Dr. Shin Seonhan: The Doctor Who Sees The Future [EN]: Chapter 116

#116 Surfers (6)

Looking at the building’s sign, it read ‘Rehabilitation Center’.

‘A rehabilitation center… Could this be where Park Cho-rok receives rehabilitation treatment in the future?’

Softly, softly—

Fine snow falls.

I passed through the entrance, where white snow was thinly piled up, opened the revolving door, and went inside.

As I entered the building, the front desk came into view.

While looking around, I saw someone pushing a wheelchair from the elevator.

‘That face?’

Park Cho-rok!

No doubt about it.

Her hair color had changed to black, but her face was the same.

But seeing her bobbed hair turned into long hair, it seemed that quite a bit of time had passed.

I moved closer and examined her sitting in the wheelchair.

‘If I assume her hair grew 1cm per month…’

At least 3 years.

That’s what I guessed.

Just then, as if confirming my thoughts, a woman who looked to be in her 60s, pushing the wheelchair, spoke.

“Thank you for taking care of Cho-rok so consistently for the past 3 years. I think it’s time for our Cho-rok to move to a rehabilitation center in the neighborhood.”

3 years!

That means she has been receiving rehabilitation treatment for that long.

And she is still sitting in a wheelchair.

Soon, a man who appeared to be a rehabilitation center employee replied.

“Yes, we’ve already spoken to the hospital there, so they will take good care of her.”

Then, the male employee bowed and spoke to Park Cho-rok.

“Cho-rok, it’s a tough battle with no end in sight, but… keep fighting every day with a smile, okay?”

“Of course, I can even walk a few steps with assistive devices now,” Cho-rok replied with a smile.

Soon after the employee bowed and disappeared, the two of them took a number from the counter.

The two of them had a quiet conversation in the waiting room.

“We’ve been here for a long time.”

“I know.”

“Mom, you’ve suffered a lot because of me, haven’t you?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Since you’ve suffered for 3 years, I should do what I wanted to do now.”

Cho-rok then said, as if suddenly remembering something.

“Come to think of it, Mom. Did I tell you? 3 years ago, there was someone who said something strange to me?”

“What was it?”

“It was a doctor I met by chance at the beach, and he suddenly asked me if I had any health problems, so I thought it was strange…”

Huh?

That’s me.

A chance encounter at the beach.

It feels strange to hear my story right next to me.

Cho-rok’s dreamy voice continued.

“…Why did that person say that to me back then? Could it be that I looked like I was destined to get sick just by looking at my face?”

“Oh, come on. There’s no such thing as face reading.”

“No, there really is such a thing.”

Cho-rok suddenly said with a shadowed expression, as if resigned.

“I’m just going to think that it was my fate and destiny to get sick so suddenly. Otherwise, it’s too unfair.”

At her words, her mother made a bitter expression.

Destiny?

Maybe so.

Maybe some people’s lives really have a script written on them, detailing when you will get sick, and what you will die from.

As I was thinking that, the employee inside the window said.

“Park Cho-rok’s guardian. The discharge procedure is complete, but do you need anything else?”

“Ah, I need a copy of the medical records for insurance processing… Is it printed out at this window?”

“Yes. Please fill out the consent form and give me the patient’s ID.”

Wait a minute.

A copy of the medical records?

My eyes widened.

A paper with Park Cho-rok’s health information written on it!

It’s almost like an answer key to me now.

It’s like I finally found the torn half of the back of a difficult problem book.

‘This is a crucial hint. I have to read it before the dream ends!’

Tap—

I rushed to the inside of the window with a desperate heart.

And with a desperate heart, I looked at what was written on the paper being printed.

Whirr—

Soon, the document is printed from the medium-sized copier on the counter desk.

‘Damn it, why is the printer so slow?’

I want to hit it!

I’m getting impatient.

The speed at which the paper is printed feels endlessly slow to me now, like a snail.

Soon, the family and past medical history is printed from the printer.

[Family history]

—Father s/p [status post] lung cancer op (2010)

—Mother HIVD [herniated intervertebral disc]

I continued to read the inpatient record chart being printed.

[Past history]

—h/o [history of] 7YA ORIF [open reduction and internal fixation], ankle, Rt. [right]

d/t [due to] Ankle Fx. [fracture], Rt.

My father had lung cancer surgery in 2010, and my mother has a herniated disc….

And the patient herself had ankle surgery with screws 7 years ago because her ankle was broken…….

‘Damn it. It’s all information that has nothing to do with paraplegia!’

Not yet.

The most important front page has not come out.

The printer was spitting out a few sheets of paper in reverse order.

Then suddenly, the screen in front of me began to distort.

No!

Don’t end yet!

I desperately opened my eyes wide and read the chart.

‘Please, just 10 more seconds……!’

And finally, one word on the paper coming out of the printer caught my eye.

Surfer’s Myelopathy! I found it!

A crucial clue.

But what does this mean?

‘It’s unfamiliar, but I’ve definitely heard it before!’

As I was thinking that, the scene in front of me brightened again.

* * *

Flash—

I came back to reality.

I can feel the cool air of the summer night sea.

It’s like being engrossed in a movie and suddenly being thrown out.

“What, why are you looking at me like that all of a sudden? Is there something on my face?”

