Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 187

Five Vital Signs – Episode 187 (187/502)

187. The Twisted Part

Sitting on the chair and holding the ultrasound probe, Tae-kyung suddenly stopped and urgently asked, “Are you okay, patient?”

Lee Soo-jung’s fingertips trembled like aspen leaves.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Lee Soo-jung clenched and unclenched her trembling hands, trying to calm herself.

“It’s a little cold.”

Nurse Lim Jung-sook applied gel, and the ultrasound examination began immediately.

Tae-kyung fixed his gaze on the monitor, moving the probe to thoroughly check the area.

Throughout the examination, he reassured the patient while carefully observing the screen. After a while, he finished.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

The short examination felt like hours to Lee Soo-jung.

“The ultrasound shows nothing abnormal. Everything looks normal.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh! Are you alright?”

Lee Soo-jung’s legs buckled as she got off the bed. Tae-kyung and Nurse Lim Jung-sook quickly supported her.

“Ah, yes, I’m fine.”

“Nurse Lim, please escort her to the dressing room.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

Lee Soo-jung looked pale as she walked to the dressing room.

“Are you sure you’re okay on your own? Should I help you?”

“No, I’m fine, thank you.”

After quietly declining, Lee Soo-jung sat down on the floor in the dressing room, her face etched with distress, as if she was about to cry.

During the examination, she intuitively knew that Ko Gye-deuk’s words were false. Despite the brief encounter, Tae-kyung’s thorough examination and warm demeanor suggested he wasn’t the type of person Ko Gye-deuk described.

Something felt terribly wrong.

‘Just do the interview as I tell you to.’

No matter how desperate her situation, she couldn’t bring herself to fabricate an interview. Yet, she couldn’t remain passive.

‘Ah! I’m going crazy. Really. What have I done…?’

She felt trapped, her mind blank, unsure of what to do. Ultimately, she left the dressing room without a solution.

Afterward, Tae-kyung explained the examination results in detail and discussed other matters, but Lee Soo-jung, preoccupied with her own thoughts, barely registered anything he said.

“Thank you for your time.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“You can pay at the desk and head home.”

As Lee Soo-jung rose from her seat, Nurse Lim Jung-sook opened the examination room door, ready to explain the next steps.

“…!”

But at that moment, Tae-kyung, who was about to ask Lee Soo-jung something, tilted his head, his gaze drawn to the doorway.

Creak-

Tae-kyung immediately stood up and approached Hyun-woong, who was sitting in the waiting area.

“What’s your friend’s name?”

“Hyun-woong. Cha Hyun-woong.”

“Hyun-woong, are you feeling unwell?”

“…Yes,” Hyun-woong whispered, nodding weakly.

In fact, Tae-kyung had been about to ask Lee Soo-jung about her child before Nurse Lim Jung-sook opened the door. But as soon as the door opened, he was struck by the distinct odor of feces, triggering an immediate reaction.

When Lee Chan-hee had asked what he was observing in the waiting room earlier, Tae-kyung’s attention had also been on Hyun-woong.

‘It’s gotten stronger than before.’

He was sensing the fifth vital sign [an unusual odor indicating a medical issue]. However, at that time, it was a mild ammonia smell, stage 2, so he hadn’t given it much thought. Now, the intensity had significantly increased.

The intensified odor suggested a potential emergency, making it crucial to investigate.

Tae-kyung’s eyes scanned the child.

He noticed Hyun-woong’s tightly clenched fist and damp palm, signs of pain.

“Hyun-woong! Are you sick?”

Lee Soo-jung, emerging from the examination room, was startled by the scene.

“Mom, I’m sick.”

Instantly, her scattered thoughts coalesced, her attention focusing entirely on her son.

The child wasn’t even playing his favorite game on his phone, and his expression was clearly pained. She vaguely recalled Hyun-woong trying to say something before they entered the examination room.

“Hyun-woong, were you feeling sick when Mom went in earlier?”

“Yes.”

“But why didn’t you say anything?”

“Mom told me to be quiet because she was busy, so I didn’t want to bother you.”

