Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 245

245. STOP!

It was because he couldn’t waste any more time before meeting the doctor who would be responsible for his life.

“I was eager to see you as soon as possible during the flight. Actually, my friend said he was disappointed at first because it wasn’t the professor he wanted, but his mind completely changed after the surgery.”

Richard was originally scheduled to have surgery with a different professor, not Taekyung.

He was disappointed to hear that his attending physician had changed and even protested to the hospital.

However, after the surgery, he was very satisfied, saying it had changed for the better.

“Richard was worried, so he asked me to record the surgery. He said he couldn’t help but be amazed by your skills after watching it. I also watched the video, and I was amazed at how smoothly and perfectly you performed the laparoscopic surgery.”

Hamad had watched the surgery video in Richard’s office a few days prior and was truly impressed by Taekyung’s skills.

“You flatter me.”

While Hamad was quite surprised, this kind of praise was actually a frequent occurrence for Taekyung.

It is true that surgeons from the West, including Americans and Europeans, often have less experience with laparoscopic surgery compared to Koreans and Japanese.

Therefore, many prestigious university hospitals in the West send patients to Korea or Japan for surgery.

“So, what brings Mr. Hamad to see me?”

Hamad heard Taekyung’s words through the interpreter and raised one hand. Then, one of the attendants in black suits placed a stack of documents on the table.

“He asked VIP to take a look,” the interpreter said, referring to Hamad.

“Isn’t this the pathology result and progress report?”

“That’s right. Our VIP wishes to undergo a laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy [surgical removal of the upper part of the stomach] with Director Kim Taekyung.”

As the interpreter spoke, he looked at Kim Taekyung as if he had announced something momentous.

“Oh, is that so? Then let’s schedule the surgery date.”

“Yes!? Ah, yes…”

The interpreter seemed a little surprised to see Taekyung reacting so calmly and casually, as if it were nothing special.

He seemed to think that Taekyung would be surprised that such an important person came to this kind of hospital, not a large, well-known hospital, for surgery.

“He says he’s looking forward to working with you.”

“Of course. Absolutely. Don’t worry. Please tell him that I will do my best as usual. Our coordinator will come and schedule the date. Then, I’ll see you again.”

Just as Taekyung was about to get up from his seat…

“ما أنت!!”

Hamad’s attendants in black suits jumped up from their seats and shouted a word in Arabic.

The interpreter had a troubled expression due to the sudden outburst, and even without needing interpretation, his expression conveyed that it was not a kind word.

“Um, excuse me…”

One of the attendants urged the interpreter to convey the message.

“Do you know who this person is? He is an important person in our country. If something happens to him, you won’t be safe. That’s what the attendant is asking me to tell you.”

The attendant revealed his displeasure, whether he wanted extreme preferential treatment or was simply dissatisfied with Taekyung’s calm attitude.

“STOP!”

But at that moment, Hamad got up from his seat, raised his hand to the attendant, and told him to stop in Arabic.

“I’m sorry. Sorry.”

Then, the attendant, who had been expressing displeasure with his bald head, conveyed an apology in clumsy Korean.

After that, Hamad politely bowed to Taekyung and spoke, and the interpreter immediately conveyed the message.

“I apologize for the disturbance caused by our attendant. Please tell the director that he would like you to treat me as you would normally treat your patients.”

“Of course. Just as all patients are precious, VIP is also a precious patient to me. I will do my best to make you feel comfortable.”

After exchanging polite greetings, Taekyung left the office first.

In fact, he was a little impatient because he had a lot of work to do that day.

He had to make rounds, see outpatients, see patients in the emergency room, and an emergency surgery was scheduled.

So, in his haste, he concluded the meeting as quickly as possible without adding any unnecessary formalities. Of course, he was by no means rude or unpleasant.

He just treated them the same way he treated other patients.

“Wait a minute. Director Kim!”

As he walked out of the office, Gam Deokchan hurriedly followed and called out to Taekyung.

“Just a moment!”

“Yes, Assemblyman.”

“Director Kim? I don’t think you realize how huge this is, but let me add a word.”

“Assemblyman, it’s okay.”

“Yes?”

“Even if you don’t know, I think major hospitals have contacted you to take on his surgery…”

“That’s right. After arriving, several hospitals contacted me to perform the surgery, asking how they knew.”

“I thought so. And one signature from him could sway the Korean economy. I know very well that he is a person with that much influence and power in many ways. But even so, he is not more important than the patients who trust me and are hospitalized in the ward right now.”

“…!”

Gam Deokchan closed his mouth and focused on Taekyung’s words.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s not important. It just means that everyone is the same precious patient to me. I thought you might be asking me to pay more attention to the diplomatic aspects.”

Taekyung’s prediction was accurate.

Since Hamad had important issues at stake, Gam Deokchan was trying to ask Taekyung to pay special attention to him.

“I will be as polite as possible so as not to cause any harm in that area. But it will be difficult to prioritize him over other patients. The reason he is a VIP is because he has stomach cancer, and it is difficult to find any other reason. In our hospital, every patient is a VIP, not a specific patient.”

“Ah…!”

Gam Deokchan, who was quite embarrassed at first, soon smiled heartily and breathed a sigh of relief, as if he understood.

“Hahaha! You are indeed the director.”

Gam Deokchan had momentarily forgotten that the doctor in front of him was Taekyung.

Unlike other doctors, the usual requests for special care would not work for Taekyung, who treats all patients equally.

