A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 429

Chapter 83: Experience (5)

Battalion headquarters officers’ lounge.

Lee Hoon sipped his instant coffee, then looked down at his thigh.

Was the anesthesia wearing off?

A tingling pain washed over his thigh. Still, he was relieved it didn’t hurt as much as he’d feared.

“Lives up to his name.”

Lee Hoon muttered in admiration.

While getting the skin fibroma [a benign, noncancerous growth] removed, Lee Hoon had actually been quite anxious.

He just didn’t show it.

He nervously shook his leg.

After checking online, the cost of the removal was definitely low.

So he thought it would be a quick and easy procedure, but boy, was he wrong?

The removal was more difficult than he expected.

He had to cut open the growth, completely remove the tumor hidden inside.

But true to his reputation, Jun-hoo completed the skin fibroma surgery cleanly and successfully.

Even to Lee Hoon, who knew nothing about medicine, Jun-hoo’s removal was perfect.

Fast and precise hand movements.

The whitish fibromas were cut into pieces with each snip of the scissors.

But above all…

The highlight of the incision was the suturing.

Even though the skin and subcutaneous tissue were a mess from removing the fibroma, Jun-hoo sutured the tissues stitch by stitch.

With that amazing skill, the skin layers closed horizontally as if stapled together.

Horizontal mattress?

Was it called horizontal mattress suture?

He couldn’t remember the exact name, but the fine knots that stitched his wound were still vivid in his mind.

“It’s a suturing method often used in plastic surgery. I can’t guarantee it, but there will be almost no scarring.”

“…….”

“Of course, only if the operations officer comes to the medical unit every day for disinfection and management.”

“Ah, yes.”

Lee Hoon answered in a dazed voice and left the medical unit.

Looking back, it was a foolish thing to do.

He should have thanked him properly.

He should have apologized for ignoring him.

Creak.

Just then, the lounge door opened and a man entered the lounge.

“Aren’t you usually out ‘man-spreading’ today?” [a slang term for sitting with legs wide apart]

The man smiled and sat next to Lee Hoon.

The man with the swarthy skin was named Yong-hoon. Yong-hoon had been commissioned two years after Lee Hoon and was in charge of personnel.

Coincidentally, both of their names ended in ‘Hoon.’

Perhaps that’s why.

The battalion commander would sometimes refer to them together as Lee Yong-hoon when they were together.

“I told you I had a pimple-like thing on my thigh, right? I got it removed.”

“Good job. I remember you saying it hurt because it was rubbing against your combat pants. Where did you get it treated?”

“The medical unit.”

“Yes? Are you talking about *the* medical unit?”

Yong-hoon’s eyebrows shot up as if they would reach the top of his head.

Then he nodded as if he understood.

“Are you joking because I brought up the man-spreading story?”

“No. It’s real. I got treated at the medical unit.”

“…I don’t know if I can trust that… doctor. I don’t think he’ll take responsibility if something goes wrong later.”

“The new company commander is different from the old one. He’s proactive and skilled. If you search online, there are a ton of articles about him.”

“Is that so?”

“Have you ever been treated by the company commander?”

“I haven’t.”

“If you haven’t, don’t talk.”

Lee Hoon praised Jun-hoo until his mouth was dry.

It was like a religious person testifying to the existence of God.

“If the operations officer says so, I might consider getting treatment too.”

“Where does it hurt?”

“It’s my big toe.”

Yong-hoon lowered his head and his eyes rested on his combat boots.

“It keeps digging inward and hurting. I think I have a severe ingrown toenail because I can’t remove it no matter how hard I try with the nail clippers.”

“…….”

“It’s almost swollen like a steamed bun now.”

“I don’t have time to go separately, and I don’t want to waste money on treatment, so go to the medical unit. You too.”

“I’m not sure…….”

“Just trust me and go.”

“Okay. Then I’ll get up first.”

With that, Yong-hoon left.

Lee Hoon finished the remaining instant coffee in one gulp.

* * *

“Wow. Company Commander. You’re really amazing.”

Yong-hoon looked at Jun-hoo and gave him two thumbs up.

His ingrown toenail, which had been deeply embedded in his skin, had just been removed.

Thump!

The ingrown toenail fell onto the surgical tray.

The removed toenail looked as tough and strong as an ox tendon.

It was no wonder it hurt so much, with such a monster relentlessly digging into his skin.

“Don’t wash today. Come to the medical unit for disinfection every morning and evening.”

Jun-hoo wrapped Yong-hoon’s big toe with gauze and applied a flesh-colored plaster.

“Yes. Thank you. Unity!” [a common military salute and greeting]

Yong-hoon even gave a cheerful salute and left the company commander’s office.

Watching Yong-hoon’s figure, Jun-hoo smiled contentedly.

This was the power of word-of-mouth.

He had treated Lee Hoon well, and new patients had come after hearing the rumors.

In fact, word-of-mouth was not addition but multiplication.

So, from now on, even officer patients would feel free to visit the medical unit.

Also, the officers were in a position to manage the soldiers.

They were more likely to actively recommend medical unit treatment when soldiers were sick.

And that was exactly what Jun-hoo wanted.

To have military personnel receive treatment at the medical unit without hesitation or distrust.

Due to the nature of the medical unit, there were limitations to the scope of treatment, but the more patients who visited the medical unit, the higher the probability of catching potential critical patients.

Being sick is a sad thing.

Even though it is a duty of national defense, serving in the military at a young age is also a sad thing.

But to be sick in the military?

