Dr. Shin Seonhan: The Doctor Who Sees The Future [EN]: Chapter 198

#198 Chasing and Being Chased is Our Life (5)

“……”

My story was over.

Doctors Ma Dongseop and Ahn Gyeongshik were silent.

The server stared into the distance, and the owner silently puffed out thick clouds of cigarette smoke.

After a few seconds, Doctor Ma Dongseop spoke.

“Fat embolism? Or was there a possibility of pulmonary thromboembolism……?”

“I think I heard it was a fat embolism.”

I said calmly.

Fat embolism.

A condition in which small clumps of fat that have broken away from the body block blood vessels.

Fat droplets in the microcirculation of the periphery or lungs are called fat embolism, and the associated distinct signs or symptoms are called fat embolism syndrome.

“I thought fat embolism was a disease only learned about in books……”

Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik couldn’t finish his sentence.

“I think my orthopedic surgeon friend said he hadn’t seen it yet either.”

Ma Dongseop muttered, sounding regretful.

Fat embolism is known to occur in less than 1% of patients with multiple traumas or long bone fractures.

The textbook says that fat embolism occurring in the brain is even rarer.

That complication happened to my mother.

A few days after I rushed to the hospital, my mother passed away in the intensive care unit, never regaining consciousness.

“It must have been bad luck.”

I said briefly.

It took a really long time to be able to say this one sentence.

No matter how small the probability of a complication, if it happens to me, it’s 100%.

I learned that an event that started with a very small coincidence can take a person’s life in vain.

“It was a really strange feeling. Someone who was eating with me in the same space just a few days ago suddenly becomes someone who is no longer there.”

Everyday life is like air, and you can’t realize its preciousness until you lose it.

Day after day.

Common days like sand on a beach.

Only after they had passed did I realize that those days were shining jewels that I wanted to pick up and cherish.

“Why did it have to be like that?”

Shadows flickered across the table in the small bar.

In my shadow, which has now become an adult, I could still see a middle school student wailing in the hospital.

“My mother just couldn’t resist her children’s urging and went to the market to buy seaweed soup ingredients for her birthday.”

Ahn Gyeongshik took off his thick-rimmed glasses and rubbed his eyes.

Ma Dongseop rested his chin on his hand and quietly looked at me with reddened eyes.

“Why did it have to be like that?”

Only God knows the reason.

It might be easier to think of it as an unavoidable accident.

But still, if.

If only…….

If the response had been a little faster, could we have prevented Mom from going to heaven so futilely?

Was the cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] in the ambulance delayed, causing hypoxic brain damage?

After the surgery, was there anything we could have changed in the process leading up to her lying in the university hospital’s intensive care unit?

These questions tormented me for a while and still linger with me.

“Well, let’s stop with the depressing talk.”

I smiled as if shaking off my emotions.

Thinking about what I had seen and changed in the past year, I often thought that there might have been a chance to change my mother’s future as well.

But the past could not be undone.

Even if I had gained extraordinary abilities.

“Let’s have some more drinks. It’s a perfect day for drinking today.”

“Yeah, let’s do that!”

“사장님, 여기…….”

The night was sweet with alcohol.

The snow had already begun to stop.

Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik soon fell asleep, and Doctor Ma Dongseop and I had to move him.

* * *

The next day.

Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik came to work early in the morning as if nothing had happened and started his day by checking on the intensive care unit patients.

He was the same attending physician, Ahn Gyeongshik, as always.

“Hello.”

“Yes, Doctor Ahn. Good morning.”

Some of the intensive care unit nurses who hadn’t been at work yesterday didn’t even know that Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik had run away and come back.

“Doctor, the albumin level for patient number 3 came back at 2.6. What should we do?”

“I already prescribed it. Give it slowly over 4 hours.”

After checking on the intensive care unit patients earlier than anyone else, he headed to the morning meeting place and carefully opened the door.

Screech—

As he carefully sat down in his chair, the gazes of some of the professors and fellows who had arrived earlier turned to him.

“Gyeongshik.”

Then, Professor Kim Seongtak called out to Ahn Gyeongshik.

“Yes…… Yes?”

Ahn Gyeongshik answered, startled like a mouse caught in a trap.

You could see him trembling, afraid of what they would say to him for being absent yesterday.

However, Professor Kim Seongtak asked in a gentle voice.

“Is Lee Jaejin in the ICU doing okay?”

“Ah, yes. I saw him this morning, and I think he’ll be able to go up to the general ward today.”

“Okay, I understand.”

“……?”

He had expected a scolding, but Ahn Gyeongshik was even more surprised by the routine question.

The morning meeting started like that, ended as usual, and everyone left the conference room.

But no one reprimanded Ahn Gyeongshik.

It was as if they had made a promise.

“You’re back?”

Some of the residents just said that and tapped Ahn Gyeongshik on the shoulder.

Doctor Song Yoozoo too.

Even the professors.

They acted as if nothing had happened, and the morning conference meeting went by smoothly.

‘……I’m glad everyone accepted it so naturally.’

And a few days later, during rounds.

Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik, some nurses, and I were following Professor Kim Seongtak on his rounds.

We stood in front of patient Kim Deoksang.

“How are you doing? Have you been walking around in the general ward?”

“Ah, yes. I’m much better. Thank you, Professor.”

“You shouldn’t be thanking me, you should be thanking Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik here.”

The professor gave credit to Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik.

