City, Beijing(北京紫禁城)

2014: YMCA Camp─Dodgeball-3(基督教青年會夏令營─躲避球之三)

Crosslink(相關博文):

China(出遊中國)