“You should have told Mom anyway.”

As Lee Soo-jung’s voice rose, filled with regret for her inattention, Tae-kyung suddenly picked up Hyun-woong.

“I’m sorry, but we can talk later. Let me examine the child first.”

The stage 3 odor emanating from Hyun-woong was subtly shifting towards a formaldehyde scent, indicating a rapidly escalating emergency.

This wasn’t the time for arguments; the child’s well-being was paramount.

“Hyun-woong, where does it hurt?”

Tae-kyung gently laid the child on the bed and asked.

“My lower stomach.”

“Shall we bend our knees a little? Is it here?”

Hyun-woong slightly shook his head from side to side. Tae-kyung moved his hand further down.

“Then, is it here?”

The child shook his head again. Noticing something, Tae-kyung asked for permission to lower his pants.

“Hyun-woong, can the doctor lower your pants for a moment?”

“Yes.”

He carefully lowered Hyun-woong’s pants and underwear, revealing that one of the child’s testicles was visibly swollen.

“Oh my! Oh my gosh!”

Lee Soo-jung, who was holding Hyun-woong’s hand tightly, looked at Tae-kyung with wide eyes.

“Doctor, what’s wrong with Hyun-woong?”

“There are two main possibilities for Hyun-woong’s age group. First, it could be an inflammation. The other is that the testicle may be twisted [testicular torsion, a condition where the testicle rotates, cutting off blood supply].”

“What!? Twisted testicle?”

“Yes.”

“Doctor, then what should we do?”

Lee Soo-jung wrung her hands, her face etched with panic.

Normally, she would have immediately noticed her child’s discomfort, but she felt ashamed for being so preoccupied that she missed it.

“Doctor, does Hyun-woong need surgery?”

“First of all, if it’s testicular torsion and the twisting persists, blood flow will be cut off, potentially leading to necrosis [tissue death].”

“Necrosis… you mean?”

“It’s a rather blunt way to put it, but think of it as rotting.”

“What!?”

Tears welled up in Lee Soo-jung’s eyes at the thought of her son’s testicle rotting.

“It’s urgent. Let’s examine Hyun-woong quickly.”

“Doctor, please treat Hyun-woong. I beg you.”

“Of course, I will.”

“Don’t worry too much, Mom.”

While Nurse Lim Jung-sook comforted the distraught Lee Soo-jung, Tae-kyung gently lifted Hyun-woong’s testicles, observing the child’s reaction.

“How is it, Hyun-woong? Does it still hurt the same? Or does it hurt less?”

“I think it’s the same.”

“Okay. Then, let’s get the ultrasound again.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

Nurse Lim Jung-sook quickly applied gel to the ultrasound probe and handed it to Tae-kyung, who began examining the testicles.

The screen displayed an oval testicle in black and white.

As he adjusted the settings, red and blue areas appeared on the screen.

‘It is Torsion of testis, as I expected.’

Tae-kyung’s suspicion was confirmed: Hyun-woong was suffering from testicular torsion.

Testicular torsion is a medical emergency where the spermatic cord twists, reducing blood circulation to the testicles and causing severe pain.

If the twisting continues, blood flow will be completely blocked, leading to necrosis and potential testicle removal, possibly even infertility. Prompt treatment is essential.

“Mom, would you like to take a look here? The red and blue areas indicate blood flow. See how it’s stagnant now? That’s what it looks like when it’s twisted.”

“Sniff! Doctor, please take care of Hyun-woong. I’m begging you.”

Lee Soo-jung, overwhelmed by anxiety and fear for her child, finally broke down in tears.

Parents feel helpless when their child is sick.

Even a small scratch on their child is deeply upsetting. The thought of something being wrong with such a sensitive part of his body was unbearable, making her feel dizzy and distraught.

She blamed herself for everything.

“Doctor, please fix Hyun-woong.”

Lee Soo-jung, tears streaming down her face, clasped her hands together, pleading with Tae-kyung to help her son. Tae-kyung felt a pang of sympathy for the desperate parents.

Tae-kyung realized he had misjudged Lee Soo-jung.