Short green hair.

Park Cho-rok, still 27 years old, was staring at me.

I shook my head.

Let’s sort it out.

If time passes as it is now, Park Cho-rok will only be able to return to the point where she can walk with assistive devices, despite 3 years of rehabilitation.

And the name of the disease that caused it is…….

‘Right, I remember!’

I recalled my memories.

Neurology class in the 3rd year of medical school.

As the class was almost over, the professor mentioned it in passing.

“By the way, there is a disease called Surfer’s Myelopathy [spinal cord injury related to surfing], but I’m not going to test you on this.”

At the words that it wouldn’t be on the test, some people’s eyes were already relaxed.

But I was curious about what he was talking about, so I kept focusing.

“Surfer’s Myelopathy, in Korean it is called Surfing Syndrome.”

The professor’s explanation continued.

“…Because the surfing posture acts as a kind of ischemic insult [restriction in blood supply].”

“Being in a position where you are lying on a surfboard with your back stretched out can compress the blood vessels that supply blood to the spinal cord.”

“Mainly young people in their 20s who have been healthy suddenly come to the emergency room complaining of paraplegia [paralysis of the legs and lower body].”

“The spinal cord, which has not received blood supply, fails to function properly, and paraplegia occurs.”

“And more than 50% of them live with permanent neurological sequelae [long-term consequences of a neurological condition].”

With one last word, the professor left the lecture hall.

“This is just a word of caution to those of you who are going surfing this summer vacation to try a sport you haven’t done before. That’s all for today’s class.”

I, who had never even thought about surfing, remembered preparing for the next class without thinking deeply.

But now that I think about it again, how absurd would it be for someone to get this disease?

Just practicing surfing for the first time in their life, and suddenly developing a lifelong disability within a few hours…….

That’s exactly what happens to some unlucky people.

“What. Are you going to keep saying nothing like that? You’ve been saying strange things about health checkups and stuff since earlier…… I’m just going to go?”

Cho-rok says with a voice full of dissatisfaction.

Wait, let’s think!

What was the TOC (Treatment of choice, best treatment method) for surfer’s myelopathy?

I recalled the neurology class a little more.

My classmate behind me asked the professor who was about to leave after class.

“Professor, what is the treatment for Surfer’s Myelopathy?”

“In many cases, it is too late even if you do this and that treatment.”

Then he continued to answer.

“The best treatment is Prevention. If your legs are numb and your back hurts, you should stop surfing immediately.”

I quickly organized my thoughts.

‘Right, I don’t even need to take her to the hospital!’

How to prevent surfing syndrome?

It’s simple.

Just don’t surf!

Not just this summer.

Forever!

I have to make sure she doesn’t even go near surfing.

That way, Park Cho-rok can be safe from paraplegia.

“Wait a minute.”

Thump!

I grabbed Cho-rok’s shoulder.

And I said to her with surprised eyes.

“Don’t surf.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t surf tomorrow.”

“What. That’s funny. Who are you to tell me what to do?”

She snorted as if dumbfounded.

It’s the reaction I expected.

Humans want to do more when they are told not to.

Besides, she had been planning for years and finally took a vacation to learn how to surf.

It’s not a situation where she will listen nicely if I stop her.

“Hoo, I wasn’t even going to talk about this…….”

I took a moment to catch my breath and think.

‘Okay, I have an idea.’ You like that kind of thing, right? Face reading, destiny, fate, and stuff like that.

I have a story that you would be hooked on.

I started to lie.

“Have you ever heard of spirit possession?”

“Huh?”

“I’m actually good at seeing people’s fate.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t know if you’ve heard of it. Ryu Myeong-in, the baby bodhisattva of Jirisan [a famous mountain in Korea]. Teacher Oh Jung-won, the fortune teller of the Blue House [the Korean presidential residence]…… All the famous fortune tellers in Korea are close to me, you know?”

What I learned from Master Poong was not just tricks.

I also learned the knack of lying with bluffing.

If you’re going to deceive, do it properly!

You have to have confidence.

Remembering Master Poong, who confidently lied even in front of gangsters, I started a flashy lie.

Then her expression falls into chaos.

“……What, what? Why suddenly a fortune teller?”

“Actually, I’m one of those people.”

“What, that’s funny. You’re lying.”

“Shall I prove it?”

“Oh, come on. Yeah, try it.”

She now looked at me with her arms crossed defensively.

She doesn’t believe me, but on the other hand, she seems interested.

She has an expression that says, ‘Let’s see how far this human’s crazy짓 [crazy act] goes.’

‘Okay. Let the acting begin.’

Swish.

I swept up my bangs.

Even though it looks like this, I was once able to perfectly play the role of a Vietnam War veteran in the intensive care unit.

Back then, Grandpa Attack was completely fooled by my acting skills.

This time it’s a shaman!

And I have many ways to make this lie plausible.

I said with a slightly lowered voice.

“Park Cho-ah…… No, Park Cho-rok.”

Flustered!

She is surprised with a sober expression.

She almost jumps 1 meter from her seat.

I thought she was a frog.

Then, this time, she unknowingly puts her knees together demurely and asks me.

“No, how did you…… how did you know my real name…… No, did you know?”