1
July 23, 1975, 11 p.m.
A group of doctors gathered in Chairman Mao's study, and outside the door leaders such as Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping were anxiously waiting.
Today is the day Chairman Mao performed eye surgery.
Before the operation, a cardiologist was so nervous that he broke the water bottle.
Attending doctor Tang Youzhi, the heartbeat also soared to 120.
Everyone in the audience was very nervous, the success or failure of this operation.
So, what was the outcome of this surgery? Why did Chairman Mao break with the usual practice and agree to the operation?
Today, we walk in together to treat the story of Chairman Mao's eye disease.
Before the Spring Festival in 1975, a soldier of the People's Liberation Army walked into the home of Tang You, an ophthalmologist.
The soldier did not explain his identity, did not explain his intentions, but simply said: Dr. Tang, you may be invited to go out for a while.
Dazed, the doctor hurriedly packed up some clothes, got into the car and left.
When I got off the bus, it was already Beijing Nanjiao Airport.
Simulate a scene
At this time, he saw Wang Dongxing, the chairman's security guard, and began to boldly speculate that this trip should be to see Chairman Mao.
Previously, he had attended several mystery consultations.
There was a patient who never showed up, had no name, no place of origin, no occupation, only knew gender and age.
Tang Yuzhi speculated at the time that the patient's information was so confidential, it must be a major person!
Sure enough, a few days after arriving in Hangzhou, Tang Youzhi and 4 colleagues received a notice to go to the chairman's home for inspection.
He lived for 49 years with joy, and before he could only know the chairman in the newspaper, but this time he finally saw the real face.
The next day, he arrived at the Chairman's house in full costume, wearing cloth-soled shoes and rayon-based clothes.
Receiving them was Zhang Yufeng, the secretary of the chairman.
Zhang Yufeng told the chairman that the doctors had arrived, and the 82-year-old chairman worked hard and wanted to stand up to greet him.
At this time, Tang Youzhi hurriedly ran forward to help the chairman and said softly: Chairman, we are juniors, you don't want to get up.
After he sat down, Tang Yuzhi carefully observed the old man in front of him, the great leader who led China to victory.
"Oh my God, the difference is too great!"
Chairman Mao in the newspaper was radiant, full of red light, and his voice was loud.
Chairman Mao in front of him, wearing a swimming suit, with torn slippers on his feet, full of fluffy white hair, spoke very softly, coughed from time to time, and looked very tired.
"Is this really the same person?" He couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
2
After diagnostic analysis, the chairman's eye disease was so sick that he could not even see the numbers in front of his fingers.
All the documents and letters were read by the secretary Zhang Yufeng, and the reading was changed to listening to the book.
In this case, the best way is surgery.
During the examination, the doctor found that in addition to having cataracts and difficulty swallowing, the chairman also suffered from pulmonary heart disease and a severe cough.
Even when receiving foreign guests, Zhang Yufeng prepared a spittoon and a towel for him. When coughing, the chairman leaned his head to the ground and let the sputum flow out.
Still
In the case of sputum, Zhang Yufeng will take a towel and wrap his hands, reach into the chairman's mouth, and pull out the phlegm.
Severe cough is a key point that affects the success of the operation. The operation requires 5 stitches, and in case of cough, the suture will crack, and the consequences are unimaginable.
Therefore, the treatment plan must be very cautious.
After understanding the condition, the five doctors returned to Beijing and came to the temporary ward of the Zhongzhi Guest House.
There, Chinese medicine and Western medicine treated 20 elderly cataract elderly people from nursing homes and homes for the elderly.
For each operation and each treatment, the doctor must write a summary of medical records, analyze the condition of each patient, the treatment plan, and the comparison before and after the operation.
These data provide a scientific basis for the future operation of the chairman.
Two months later, the doctors took the treatment plan and stayed in Zhongnanhai Fortress Garden.
In addition to visiting the chairman, the place where Tang Yuzhi went the most was the 305 Hospital.
In 1972, Premier Zhou suffered from bladder cancer, but he worked day and night on state affairs and did not follow the doctor's instructions to be hospitalized for surgery.
In 1974, his condition deteriorated to the end of his cancer, and Premier Zhou was forced to be admitted to the 305 Hospital.
Tang Youzhi recalled: Premier Zhou's concern for the chairman was considerate and meticulous.
Every time he went to the hospital to report, the prime minister listened carefully like a student and was always concerned about the president's condition.
After five months of investigation, on July 20, the Politburo meeting decided to adopt Tang Youzhi's treatment plan.
The plan was established, and the question was, the chairman was very resistant to the operation, how to convince him?
Premier Zhou in his later years
Dr. Tang analyzed that the chairman's reluctance to do surgery has 3 reasons.
First, after the operation, a period of rest was needed, and the chairman was worried that it would affect his work.
Second, the chairman had never had surgery and didn't trust the doctors very much.
Chairman Mao grew up with colds and fevers, and he always went to exercise in the rain, and he preferred to mobilize his body's resistance to overcome his illness.
Third, I worry that after the operation, the eyes will be wrapped up and I will receive extra care from the doctor, which will delay the doctor's work.