How can that sadness be expressed in words?

Moreover, if they don’t even get proper compensation when they get hurt, the sadness will turn into resentment.

Jun-hoo still remembered one heartbreaking incident.

A soldier stepped on a landmine while serving at the front lines and received treatment at a civilian hospital.

However, a difficult situation arose where he had to pay a significant portion of the treatment costs himself.

This was because of a clause that only supported treatment costs within 30 days when a soldier received treatment at a civilian hospital.

No matter how he thought about it, it was an infuriating incident.

He went to a civilian hospital because he couldn’t get treatment at the military hospital…

Moreover, he was injured while performing his duties…

If the state does not take responsibility for the treatment costs, how can soldiers fulfill their duty of national defense?

“Hoo-oo.”

Jun-hoo took a deep breath and suppressed his rising anger.

Medical reform is necessary not only in the civilian sector but also in the military.

He didn’t know when or how that would be possible…

Let’s do our best in the areas where we can.

His teacher, who had entered politics, would take care of the systemic aspects.

After finishing his thoughts, Jun-hoo left the company commander’s office to get some fresh air.

Whee-ing.

A mechanical sound came from the warehouse.

Moving to the warehouse, Treatment NCO [Non-Commissioned Officer] Tae-won was looking at the sterilization steam sterilizer.

The sterilization steam sterilizer was called an autoclave [a device using steam to sterilize equipment].

The exterior was similar to a microwave oven.

The interior was similar to an oven.

White steam was coming out of the ventilation pipe as sterilization began.

“Are you sterilizing surgical instruments?”

“Yes, Company Commander.”

“You’re surprisingly thorough in your management?”

“Our medical soldiers are also thorough when it comes to treatment.”

Confidence was evident on Tae-won’s face as he answered.

It was a very pleasing attitude.

He would be using surgical instruments frequently in the future.

If the surgical instruments were not kept sterile, secondary infections could occur.

Jun-hoo would have to take full responsibility for that.

“Didn’t you say that you majored in neurosurgery, Company Commander?”

“I did.”

“But how do you also incise skin and remove ingrown toenails?”

“You learn everything in medical school. I just haven’t had a chance to do it in practice.”

“So, were the treatments you did today your first time?”

Jun-hoo smiled and nodded.

Skin fibroma removal was in the realm of dermatology.

Ingrown toenail removal was in the realm of general surgery.

Jun-hoo, who had been a neurosurgery resident, had no chance to do either.

But that wasn’t really a problem.

The skills honed through various martial arts and neurosurgery were master keys that could be used anywhere.

“Wow! I was honestly surprised.”

“Just this much? There will be more surprises in the future. You should prepare another heart.”

Tae-won laughed at Jun-hoo’s joke.

As they were chatting.

Three medical soldiers and the transport squad leader entered the treatment room.

“Squad Leader. Why are you dressed like that?”

Jun-hoo asked the transport squad leader.

The transport squad leader was the only officer in the medical company besides Jun-hoo.

His rank was sergeant.

As his name suggested, he was in charge of transporting emergency patients.

His main duties included managing the ambulance, riding in the ambulance, and managing outside visits, but it was difficult to see his face during work hours.

On the surface, he belonged to the medical company, but in reality, he was doing transportation department work.

“That’s… today is combat sports day in the afternoon.”

The transport squad leader said with a grimace.

“Combat sports?”

“To give you an analogy, it’s like a physical education class in middle and high school.”

“Do the officers also do combat sports?”

“The officers have to do it too. People with experience know how to get out of it.”

“You guys don’t look too good either.”

Jun-hoo scanned the medical soldiers next to the transport squad leader and chuckled.

They seemed to feel like they were being dragged away against their will when they wanted to stay still in the treatment room.

They all had gloomy faces and drooping shoulders.

“Let’s do our best since we’re doing it anyway. The battalion commander has put up a reward vacation today.”

The transport squad leader put his hands on the shoulders of the soldiers on either side of him and said.

“Was there a reward vacation for combat sports today?”

The medical soldier asked, and the transport squad leader answered.

“Yes. But it’s unlikely that we’ll get it.”

“Why is it difficult to get a reward vacation?”

Jun-hoo tilted his head and asked.

“Today’s combat sport is soccer. There’s a former player on the opposing team. He’s a friend who gets called out every time the officers play soccer…”

“…….”

“That friend kicks the ball amazingly well. Even two or three people can’t handle him.”

The transport squad leader shook his head.

‘Hmm… come to think of it…’

Jun-hoo stroked his chin.

Currently, Jun-hoo didn’t have a single reward vacation certificate.

The previous company commander seemed to have used up everything he had received from the battalion commander.

So he didn’t receive a reward vacation certificate when he handed over the duties.

Even though medical soldiers lead a somewhat easier life than soldiers in other branches, shouldn’t they have the freedom to go on vacation?

“Transport Squad Leader. Can I participate in combat sports too?”

“Well. Shouldn’t you be on emergency standby?”

“Combat sports will be held on the training field in front of the unit, so it shouldn’t matter, right?”

“That’s true, but… what if you get hurt…”

“I won’t get hurt.”

Jun-hoo answered confidently.

Although he looked ordinary on the outside, Jun-hoo, who possessed martial arts and inner strength, was virtually a human weapon.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Why are you trying to participate in combat sports?”

The transport squad leader tilted his head and asked.

Other medical soldiers also looked curious.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

A smile appeared on Jun-hoo’s lips.

“I have to get reward vacation certificates for our medical soldiers.”