Thinking about it, he realized that was the charm of Doctor Kim Taekyung.

“I understand. Please do as you have been doing. Finally, I ask you to take good care of me as a politician in this country.”

“Yes, I and all the medical staff will do our best.”

After bowing to Taekyung, Gam Deokchan left the hospital with Hamad for his next appointment.

“I think the attendant was angry earlier, are you okay?”

Gam Deokchan walked to the parking lot with him and asked Hamad in Arabic.

“Of course. It’s okay. I think those friends thought that because I was in a special position in my country, it would be the same here.”

“Mr. Hamad is also a special person in our country.”

“Well, that’s probably because it’s connected to work. But I think the director’s words earlier were correct.”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry, but I was curious and listened to what you two were saying earlier.”

Hamad was curious about what Taekyung was saying after Gam Deokchan hurriedly left the office earlier.

So, he asked the interpreter to tell him roughly what the two were talking about.

“I came to this hospital as a patient, not to ask for special treatment.”

Hamad was a royal, but his mindset was admirable.

He did not think of himself as a special person because of his status as a royal. He felt he was just lucky to be born that way, and he was the same as everyone else.

“If I wanted special treatment, I wouldn’t have asked the assemblyman to find out about Director Kim Taekyung’s hospital. Rather, I like the director’s attitude of treating all patients equally.”

“Is that so? I’m glad you think so. That’s why I trust Director Kim.”

“I feel more relieved that you trust him. Oh, but I’ve been wanting to ask you since earlier, how can you speak Arabic so well?”

“I lived in the Middle East for a few years before I joined the National Assembly when I was young.”

“Oh, I see. I thought you were very skillful.”

Hamad, who liked Taekyung, felt more comfortable than when he entered the hospital and carried out his next schedule.

After the two left the hospital with their attendants, the fact that he had come and gone spread to all the employees.

“Jackpot! Teacher, is that really true?”

Lee Chanhee, who had roughly filled his plate with side dishes, took a seat next to Taekyung, who had come to the cafeteria for an early dinner.

“I just heard from Team Leader Choi that someone called the Middle East oil king or something came? I heard he was a royal, is that right?”

“Oh, right.”

“Wow! No, it’s so touching that such a great person came to our hospital for surgery.”

“Don’t overdo it.”

“It’s not an exaggeration. He’s a real *chaebol* [family-owned conglomerate] among *chaebols*. So, teacher. When is the surgery?”

“Um. He’s being admitted the day after tomorrow in the afternoon, so I’ll have surgery three days later, right?”

Since he had already brought all kinds of tests and results from the American hospital, there was no need to delay the surgery.

“Then, teacher, can I go in as an assistant for that surgery?”

“Why are you so eager to assist in surgery today?”

“To be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever get to operate on such a *chaebol* again.”

“What’s a *chaebol* got to do with it? Anyway, he’s just a patient to us. Dr. Lee, are you hoping that the patient will give you oil after the surgery?”

“What are you talking about? It’s not like that.”

“It sounds like it’s true because your voice suddenly got louder?”

Euijin, who was eating with him, agreed with Taekyung and teased Lee Chanhee.

“No, why are you doing this, Dr. Jung? I’m not that kind of person. I’m more innocent than you think. And how scary and strict is my father? So, since I was young, I haven’t recklessly coveted other people’s things…”

“Okay, stop it and come in well prepared instead.”

“Yes! Of course.”

Taekyung was already thinking of making Lee Chanhee an assistant for this surgery.

“Thank you, teacher.”

“You don’t have to thank me, but write a surgical report after it’s over.”

“Yes? Oh, that’s a bit…”

“You don’t want to?”

“No. I will write it.”

Taekyung quickly emptied his bowl and left the cafeteria to see the patient.

A few days later-

The hospital’s busy daily life passed quickly, and finally the day of Hamad’s surgery dawned.

Hamad, who had been admitted the day before with his attendants and a professional interpreter, headed to the operating room in good condition.

“Don’t worry and think of it as sleeping and waking up comfortably.”

“Okay.”

Taekyung encouraged Hamad before anesthesia in Arabic, which he had learned from the interpreter, and general anesthesia was performed.

“Teacher. He’s anesthetized.”

“Good job. Please take good care of the patient until the end.”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

“Everyone, please stay focused until the end.”

“Yes, teacher.”

Sterilized blue disposable paper cloths were spread around the patient.

They proceeded carefully one by one so that no contaminated areas remained.

On one side, Lee Chanhee held the Bovie [electrocautery device] and fixed the wire on the disposable paper, then picked up the long camera to be used for the laparoscope.

“Please take the camera.”

At Lee Chanhee’s words, the circulating nurse (a surgical room nurse who retrieves surgical tools when needed) headed behind him.

Soon after, Lee Chanhee picked up the front of the sterilized camera, and the nurse held the back of the unsterilized camera and connected it.

Then, the back of the camera was covered with transparent vinyl to prevent the unsterilized part from touching it, and the completed camera was placed on the patient’s chest.

A cloth was placed on the patient’s head in the direction of the operating room ceiling to separate the anesthesiology area from the surgical area.

“Dr. Jung, let’s start.”

Now all preparations for the surgery were completed, and the real surgery began.

Taekyung pulled the patient’s lower abdomen with his thumb and forefinger, and Lee Chanhee pulled the opposite side to flatten the lower abdomen.

“Scalpel, please.”