He had been put off by her stiff demeanor upon entering the examination room and her apparent inattention to her child in the waiting area. Now, he saw that her concern for her son was genuine and profound.

“Testicular torsion is an emergency, but it’s treatable.”

“Then, is it treatable? Does he need surgery?”

“Surgery is necessary to prevent it from twisting again. But if we untwist it now, he should be okay. And you should definitely consult with a urologist for a surgical evaluation.”

“You can untwist Hyun-woong’s twisted part?”

“Yes. There’s a cord behind the testicles. That’s where it rotates and twists. We can turn it in the opposite direction to release it.”

Tae-kyung checked Hyun-woong’s condition and explained the procedure, but Lee Soo-jung, still in shock, could only look back and forth between her child and Tae-kyung, unable to process the information.

“Hyun-woong, I’ll fix it so it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“…Yes.”

Tae-kyung carefully began to treat Hyun-woong’s twisted testicles.

There’s no way to know for sure which direction the testicle is twisted. However, the right testicle is most likely twisted counterclockwise. Therefore, turning it clockwise should correct the torsion.

Testicular torsion is a urological condition. Although there was a urologist at the hospital, he wasn’t immediately available.

But he couldn’t send the sick child to another hospital, as every minute mattered.

Tae-kyung gently and cautiously rotated the testicle clockwise. Before completing the rotation, he paused and asked the child.

“Hyun-woong, how is it? Does it hurt less?”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay. Then, let’s wait a little longer.”

“Doctor…?”

As he was about to continue observing, Hyun-woong grabbed Tae-kyung’s hand and said, “It hurts less.”

Hearing the child’s words, Tae-kyung rotated the testicle a little further in the same direction. The formaldehyde odor that had been emanating from Hyun-woong rapidly diminished, and the fifth vital sign began to subside.

Tae-kyung immediately checked the returning blood flow using the ultrasound.

After several ultrasound scans, the blood flow in the testicles was visibly improved.

“It’s done now. See? It’s different from before, right? Blood flow has returned.”

Even Lee Soo-jung, who wasn’t a medical professional, could see the difference on the ultrasound screen.

“Hyun-woong, how do you feel now?”

“It still hurts a little, but it hurts much less than before, and it’s getting better.”

Hyun-woong wasn’t just saying that. The pain had visibly eased from his face.

“Ha! Hyun-woong!”

Lee Soo-jung, who had been anxiously watching, hugged her child tightly, overwhelmed with relief and remorse.

“I’m sorry. Mom is so sorry…”

“Mom, it’s okay. I don’t hurt anymore.”

Hyun-woong smiled, trying to reassure his mother, but Lee Soo-jung’s heart ached even more.

“Mom, you must have been very surprised, right?”

Tae-kyung, who had been waiting patiently, stroked the child’s head and said.

“Yes. Thank you so much. Thank you so much.”

“Hyun-woong is okay now. But you still need to see a urologist. Should I make an outpatient appointment for you?”

“No. Thank you, but I’ll go to a clinic near my house.”

Lee Soo-jung bowed her head, expressing her sincere gratitude.

She felt even more grateful knowing that her initial intentions towards Tae-kyung had been impure. She wanted to leave quickly, filled with shame and embarrassment.

She didn’t want to think about her agreement with Ko Gye-deuk or anything else. She just wanted to take Hyun-woong home to rest.

“Yes, you can do that. I’ll prescribe some pain medication for Hyun-woong. And as I said before, if the same thing happens again, go to the nearest emergency room immediately.”

“Yes, thank you so much, and I’m sorry.”

“No, why are you sorry? You’re welcome. Hyun-woong, you were very brave.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

“Okay, Hyun-woong, take care. Goodbye, guardian.”

“I’ll help you with the prescription.”

The two left the examination room with Nurse Lim Jung-sook. Tae-kyung was cleaning the ultrasound machine and the examination bed when he heard:

“Oh my!”

“What’s wrong, guardian?”

Suddenly, the urgent voices of the staff, including Lim Jung-sook, echoed from outside the examination room.

Click-

“…!”