The heavy responsibility of convincing the chairman was entrusted to Tang Youzhi.
In order not to disturb the chairman's work, Tang Youzhidu inserted a few tentative words when the chairman changed books: Chairman, let's talk about your cataracts?
Sometimes, the chairman is very interested: how to treat this condition?
Dr. Tang patiently explained to the Chairman the different therapies of TCM and Western medicine.
At the same time, in order to make the chairman believe in the doctor, he deliberately found a poem by Bai Juyi, "Two Songs of Eye Disease".
On the shore is a long shop Uncle Theory
Box hollow burning cassia pills
Human prescription medicine should be useless
Try to scratch the grate
The poem probably means that after eating the pills prescribed by the doctor, the cataracts are removed with a golden needle to restore the vision.
And Tang Youzhi's treatment plan is the golden needle barrier removal technique.
After months of persuasion and the persuasion of Premier Zhou, Chairman Mao finally nodded in agreement.
Bai Juyi
3
In order to be foolproof, the medical team prepared for the operation in advance.
For example, spend 10 days on bacterial culture.
For example, the chairman's study is arranged as an operating room.
However, on the 10th day, the chairman had no intention of doing surgery.
Tang Youzhi told the chairman: Chairman, today is the 10th day, if you don't do it, you will have to wait for another 10 days.
The Chair asked: Are you all ready to go? Are there any questions?
Tang Yuzhi replied: There was a little problem, when I was rinsing your tear ducts, your head moved on the sofa, indicating that my anesthesia was not in place.
The chairman laughed, and then he waved his hand: The last day of today, do!
This posture, just as he commanded the battle, was simply decisive! The great man's demeanor did not diminish that year.
On July 23, at 23:00, the doctors prepared to start the operation.
After receiving the chairman's notice of surgery, Zhou Enlai and other leaders immediately rushed to the swimming pool.
When Zhang Yufeng saw the premier coming, he was very surprised: Premier, you are sick, why did you come back?
The Prime Minister smiled and replied: My illness does not matter, it should be the president's health first.
Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou, young people in a group photo
Before the operation, the chairman made a special request to the doctor: Is my music ready?
Tang Yu's face was confused. The chairman hurriedly comforted: It doesn't matter, you let Zhang Yufeng take the song of "Man Jiang Hong" and put it on.
In the midst of the surging Kunqu opera, the operation officially began.
Tang Yuzhi took a deep breath and looked ahead for 2 seconds, trying to calm himself down.
After picking up the needle, he entered the state for a second, and he told himself that the ordinary heart, the person in front of him, was either the chairman or an ordinary patient.
After 8 minutes, the operation was successful. Dr. Tang put gauze on the chairman, put on the tape, and told the chairman that the operation was ready.
The chairman smiled: Really good? I haven't felt it yet.
Outside the door, the premier and Deng Xiaoping and others were anxiously waiting. Tang Youzhi hurried out and reported the situation to the premier. But the prime minister said: Don't report first, postoperative care is very important, first take care of the chairman.
Just a simple sentence, Dr. Tang's eyes were red, and at any time, the prime minister was always worried about the chairman.
On the morning of the 25th, when it was time to change the dressing, the chairman began to be arrogant: I had seen it clearly and did not want to bandage it anymore. The doctors told the chairman that without bandaging, it was easy for bacteria to get infected.
As a result, the chairman was stunned and did not listen, waved his hand, and signaled the doctor to go out.
The other doctors were gone, tang Yuzhi did not go, he told the chairman with a strong attitude: I am a doctor, you are a patient, this must listen to me, other questions, I listen to you.
Finally, the Chairman agreed to wear a transparent blindfold. A few hours later, the chairman's eyes were unusually painful, Dr. Tang immediately rushed over, as soon as he entered the house, the chairman raised his hand and made a "V" gesture, laughing and saying: You win, you still have to listen to the doctor. ”
After careful care, after 3 days, the chairman's eyes were completely healed and he could read books and documents alone. At this time, Jiang Qing, who had never looked at him, called and made 3 requests.
First, she hoped to visit the President. The Chairman did not, and there was no need for that.
Second, she wanted to entertain all the medical staff to dinner. The Chairman resolutely refused, and there was no need to be extravagant.
Thirdly, I asked the Chair to take her behalf, thanking the doctors, and the Chair agreed.
Chairman Mao and Jiang Qing
After hanging up the phone, Zhang Yufeng on the side complained: Chairman, Jiang Qing has followed you for so long, how come I don't know you. The chairman sighed and shook his head.
4
Three months after the operation, Chairman Mao approached Tang Youzhi and agreed to continue to operate on his right eye next year.
However, on September 9, 1976, Chairman Mao passed away, and Tang Yuzhi never had the opportunity to operate on him again.
This became his biggest regret.
The 10 months in Zhongnanhai have also become the most precious memories of his life.
In his opinion, Chairman Mao has worked hard for most of his life and has not enjoyed any blessings, and it is an honor for him to be able to solve problems for him on his deathbed.
With this article, I would like to dedicate it to the medical team that treated Chairman Mao's eye diseases and praise Dr. Tang's dedication.
Finally, accompany the staff of the Chairman