It was a rare sight.

Professor Kim Seongtak giving credit to a resident.

“If it weren’t for this doctor, something big could have happened in the intensive care unit.”

Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik didn’t know what to do with himself at the professor’s continued praise.

The pupils behind his thick glasses were shaking.

At that moment, the patient’s elderly mother grabbed Ahn Gyeongshik’s hand.

“Doctor, thank you.”

“Yes? No…… Well…….”

“My son hasn’t had any luck in his life, but it looks like he’s lucky enough to meet a good doctor at the hospital and save his life…… Thank you, thank you.”

The old mother’s wrinkled hand, saying that, was heartbreaking.

Ahn Gyeongshik’s face was now as red as if it had been heated.

It was probably the first time.

That he had received such intense gratitude from a patient and their family.

“Anyway, the patient’s condition is good. You’re lucky to have met a good attending physician at our hospital, haha.”

With that, Professor Kim Seongtak moved on to see the next patient at a fast pace, as usual, and we followed him.

I could see that Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik’s eyes were red as he followed behind.

“Professor…… Thank you.”

“No, you worked hard.”

It was an answer that contained a lot.

We finished the rounds in a heartwarming atmosphere.

And some time later.

As an aside, patient Kim Deoksang, who was about to be discharged, was said to have had another stroke of luck.

“Let’s gooooo!”

“Patient, you need to calm down!”

Wang Bio’s stock hit the jackpot.

The patient was said to have jumped up and down so much that he thought his surgical site would burst open.

“Wow, I’m so jealous.”

“What are you jealous of? He might have gotten angina from all that stress. He had surgery because of it and almost died.”

“Still, my wish is to hold a stock that has hit the upper limit for 5 consecutive days.”

“Yeah, that’s true. I kept hesitating whether to buy it or not, and it kept hitting the upper limit, sigh…….”

Some people were talking about that in the cafeteria.

It was a moment to realize once again that life is a series of countless misfortunes and fortunes.

“I’m not jealous at all? Coming to the Department of Thoracic Surgery is the best luck of my life!”

“Hey, don’t exaggerate.”

“I’m serious, seniors!”

Ahn Gyeongshik had already become an enthusiastic man again.

“I will never waver again and will work hard. Isn’t life a series of comebacks? I think my time will come someday, like Wang Bio of patient Kim Deoksang!”

I’m glad that Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik has regained his energy as usual.

But I haven’t forgotten.

That the future I saw last month has not yet come.

‘In the future I saw, Doctor Ahn Gyeongshik was sitting down and crying.’

Probably the last hurdle I have to face in the cardiology department as an intern.

.

A more difficult case than any patient I’ve seen so far is waiting.

‘Can I really change that future?’

I don’t know.

But, as I have always done, I will do my best.

This month, a textbook on congenital heart disease is always on my desk in my dorm.

And, on the wall of my desk, there is also a baby photo postcard that Noul sent me as a gift.

In the last line of that postcard, Noul wrote down an old saying.

―We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.

January was coming to an end like that.

#Hawk’s Eyes, Woman’s Hands, Lion’s Heart (1)

Yeonguk University Hospital Director’s Office.

A slight tension was flowing in the office, which was furnished with luxurious furniture.

Hospital Director, Lee Yoonjung.

He was a pediatric cardiology doctor who led the pediatric cardiology team at Yeonguk University Hospital with Baek Euishin.

He was talking with an unexpected visitor.

He spoke with a slightly nervous look, unlike usual.

“Professor, you suddenly went abroad, and I ended up becoming the hospital director.”

“Why, don’t you like being the hospital director? Being the hospital director of Yeonguk University Hospital at a young age, it’s cool.”

“I didn’t really want to do it.”

Hospital Director Lee Yoonjung said as if confiding honestly.

He was a doctor who prioritized seeing patients.

So he thought that the position of hospital director, which is exposed to a lot of administrative work, was not right for him.

However, unable to withstand the pressure that the hospital director should come from the , which is the greatest strength of Yeonguk University Hospital, he eventually agreed to the position of hospital director.

‘Well, honestly, it wasn’t all that bad, but…….’

Of course, there is great honor.

The hospital director in charge of the best hospital in Korea!

But, that doesn’t mean it’s a position that everyone drools over like in dramas.

Because it was a position with great responsibility as it was an important position.

At least Professor Lee Yoonjung thought so himself.

“Like you, Professor, I prefer seeing patients more. Working in the director’s position is hard labor. Professor Baek.”

Then the man in front of him chuckled.

Baek Euishin.

He looked more energetic than before, whom he had seen in a long time.

Unlike the hospital director, who was dressed in a formal suit, Baek Euishin was dressed in active attire, even though he was a year or two older.

“But Professor Baek, what’s the reason for suddenly changing your mind? You retired and suddenly want to return……”

Slurp—

Baek Euishin rolled up his sleeves, gulped down his coffee, and answered.

“I ran out of money.”

“Stop joking. I’m really curious.”

“No, really. I went to America and spent it lavishly in Las Vegas, and my bank account was empty. Give me some salary.”

Hospital Director Lee Yoonjung gave a bitter smile at Baek Euishin’s words.

Gambling?

Baek Euishin is not the type to fall for that.

It was clearly an intention to gloss over it with nonsense, and the hospital director didn’t ask any further.

At that time, a broadcast rang out in the room where they were having a meeting.